Should I Be Shooting My Handicap?

[Deleted member 15344]

He is a bandit in the sense that his handicap is probably too high for his playing ability, but probably (I hope) not intentionally. This happens all the time to new and/or improving golfers because of the ponderous way the handicapping system works. Generally such players win everything in sight for a few months before their handicap eventually catches up to their ability, after which they join the rest of us and win very rarely, and then only on very good days.

Sorry but think it's poor form to be calling people bandits like you have - post full of generalisations.

 

[delc]

In my view your handicap is correct if you score 31-32pts stableford if you have just an average 'day at the office'; when good luck and bad in the round balance out; you aren't hitting too many 'sunday best' shots; and you are not canning them from all over the green. When you start scoring 35-36pts or more on a regular basis in friendly 'knock-ups'/'bounce games' then your handicap is too high.

The real bandits are the ones who regularly score over 40 points in open competitions and society days and scoop all the prizes. There is no way that anybody with a proper handicap could do this, other than perhaps once in a blue moon! I am normally very happy to get 38 points, although I will admit to once scoring 46 points in a midweek competition, when I played well, all the putts went in, and I had a few lucky bounces away from trouble. That earned me a 3 shot reduction in my playing handicap!

 

[TheJezster]

Just keep going mate. You could score around 35-37 points in ten straight comps, you still wouldn't get cut. So don't push it, it will come, but not necessarily when you want. And ignore the bandit comments on here, that's just nonsense. Enjoy your golf and you'll either get cut or not, but don't stress.

 

[Fyldewhite]

To be fair I think the term bandit means different things to different people. Maybe it's a regional thing? No more than banter round here, no real stigma associated with it whereas some folk/areas seem to associate it with handicap manipulation and the like and it's a real insult to be called a bandit. We just call them cheats btw.

As for OP. Comparing bounce games to comps is like apples and oranges especially in winter. As others have said, just play the comps, take the scores that come your way and your handicap will soon sort itself out.

 

[Ethan]

I recently got my first official handicap of 18. Since getting it I have pretty much shot 17-18 over par including 17 over at Woburn on Friday. Is normal that I am consistantly shooting on or just below my handicap. Someone else mentioned to me that he very rarely shoots on or below his actual handicap.

Remarkably consistent play. Generally speaking a golfer with a stable handicap will beat their handicap about 1 round in 4 or so. Because of the way the handicap is calculated, inconsistent golfers need to beat it less often than consistent players. If you are close to or beating handicap most of the time, sounds like yor handicap will be falling soon.

 

[Mark1751]

I was having this discussion yesterday as for the last 8 rounds shot 1 +\- to my handicap, and I was wondering if my handicap should actually be lowered for my golf society match coming up as don't want to be accused of being a bandit.....

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I'm sure 2-3 years ago CONGU stated on average you only play to your handicap in competitions 3.5 times a year.

 

[Foxholer]

Remarkably consistent play. Generally speaking a golfer with a stable handicap will beat their handicap about 1 round in 4 or so. Because of the way the handicap is calculated, inconsistent golfers need to beat it less often than consistent players. If you are close to or beating handicap most of the time, sounds like yor handicap will be falling soon.

I agree with this!

As Delc states, there are 'real bandits' who can consistently beat their handicap to order and these are completely different 'bandits' - who should be drummed out of town imo!

To me, you are a classic 'potential bandit' (improver) who could well be at the top of the leaderboard for several early comps before seeing your handicap drop to a level where you, like most, struggle to play to it or buffer! Be happy to be called one of those - it means all your hard work is paying off!

Congu's Annual Review software is based on the statistically very good model that an (End of Year) handicap of 18 is likely to be shooting around 22-23 over SSS (SILH's 31-32 points). That, of course, is a bit different for Winter short (but no run) courses.

Hope the good news carries on!

 

[Foxholer]

I'm sure 2-3 years ago CONGU stated on average you only play to your handicap in competitions 3.5 times a year.

Depends whether you play only 4 or 5 times a year or 4 or 5 times a week!

See my comment above about 'expected score' based on 10s of thousands of rounds recorded by Congu!

 

[Foxholer]

I was having this discussion yesterday as for the last 8 rounds shot 1 +\- to my handicap, and I was wondering if my handicap should actually be lowered for my golf society match coming up as don't want to be accused of being a bandit.....

All Societies/Swindles etc should have their own handicapping method to counter this potential issue. In Societies, the golf is somewhat secondary (imo) so having that spoil the primary purpose - the get-together - is often the reason why Societies break up.

