duncan mackie
Money List Winner
A slightly more considered response than my earlier flippant one - although aspects cross over!
Everyone who has played for more than 5 years has a pretty fixed idea of what their handicap should be; some quite accurately and some a long way out - but that doesn't matter for the concept.
Generally they are happiest when their actual playing handicap is at that level, and they perform well; they look even better, they get cut and they become unhappy (inside) playing poorly until they are back at their pre conceived appropriate handicap. You see the behaviours and impact close up in stableford with how people play holes they get a stroke at, and those they don't. They can be identical holes in reality but a huge number of people will approach them differently - leading to different outcomes most of the time!
This is also why, to a significant degree, most people are embarrassed about their handicap either because they feel it's too high, or they feel it's too low - this one is further confused by concious consideration of what they would like to be able to play off.
Finally, against these two elements, there is the huge difference in many over how they can perform with a card in their hand and, as an example, in a 4BBB match environment. When I was in a progress phase of my playing (had more than one over the 40 years) I actually found competitions as easy as social play, possibly easier because of the structure and general consideration going on around me. I didnt have fixed ideas of what i should be off as the page was blank at that time so i just went out and did my best. Now I am in the opposite situation; I consider 10 to be a realistic handicap and would be happy to play most people in a match for the odd bit of beer money off that. However, in a Q comp I have become so concerned about going up again (and getting even more comments about my bandit handicap, that my ability to perform falls off a cliff!
Whilst everyone is different, I believe these elements all contribute to why most established handicap golfer rarely perform to their handicaps; they are either much better than a higher one or significantly worse following a cut to a perceived unfair handicap. There can also be a huge gap between conscious and unconscious reaction to any set of circumstances.
Everyone who has played for more than 5 years has a pretty fixed idea of what their handicap should be; some quite accurately and some a long way out - but that doesn't matter for the concept.
Generally they are happiest when their actual playing handicap is at that level, and they perform well; they look even better, they get cut and they become unhappy (inside) playing poorly until they are back at their pre conceived appropriate handicap. You see the behaviours and impact close up in stableford with how people play holes they get a stroke at, and those they don't. They can be identical holes in reality but a huge number of people will approach them differently - leading to different outcomes most of the time!
This is also why, to a significant degree, most people are embarrassed about their handicap either because they feel it's too high, or they feel it's too low - this one is further confused by concious consideration of what they would like to be able to play off.
Finally, against these two elements, there is the huge difference in many over how they can perform with a card in their hand and, as an example, in a 4BBB match environment. When I was in a progress phase of my playing (had more than one over the 40 years) I actually found competitions as easy as social play, possibly easier because of the structure and general consideration going on around me. I didnt have fixed ideas of what i should be off as the page was blank at that time so i just went out and did my best. Now I am in the opposite situation; I consider 10 to be a realistic handicap and would be happy to play most people in a match for the odd bit of beer money off that. However, in a Q comp I have become so concerned about going up again (and getting even more comments about my bandit handicap, that my ability to perform falls off a cliff!
Whilst everyone is different, I believe these elements all contribute to why most established handicap golfer rarely perform to their handicaps; they are either much better than a higher one or significantly worse following a cut to a perceived unfair handicap. There can also be a huge gap between conscious and unconscious reaction to any set of circumstances.
