Should Society handicaps be realistic?

[stulewis1975]

In my golf society we started out using Congu handicaps and then introduced our own cuts vs 36 and for winning to keep it competitive. Over the course of 2 seasons most people end up playing off 1-2 less than their Congu. As we started playing tougher courses we found people were winning events in 32-33 points but winning by 8-10 points so decided to set our own CSS for each event based on average of top third in the field.
At a recent event we had players shooting 47, 42, 40 as top 3 and because of doing the top third CSS only the guy with 47 got cut and that was only vs 42 points (as this was the CSS). Other scores ranged down to 27.
This has caused a divide in our members as some feel that no matter what you cannot have people shooting 40 and 42 with no cut and shooting 47 without getting your handicap decimated.
What do others do in Society golf and do people think you have to take action with these types of scores?
As further info the guy who shot 47 played off 2 less than his Congu and we had two players who were members at the course and both shot 27.
thanks for views

 

[Crow]

You're never going to please everybody, but what you're trying to do seems fair. I'd look at the history of the guy who scored 47, has he scored big numbers before?

If so you could adopt a sort of ESR type reduction, if it's a one off then let it go and do as you're doing.

 

[stulewis1975]

3rd win in 7 events in 2014!

 

[Crow]

Sounds like he needs an ESR cut, and a big one at that!

(And I don't like to think what his actual CONGU handicap should be!)

 

[pendodave]

In our society, the handicaps are designed to ensure that pretty much everyone has a chance of winning. As a few would normally be over 28 under the normal congu system, we end up with the better players having a society handicap of a few shots lower than their 'normal' handicap.

However, we are not a large group (15 regulars + a few infrequents) and have been playing together for years, so simple rules for cuts for winning/second/besting 36 points and occasional increases for people who have failed to trouble the scorer for some time suffice.

It strikes me that if you're trying to bring in your own css that things are getting far too complicated. If someone wins cash, cut them so that they don't win it again for a bit ! It's best if the handicap sec has a suitable personality....

 

[PhilTheFragger]

We have no maximum handicap and have a number of general rules regarding handicap changes

Score under 25 - hcap up by 2
26-32 hcap up by 1
33-36. No change
37-41 down by .5 per shot
42+ down by 5 plus .5 every point over 42

Also winner gets cut 1 and loser goes up 1

If you are playing at your home course, you use your club handicap

Regular players hcaps end up close to their club hcaps, but irregular players end up with a hcap that gives them a chance
Current range is. 1 to 47

We don't bother with CSS far too complicated

My club hcap is 18.5
Society hcap is 19.2

 

[Oddsocks]

I don't get how you can ever have a society handicap higher than your club handicap, to me you active club hc should always be the bench mark. Of course for people with no club hc then you need to be more creative.

The above does depend on the integrity of the players and their ability to keep the society updated with any handicap changes

 

[Doh]

I came second in our society meet with 36 points same as the winner and got done 3 shots, that's they way it is and no one complains.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

I don't get how you can ever have a society handicap higher than your club handicap, to me you active club hc should always be the bench mark. Of course for people with no club hc then you need to be more creative.

The above does depend on the integrity of the players and their ability to keep the society updated with any handicap changes

Don't forget that by definition, societies play at a range of different courses and we always play 4 or 5 new courses per year, local knowledge has to be worth a few shots, so im not at all surprised if a society hcap is a bit higher than club hcap

 

[need_my_wedge]

We keep it fairly simple on our annual boys trips. Day one is played off regular club handicap, anyone scoring less than 30 gets a shot back for every point under on day two, anyone scoring more than 36 loses a shot for every point over on day two. We apply the same rules for any subsequent days. Day two can sometimes be interesting, but generally this evens it out over the trip.

 

[guest100718]

We play lower of club or society if you have a club hdcp. I think we do .4 cut for everything over 36 plus an extra shot for the winner. we seem to get a fair mix of winners.

 

[ForeRighty]

For me you should never play off a higher handicap than you active club handicap.

To me that is a form of cheating and the main reason I dislike society days.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

For me you should never play off a higher handicap than you active club handicap.

To me that is a form of cheating and the main reason I dislike society days.

That is your opinion, but to call it cheating is a bit strong

Society Golf isnt for everyone, but for many it is a very enjoyable way to enjoy the game

 

[hamshanker]

Ive been helping run our society for good few yrs now taking over doing h/caps from previous guy and have kept the same workings out as he did.

No official H/cap -3 cards in and work out on best card
Has official H/cap -Club H/cap minus 2
H/cap adjustments - h/cap adjustments
0-6 0.1
7-12 0.2
13-20 0.3
21-28 0.4
par is 36 and any non scoring hole is 1 point so anything over 36 will be adjusted according to h/caps and the winner also recieves an extra 1 shot deduction for the following week only.

As its been said society golf is not run exactly like club golf as regards to h/caps and adjustments its there for players to get out and enjoy the relaxed social side of it yet still play to the rules to best of their knowledge and as always back in the 19th the banter starts about scores/h/caps etc and thats what society golf is about so if players dont like the way societies are run then its not for them stick to club golf.

We have few players who are in another society and they adjust slightly different to us but their h/caps are within a shot or the same as ours.

 

[Stuey01]

Sounds like the OP has an over complicated system. If you are going to the trouble of calculating a CSS why only do it on part of the field?
Also, the main problem seems to be a major sandbagger cleaning up the prizes - which has got te other members wound up, understandably.
47 points off a handicap 2 below his official handicap, so 49 off his actual handicap. 13 shots under par... And he keeps doing it? Dodgy.

 

[Break90]

The societies I've been part of have never taken it to the level of independently calculating CSS, IMO that's taking it a bit far.

Winner gets cut 2 shots for winning, and 0.5 per point over 36. Second gets cut 1 plus 0.5 per point over 36. Third gets cut 0.5 per point over 36.

Everyone else gets 0.5 back (meet approx 6 times per year).

No link to CONGU/club handicaps at all.

Seems to work OK.

 

[Fyldewhite]

I've never liked the idea of having two handicaps, club v society, summer v winter, general v seniors etc . In our society we have about 60% club members who play off their club handicap. The rest are allocated handicap in the same way and managed through the HandicapMaster Society edition. Obviously with only playing once a month they are subject to a bit more scrutiny for exceptional scoring but generally work the same way. All very simple really but to try to "share the spoils" we do add penalties for winning events (-1 point Cat 1, -2 pts Cat 2/3 and -3 Pts Cat 4) which apply for the rest of that season with all penalties being reset at the start of each season. Works really well. We all have one handicap and if you win something it's harder next time out.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

We get cut two shots for winning straight away anything over 40 points also gets 2 shots

Over 36 gets cut a shot

Currently play to +2 on ours

 

[evahakool]

Don't forget that by definition, societies play at a range of different courses and we always play 4 or 5 new courses per year, local knowledge has to be worth a few shots, so im not at all surprised if a society hcap is a bit higher than club hcap

Agree with Oddsocks on this one,personly i would feel very uncomfatable playing in a society with a higher h\c than my active h\c, as for playing differant courses many of us play in open comps. sometimes playing a course for the first time, you wouldn't roll up and say "look i havent played here before so i think its only fair if I play off a higher h|c than my club h\c"

I played as a guest in one society and one of the guys was playing off a h\c 4 shots higher than his official h\c now thats just wrong imo.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It's a balancing act especially trying to accommodate the regular player with a club handicap and finding a way to make the few time a year golfer feel included and able to compete.