Real genuine handicaps or Protected.

[pokerjoke]

After playing in our club championship last week[badly i might add]i settled down outside for a beer.
The fixture secretary walked over and started saying that he hoped the person that was leading after the morning round didnt win the comp overall.
Asking him why he said that he only put cards in when it was a good comp,however he plays the course a lot.He did win.
Also was talking to a commitee member a couple of months ago,he told me that he plays with low handicappers who are under gross on the 16th but mess up 17 and 18 or dont put there cards in because they dont want there handicaps to go any lower.
Banditry,protection call it what you like,it goes on,and it could be anybody.
Whilst we all want a level playing field when we enter a comp just remember it might not just be the high handicapper thats protecting his handicap.
The reason for this post is because on other posts it always seems to be the high handicapper who gets the brunt of banditry.

 

[Mightymoose]

See with a little bit of thinking, they'd f*ck up on the 10th, 11th and 12th holes to avoid suspicion.

At least that's what I seem to be doing at the moment

 

[patricks148]

but don't cat 1 players only get cut 0.1 for each shot under their handicap where as say 19 handicapper will 0.3.

so if a cat 1 player shoots 4 under its only 0.4 where as a high habdicapper will go down 1.2.

I know which ones more likley to be protecting the handicap by not putting cards in.

don't you go up 0.1 for not returning a card at your place?

 

[Ken_A]

Have to agree - the ones I know as bandits are off mid handicaps (8-12ish), I hand in EVERY card and ALWAYS play naturally - ie not throwing a few shots towards the end. But yet when I put in a good score it's coz I am a bandit.

I hate the people who dont put their cards in and feel that every member should only be removed from the comp if he does not put his card in - ie wasting entrance fee, if this happens 10% of his/her cards then they are not able to play in the next comp. Only problem with my arguement is the fact that I expect people to be p155d off about not playing in comps and tbh most just dont care.

In reality it's up to the playing partners to ensure the player is not breaking the rules and hopefully they can persuade them to return their cards too.

 

[Bratty]

I keep asking my handicap secretary if there's any way of NOT going up when I mess up, as I'm trying very hard to get to 14 by the end of the summer!

He likes my attitude but as yet has refused to ignore the computer's increase of my handicap.

I'll just have to start playing better.

I hate handicap protection with a passion!

 

[Aztecs27]

I feel guilty for still playing off 19(.2) having only entered one comp this year and knowing that good golf doesn't feel too far away. That's not out of choice though. Holidays, away days, work and other stuff has meant I've had NO time in the last 3 months to play any comps at my course.

I stop feeling guilty when I hack it around for a pitiful 27 points at St. Pierre (off 18)

 

[Alex1975]

Ye I would have to think that being a bandit is more affective and easier to protect if you are a high handicap.

 

[pokerjoke]

but don't cat 1 players only get cut 0.1 for each shot under their handicap where as say 19 handicapper will 0.3.

so if a cat 1 player shoots 4 under its only 0.4 where as a high habdicapper will go down 1.2.

I know which ones more likley to be protecting the handicap by not putting cards in.

don't you go up 0.1 for not returning a card at your place?

I do agree to a certain extent,but surely a 4 hp getting cut to 3 would be harder next time than a high hp going from 18 to 17.
I dont think we do go up .1 unless you submit the card,but i will check.

 

[Philm]

we have a auto ban for 1 week comps if a player doesnt return his card.

Phil

 

[patricks148]

If its a club comp you are NR if you don't put the card in surely.

At my club if you fail to put a card on the computer its 0.1 if you fail to sign card 0.1.


your club must kkep a record of who had entered so nil return up 0.1!!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I'm sure we've all seen guys protecting their handicap over the years to scoop "the big ones" but what can you do. I like the idea of a ban for not putting the card in but does that count for NR's too. I've put some of those in where I've lost a ball in a medal and can't be asked to go back having shot well over the buffer anyway (continued to mark the remaining scores). Would that be a ban too.

Personally I think handicap protection is the biggest scurge around. I accept players might have high handicaps (even low-mid teens have their time) and have good days and win and therefore accept the subsequent cut and so the bandit term is always tongue in cheek, but for someone to deliberately miss a putt or play a hole badly to avoid going down is a big no-no

 

[rosecott]

As pointed out by another poster, the committee can take disiplinary action against players who fail to submit their scorecards. If the committee member who spoke to you has not ensured that your committee addresses the issue - why not?

 

[USER1999]

If anyone ever looked at my medal scores, they would think I am protecting my handicap. The number of times the parachute comes out on the 18th is getting silly.

I'm not though. Just rubbish at playing the 18th. Tough tee shot, and always a long wait on the tee.

 

[19thagain]

I'm sure we've all seen guys protecting their handicap over the years to scoop "the big ones" but what can you do.

Well Homer, I have played golf for a long, long time and I have NEVER seen anyone 'protecting' their handicap.
I have seen the wheels come off some excellent golfers rounds (a Scottish International player) - the wheels come off a big plus handicap golfer on his last comp before turning pro (definately not protecting his handicap!) and this pattern has been witnessed in all differing handicap players so unless you label everyone a cheat because they do not play to their handicap, yours is a BIG statement to make.

How do you label a pro that returns a crap score, maybe breaking down over the final stretch? Protecting their ...oh, wait a moment they don't have a handicap or are they just being human like the rest of us!

 

[USER1999]

I can't think of any one I have played with ever, who I thought was protecting his handicap. I can't think of any one at my club mentioning it either.

People do joke about getting a few shots back, but not seriously.

To me, the one protecting his handicap is the guy who doesn't enter comps, doesn't practice, and doesn't want to come down because playing to a lower dhandicap might be difficult.
No, they don't win comps, no they aren't on any boards, but they are a pain in the bum to play for money.

 

[chrisd]

Well Homer, I have played golf for a long, long time and I have NEVER seen anyone 'protecting' their handicap.

I have to say that I share this view, I certainly have never played with anyone where, when the wheels have come off, it has appeared to be deliberate.

In fact I would take the opposite stance, everyone I play with genuinely wants to get their h/caps down

Chris

 

[GB72]

I feel guilty for still playing off 19(.2) having only entered one comp this year and knowing that good golf doesn't feel too far away. That's not out of choice though. Holidays, away days, work and other stuff has meant I've had NO time in the last 3 months to play any comps at my course.

I stop feeling guilty when I hack it around for a pitiful 27 points at St. Pierre (off 18)

I know that feeling, when I was off 24 and had a good round I would skulk into the clubhouse to put my score in now. Off my current handicap I feel worse based on the fact that I have just not had a good comp this year. When I scored the 43 points at the GM event I felt that everyone in the room was thinking 'bandit'. Feelings may be totally unjustified but if you have a good round off a high handicap you cannot help but feel that people think it unjustified or undeserved.