Playing to your handicap

[net72]

Just wondering how often you guys are playing to your handicap. I go through spells of being able to play to it or beat it easily to struggling to get near it. I would say that about a third of my games are there or thereabouts. I'm quite new to this handicap thing so I am interested to hear about your experience.

 

[theeaglehunter]

I'm not sure over all but I have broken my handicap by at least 5 shots during my last 7 rounds- woops! I am certainly in need of a cut when the qualifiers come around!

 

[net72]

Just thought I'd ask because I've just broken 80 for the first time and scored 39 points with a blob in a Turkey trot- 2 clubs + putter in the last week and am being called a bandit (friendly banter i think?). Not sure where this form has come from but I hope its here to stay. I have no problem with having my handicap cut as this is my objective rathr than winning comps with a high handicap

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think competitively I broke it once in 2008 and had 4-5 rounds in the buffer zone. Everything else not worth talking about. However the one time I broke it I won the monthly stableford and got cut 1.2 so I guess it was worth the wait.

I play fairly close to my handicap in social games (we normally play off whites anyway) and anything less than 34 points on a Saturday with my regular partners has me with a long face for most of the day

 

[Herbie]

I have played to my h/c or under, consistantly for the last 3 yrs with this current h/c, unfortunately I have also consistantly played above it every half dozen rounds but not by many, but I have in the last 2 yrs had a couple of disasters shooting silly scores and it will happen again no doubt and probably worsen for me as time goes on.

 

[Cernunnos]

I've played to it.. below it above it & all of these seem to go in stages & the only person responsible for performance is the player. We get out of the game what we put in...

...Obviously I've not put in enough this year.

 

[Tommo21]

Just looked, I've played 20 medal rounds and about 12 ties this year. Started at 6.1 now 6.7 and I know I can do much better when I crack the odd hook that is spoiling some great golf. Played great in match play to win a couple of trophies where the odd bad hole was no problem to me.

More to the point I've been playing much better of late and I feel good for the future.

 

[TWM]

I have been playing my worst ever golf lately (due to health problems) but interspersed with a couple of good rounds (37 and 38 Stableford) giving accusations of banditry but I can live with that if these better rounds become more frequent.

 

[level5s]

Up until around June-July this year I was adding 0.1 each week. Then things clicked and I was consistantly in the buffer zone before taking 4.3 off the handicap in 3 rounds and then I played to the new handicap until the end of the season.

I hadn't played for a couple of months until this weekend and I am optimistic that when the season starts I should be there or there about again if i continue to play over the winter.

 

[Macster]

In social Golf, I can very regularly play well under my 11 H/C, to the point of being 1 over Gross after 10/12 holes on a summer evening perhaps.

However, in Medal play, I managed it once this year, and came down 1.2 on the day to 11. The rest were all well above, which is perhaps indicative of both the Mental gremlins bashin my brains in when it matters, and the extra length of our White tees.

hey ho.

Oh, and for me, there's only you know whether you're a bandit or not.

 

[Vincent]

After you asked the question I thought it was good to check through my rounds.
I play off between 12 and 13 and this year completed 34 medal rounds. On 4 occasions I beat my handicap, twice with -3 and twice with -1.
On another 7 occasions I made the buffer zone. The rest ranged from unlucky to diabolical.

 

[Tommo21]

After you asked the question I thought it was good to check through my rounds.
I play off between 12 and 13 and this year completed 34 medal rounds. On 4 occasions I beat my handicap, twice with -3 and twice with -1.
On another 7 occasions I made the buffer zone. The rest ranged from unlucky to diabolical.

34 medal rounds.....are you on tour. I thought my 20 odd was high.

 

[Vincent]

Tomo they aren't all club comps but during the Spring, Summer and Autumn I play a lot of society stuff too. Still doesn't seem to be doing me any good though...!!!

 

[ColinR]

Up to September, I was nowhere near my handicap and adding 0.1 everytime bringing me up to 17.

However, turned a real corner in September with lots of swing and short game work. Now I shoot 82-84 on a regular basis.

The roll up I play in have cut me to 13 as I was regularly getting 40 points.

It basically means I am ready to be formally cut, bt once that medal card is in my hands, anything can happen !!!

Cheers.

 

[haplesshacker]

Only played to within the buffer zone once this year, but on the easier od the two tracks that the course offers, therefore it doesn't affect my h'cap. All other times added 0.1

But I have now, after 23 rounds on the main course, parred the course on eccelectic best. All on gross scores. So I managed one of this years goals achieved.

 

[Leftie]

Just checked my stats on Scoresaver 2. I've recorded 98 complete rounds this year (must get out more ) and have played to, or below h/cap 23 times. It must be said though that the majority of these games were roll ups, inter-club 4bbb friendlies, club KO matches, etc where there is no real pressure and putts are given.

I've only played in 7 official club comps this year and beaten h/cap twice, both in a 7 day purple patch in Sept where I shot 4 below CSS each time. The two cuts of 1.2 were very painful and I haven't quite played to new h/cap of 13 since.

 

[ricardodaintino]

I have played below handicap a couple of times this year but I'm still on the learning curve and sat at 21 handicap, so you would expect me to be getting under it more often as my game improves.

Target of 13 for 2009 and then single figures in 2010! (yes I am a dreamer but why not!)

 

[haplesshacker]

21 down to 13, wow that's a goal and a half!!

 

[Canfordhacker]

I always thought that your handicap should be tough but achievable, with a recommendation that you should be able to play to it one in four rounds. Looking back at my stats for about 60 rounds this year this is about where I'm at.

 

[GB72]

I always thought that your handicap should be tough but achievable, with a recommendation that you should be able to play to it one in four rounds. Looking back at my stats for about 60 rounds this year this is about where I'm at.

I suppose that is why I have been called a bit of a bandit this year, I can consistently play to my handicap but not often under it, hence no cuts this year. My playing partners do not often play to their handicaps so I end up taking the money.