What hc do you consider to be a good player?

Keeno said:
One negative of the Handicap system is it has allowed us all to win at some point or another, winning is associated with being the best and that is what causes the confusion.
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In a handicap competition the winner is the best by the score they've recorded on the day, that's actually what makes Golf so unique and a great sport.
No one is saying that the winner of a handicap comp is the best golfer, simply he recorded the best score in that particular comp and is the winner in that instance.
If a scratch comp had a group playing off handicaps covering, say, +3 to 4 and the guy off 4 won it, would you still feel the same?
 
pauldj42 said:
In a handicap competition the winner is the best by the score they've recorded on the day, that's actually what makes Golf so unique and a great sport.
No one is saying that the winner of a handicap comp is the best golfer, simply he recorded the best score in that particular comp and is the winner in that instance.
If a scratch comp had a group playing off handicaps covering, say, +3 to 4 and the guy off 4 won it, would you still feel the same?
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but in this instance its a level playing field, with no shots. any golfers off +3 in the comp would no doubt say he was a bandit though:)
 
Hickory_Hacker said:
Is there any point? When a low guy (just say Cat 1) tells a high guy (say 12 +) that he's talking rubbish or starts having a laugh he gets accused of trolling and as I said earlier when a high guy comes on giving it "all that" nothing's said and probably no infraction!

So many experts ... It's a crazy place on a golf forum!
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But why does your handicap have to be linked to advice, Spieth and McIlroys coaches are no were near the same standard of Golfer.
Who knows if the guy off 28 is or isn't an expert in shaft technology for example.
 
pauldj42 said:
But is the winner the best golfer?
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on the day i would say yes. after all scratch is a level playing field and this scenario is almost unheard of where as in handicap comps the high handicapper winning isn't

what about my Usain Bolt analogy, would i be the fastest with a 99 yard head start?
 
Some differing views here. I personally think that half-decent golfers are handicap 18 or less, and good golfers are single figures or scratch. The best I have managed in my Senior years is 10.2. Currently off 12. :)
 
I'd say something along the lines of

0-3 Talented
3-5 Very Good
5-8 Good
8- 12 Steady

I've seen guys off 3 who look nothing special but know their limits and guys off 6 who are great ball strikers but are prone to making bad costly decisions. I suppose the Handicap doesn't lie though.

I fall into the Catogory of 'Choker' when a good score is on the cards!

Handicap or not Ive always thought a good milestone for being a competent Golfer was Completing a round with no worse than Bogey on the card.
 
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patricks148 said:
on the day i would say yes. after all scratch is a level playing field and this scenario is almost unheard of where as in handicap comps the high handicapper winning isn't

what about my Usain Bolt analogy, would i be the fastest with a 99 yard head start?
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I totally agree that in any Comp the winner may not be the best Golfer regardless of scratch or handicap, but on the day the winner is still the winner.
Unfortunately there is no handicap event in the 100m, but if there was and he was beaten, whoever beat him could rightly claim to be the winner.
We run a 5 mile handicap race once a month based on your timings from the previous month, slowest off first, in theory all 10-15 of us should cross the line together, but whoever crosses the line first is declared the winner, it doesn't make them the fastest or the best, it's simply designed to encourage everyone to participate together on a level playing field.
 
patricks148 said:
on the day i would say yes. after all scratch is a level playing field and this scenario is almost unheard of where as in handicap comps the high handicapper winning isn't

what about my Usain Bolt analogy, would i be the fastest with a 99 yard head start?
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But does he need to race people who are clearer inferior to confirm to him that he is very fast?

In terms of how I rate golfing abilities I would say snelly got it spot on.
 
pauldj42 said:
But why does your handicap have to be linked to advice, Spieth and McIlroys coaches are no were near the same standard of Golfer.
Who knows if the guy off 28 is or isn't an expert in shaft technology for example.
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I didn't mention advice but now that you have I'll say that I wouldn't take much from on here, I'd go to the magazine (tips) pages instead.

Pardon me for asking but are you a good golfer, been there and done it, washed up or are you an also ran ... Should I take advice from you or at least listen, or chuckle?

Shaft technology? If you're starting a new thread I'll read it. :thup:
 
pauldj42 said:
In a handicap competition the winner is the best by the score they've recorded on the day, that's actually what makes Golf so unique and a great sport.
No one is saying that the winner of a handicap comp is the best golfer, simply he recorded the best score in that particular comp and is the winner in that instance.
If a scratch comp had a group playing off handicaps covering, say, +3 to 4 and the guy off 4 won it, would you still feel the same?
Click to expand...

If its a scratch comp the winner has the best score on the day, therefore his is the best player that day. Don't get me wrong I like the handicap system in golf, I think it works pretty well.

I just think it distorts peoples views on the game. In a scratch comp the best golfer and score on the day wins. That is not always the case in eg Monthly medals.

I agree golf is unique, but I think its fair to say golfers are a unique bunch :D
 
"Good" tends to be 2-3 shots lower than wherever I am.. So currently, 5 and below is good.. 12 and above is decent/average.. 18 and above is below average, but hopefully improving...
 
patricks148 said:
but he doesn't have to its as simple as that.
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Cat 1 players don't have to either.

I just get the feeling that some Cat 1 players enter handicap comps and then complain when it's won by a high handicapper because they don't like the idea that someone who is worst than them can beat them, when in essence that is what a handicap comp is. In general too much emphasis is put on winning instead of your personal duel against the course.
 
Cheifi0 said:
Cat 1 players don't have to either.

I just get the feeling that some Cat 1 players enter handicap comps and then complain when it's won by a high handicapper because they don't like the idea that someone who is worst than them can beat them, when in essence that is what a handicap comp is. In general too much emphasis is put on winning instead of your personal duel against the course.
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why would you like it;)

though I'm not that interested in winning, i just want to shoot as low as i can
 
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Interesting perceptions. Depends how you define "good" really. To me a "good" player is well above average as opposed to "top half of the pile" so in handicap terms I'd put that at least into single figures, maybe 8 and below? I think a consistent Cat 1 player is more in the "very good" bracket. and low single figures and plus are really in the excellent/elite bracket. I can't see how you need to be county standard to be described as "good" as some are saying. Wouldn't be that high a bar at most other sports.
 
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