Vanity handicappers vs banditos

[Voyager EMH]

I have a vanity handicap. It is 4.6
I don't seem to play to it very often.
I've only beaten it twice in my last 20 scores. And then not by very much.
I've not been cheating.
I picked up a couple of prizes in club comps last year, but I seem to lose a heck of a lot of £2 or £3 in social golf.

 

[Dunesman]

I have a vanity handicap. It is 4.6
I don't seem to play to it very often.
I've only beaten it twice in my last 20 scores. And then not by very much.
I've not been cheating.
I picked up a couple of prizes in club comps last year, but I seem to lose a heck of a lot of £2 or £3 in social golf.

Beating it twice in 20 is not vanity. That is the expected range. You are an honest golfer Sir.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I have had a dogmatic steadfast opinion I could get to single figures. Many on here mocked. Well I finally did it and now have a handicap of 7.6. It may not last but I know I got to where I wanted as a single figure golfer through hard work, sheer bloody mindedness and a change of swing. It wasn't aimed to be a vanity thing but a proof to myself and some here and at my club that I could prove people wrong and do it. At the moment I am managing to play respectfully close to it most of the time. Will it last? Who knows but even if I go up I did it without having to resort the tactics of the guy in #19

 

[RichA]

Beating it twice in 20 is not vanity. That is the expected range. You are an honest golfer Sir.

Surely the expected range for a steady handicap is 4 out of 20.
He's a narcissist of the worst kind.

 

[AussieKB]

I will swap my vanity handicap for any one on double figures, no questions asked.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

I’ll take a higher handicap if people are offering one and they can have mine

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I’ll take a higher handicap if people are offering one and they can have mine

Won't that put you in the bandito camp?

 

[Orikoru]

Bandits are cheating their friends and fellow golfers, while the silly vanity cappers for the most part are only cheating themselves. So I'd argue the bandits are worse overall.

 

[Springveldt]

To be able to say, even if its deception of both himself and others, that he has that handicap. Every golfer takes some satisfaction or pride in their handicap as a measure if their standing or ability in the game. Some, so much, that they cannot restrain themselves from faking it. Ego combined with insecurity.

I'm the opposite. I've got Imposter Syndrome as I think there is no way I should be as low as I am, especially when I can still throw in rounds like Saturday with an 87.

 

[Voyager EMH]

Surely the expected range for a steady handicap is 4 out of 20.
He's a narcissist of the worst kind.

In my 8 counting scores, I have two below, two dead on, and 4 above my index. I have beaten my handicap twice in 20 scores.
I know that you are joking about the narcissism, but I thought I ought to put the record straight about beating my handicap.

My problem is that I take handicap qualifying comps seriously and social golf less seriously.
Many that I play with do it the other way round. Social golf is their main hobby that gives them the most enjoyment.
They enjoy having a handicap that they can play to regularly in their main pastime of social golf. I call this a vanity handicap, but it is the opposite of the usual definition.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

In my 8 counting scores, I have two below, two dead on, and 4 above my index. I have beaten my handicap twice in 20 scores.
I know that you are joking about the narcissism, but I thought I ought to put the record straight about beating my handicap.

My problem is that I take handicap qualifying comps seriously and social golf less seriously.
Many that I play with do it the other way round. Social golf is their main hobby that gives them the most enjoyment.
They enjoy having a handicap that they can play to regularly in their main pastime of social golf. I call this a vanity handicap, but it is the opposite of the usual definition.

Indeed - I can imagine plenty of handicap golfers most enjoy bragging or simply feeling a bit smug - when talking about their most recent 40pt round...to him the actual gross score is irrelevant - his ego is stoked by the admiring comments made by others at his latest whopping s/ford pts score - he ignores sideways swipes he might receive from others as simply bad grace and jealousy - so water off a duck's back.

 

[jim8flog]

A vanity handicap is not necessarily a low handicap seen quite a few around 28 who should be 38 or more.
One of the guys I have played with with for over 30 years has never broken 30 points for absolutely years but refuses to put in cards* to to get his handicap up. He his currently 37 but has never between his handicap since at least 2017

*He only put in 3 in 2023 4 in 24 from playing in a comp

When the WHS came in we reviewed all players with a 28/36 handicap and got quite a few complaints for increasing handicaps for many of those players.

 

[Springveldt]

In my 8 counting scores, I have two below, two dead on, and 4 above my index. I have beaten my handicap twice in 20 scores.

Isn't that what you would expect though? My index is currently 2.9 and is made up of...

Below - 2 (-1.2, 1.3)
Equal - 0
Above - 6 (3.0, 3.0, 3.9, 3.9, 4.7, 4.7)

I've got the -1.2 dropping off in 4 rounds time so I expect to be going up around 0.8 when that happens.

 

[Bdill93]

What ? Both are cheating !

Interesting that one. You can keep a vanity cap by never submitting GP scores but only if you perform in comps.

Unless false scores are going in of course!

 

[RichA]

In my 8 counting scores, I have two below, two dead on, and 4 above my index. I have beaten my handicap twice in 20 scores.
I know that you are joking about the narcissism, but I thought I ought to put the record straight about beating my handicap.

My problem is that I take handicap qualifying comps seriously and social golf less seriously.
Many that I play with do it the other way round. Social golf is their main hobby that gives them the most enjoyment.
They enjoy having a handicap that they can play to regularly in their main pastime of social golf. I call this a vanity handicap, but it is the opposite of the usual definition.

I'm the same. My social golf is just for fun with pals.
Comp golf I take seriously and can concentrate on the golf, as it's always drawn and the pals aren't there to drag me into longest drive and most heroic recovery shot on every hole.
And, as often as not, the back 9 turns into a scramble.

 

[Junior]

Is it OK to bounce between the two ???

I went from a 2.5 index to a 5.5 index before cleaning up in a few comps and getting down to 1.8. I’m now slowly (and unintentionally I might add) climbing my way back up and am at 3.5. It’s just the way WHS seems to effect me.

 

[Jigger]

Bandits are worse as they are stealing prizes. The others are donating them.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Bandits are worse as they are stealing prizes. The others are donating them.

Definitely. We have one that's starting to attach himself to the Saturday roll up. Won again and where we would have cut him the roll up, playing by the new EGU guidelines we have to wait for the system to catch him up

 

[nickh]

Definitely. We have one that's starting to attach himself to the Saturday roll up. Won again and where we would have cut him the roll up, playing by the new EGU guidelines we have to wait for the system to catch him up

Except that vanity handicappers are potentailly (and selfishly) depriving others of entering comps at the true handicap level?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Except that vanity handicappers are potentailly (and selfishly) depriving others of entering comps at the true handicap level?

True. I am not low enough to worry too much and can get entries to the local opens I'd be interested in. My grip is this guy is clearly waiting for a good patch, rocking up and picking up cash and going again. Word has it he won a Sunday one recently too