I once won a pretty large Society day as a Guest, scoring 42 points at Camberley Heath, during the period I was coming down rapidly - from 12 to 7. I thought I would be castigated somewhat, but there were 2 streams of prizes - one for Society members and another for Guests - so there was no big issue there!

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Depends whether you play only 4 or 5 times a year or 4 or 5 times a week!

See my comment above about 'expected score' based on 10s of thousands of rounds recorded by Congu!

I wish I could find the article, it was quite a surprise, it was for amatuer golfers in UK over 1 year.
I would guess average meant CONGU took all scores into account. I don't know many people who play 4-5 comps a week.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

If you're an improving golfer, the handicap may take some time to catch up, especially given the lack of comps around. As long as the OP regularly enters as any club events as possible, it will adjust in a few months, including some inevitable 0.1's back when the magic wanes. Not a bandit in any shape or form in my book

 

[Birchy]

In winter you should be playing to your handicap more often than not imo. Courses do play easier at this time of year.

Although this winter has been a bit wetter than normal so playing once a month if lucky for some people might affect that too.

 

[Nashy]

I buffered in all but one comp last year, I had to work for everyone of those. I know I can shoot better and I have in the past, but at this time my handicap is about spot on.

 

[AMcC]

In winter you should be playing to your handicap more often than not imo. Courses do play easier at this time of year.

Although this winter has been a bit wetter than normal so playing once a month if lucky for some people might affect that too.

I agree with this.

Often in winter the tees are further forward and bunkers / hazards which are in reach off the medal tees are easily passed by in the winter. Also softer greens mean less shots fire through the green.

We have a couple of guys who play well in the winter for these very reasons but seem to struggle in season.

 

[evahakool]

In winter you should be playing to your handicap more often than not imo. Courses do play easier at this time of year.

Although this winter has been a bit wetter than normal so playing once a month if lucky for some people might affect that too.

Not sure I agree with that,we play a full course bar one par 3, most of the balls plug on our course in winter so no run, if you average say 20 yards less on every drive and second shots into par 5s that's a lot of extra yardage, sometimes hitting woods/hybrids into par 4s too.

Makes it a lot harder for me anyway.

 

[Foxholer]

I wish I could find the article, it was quite a surprise, it was for amatuer golfers in UK over 1 year.
I would guess average meant CONGU took all scores into account. I don't know many people who play 4-5 comps a week.

You still don't seem to have absorbed the crux of my post!

Stating '4 or 5 times a year' is pointless without some sort of indication as to how often they play.

Had you included that stat - such as, say 20 comps, - then it would fit in with the 1 in 4 range that has been mentioned!

But for improving golfers, that ratio is not good enough. And for Juniors especially boys who suddenly get stronger, it goes completely out of the window at certain times.I knew one that went from 18 to Cat 1 in 7 months!!

 

[patricks148]

Not sure I agree with that,we play a full course bar one par 3, most of the balls plug on our course in winter so no run, if you average say 20 yards less on every drive and second shots into par 5s that's a lot of extra yardage, sometimes hitting woods/hybrids into par 4s too.

Makes it a lot harder for me anyway.

off the full length course?

I would say winter golf def easier at my place, we are almost playing the ladies course but without the extra par 5's. par 69 in winter and a would say at least 3 off the par 4's are drive-able. i would imagine if we had a SSS for it it would be under par.

 

[Fish]

Not sure I agree with that,we play a full course bar one par 3, most of the balls plug on our course in winter so no run, if you average say 20 yards less on every drive and second shots into par 5s that's a lot of extra yardage, sometimes hitting woods/hybrids into par 4s too.

Makes it a lot harder for me anyway.

I agree, the shorter course means nothing IMO, the air is colder and there's no run on the fairways so both those factors alone offset any idea its shorter to the degree you should be hitting greens in regulation more, you still have to play the shots and on softer fairways and wetter semi rough, that's not easier either so anything other than pure strikes are slappy, some greens can dry out quicker than others and bunkers will be wet and compact so no consistency on those 2 fronts either, so winter can be quite a challenge imo.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I agree with this.

Often in winter the tees are further forward and bunkers / hazards which are in reach off the medal tees are easily passed by in the winter. Also softer greens mean less shots fire through the green.

We have a couple of guys who play well in the winter for these very reasons but seem to struggle in season.

Yep agree also

My course for example

I can now drive the third , forth , 15th and 17th - reach par 5's in two and going into greens with wedges

It's a shorter course by a good couple hundred yards