What is the most difficult handicap to have?

[JustOne]

What is the most difficult handicap to have?

Smiffy's. Because it always involves what could have been if he didn't have those 4 blobs.


I'm waiting for..
"I'd have had 36 points if I didn't have those 18 blobs!"

 

[nulassilb]

Lots of interesting thoughts. I certainly agree that much of the worry is simply that and that just going out and playing should be the key. I think being cut a couple of shots was a shock to the system and that I need to convince myself that I can keep improving....
I still think, however that there is a big difference between an 18 hcp and a 12....and possibly a less obvious difference between an 18 and 24 hcp.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I think any time you drop down a category it is difficult for a while.
As you lose a shot from your buffer zone and your handicap will not fall quite as fast when you do play under it.

I've just realised why alot of people I've known in the past get to 5 keep yo-yoing between 5 & 6.
As my buffer zone of 1 means that I have to play to 5 due to the SSS being 1 under par.
The other week I played to 6, 1 over handicap, but went up 0.1. In the past it would have been within buffer zone.

 

[Robobum]

I's say any handicap where it is fairly easy to use up most or all of your allowance on one hole. A double or a triple isn't hard to do if you hit one OOB.

Yes there is a very real chance that the same player will make a few birdies to even that up but a birdie isn't a given. No matter how good they are, rarely does any player knock it so close that it is a tap in so getting those shots back is well/ hard earned.

 

[bobmac]

What is the most difficult handicap?

Mine

 

[Robobum]

What is the most difficult handicap?

Mine

Your's is the easiest Bob. Doesn't matter whether you shoot 60 or 90, it remains the same!!!

 

[bobmac]

What is the most difficult handicap?

Mine

Doesn't matter whether you shoot 60 or 90, it remains the same!!!

Just as well or I'd be off about 12 by now

 

[Robobum]

What is the most difficult handicap?

Mine

Doesn't matter whether you shoot 60 or 90, it remains the same!!!

Just as well or I'd be off about 12 by now

 

[bobmac]

Just as well or I'd be off about 12 by now

I could play Smiffy off the stick

 

[birdieman]

Doesn't matter what handicap you have, how many times in a season do you miss your buffer zone by 1 measly shot? Too many times!
I think lower handicaps are harder to keep. With an 18 handicap for example many players off this level never practice or warm up, they can just turn up and play to it, getting a 3 shot buffer for a 'bad day'.
With a 2 handicapper in comparison the player probably puts in a good bit of time practicing and working on specific elements of his game, only has a 1 shot buffer for a 'bad day'.
This is why low handicappers sometimes moan about the handicap system more because it ddoesn't reflect the fact that most (not all) low handicappers practice a lot to be that good whereas many (not all) high handicappers just turn out to play on a weekend having not touched a club for 2 weeks. Is there an inherent unfairness there when these 2 go head to head in matchplay i.e. the 2 handicap will be steady as he's always game sharp s can't really go any lower on a day whereas the 18 handicap will either be on his handicap with his usual mixed form or significantly better if he gets a good day timing wise or putting wise, but rarely worse.

 

[bernix]

I still think, however that there is a big difference between an 18 hcp and a 12....and possibly a less obvious difference between an 18 and 24 hcp.

and an even more significant difference between 12 and 6.

IMHO any decently gifted male who plays on a regular basis should be a able to play 18. If you play off 24 you're either a bandit, play only once in a while, dont care about your score or (sorry) golf is the wrong sport for you. To play 12 you have to be either very talented or you take your game seriously and put in some practice in an effort to lower your scores. The lower your hcp. goes the more it reflects a target score or to put it this way if you play net par you've had a good round.

Who am I to judge what is needed to get down to 6.

Btw yesterday I managed my first significant cut since 2001. Got down from 12,5 to 10,9

 

[RGDave]

Your h'cap is supposed to be a measure of what you are capable of on a good day so it's no surprise you feel like you have to be at your best

I always wonder about this. I think we have often discussed the regularity of playing to your h'cap, and the consensus seems to be only 20% of the time, or thereabouts.

But it seems to me that players around my level are capable of playing anywhere within a 10 shot band. Usually worse, admittedly, but sometimes better. It never surprises me to see a 12 play to 10 or 8, and they get cut accordingly, then slip back up again.

I think I would say a h'cap should represent your best game without extra luck or something fortunate happening.

For example, I played a long and tricky course in August and managed a 76 gross. That was far more about luck than ability....the details are a long story, but essentially, without two moments of crazy-good fortune, it would have been an 80.

I can't remember playing under 10 or 11 without something freaky happening.

 

[Society_Fan]

Surely you are looking at this the wrong way around.
Forget the handicaps that you have and concentrate on taking the fewest shots possible.
If you have an aim of breaking 70, 75, 80, 85, 90 etc... it does not matter what your handicap is as you have set your target that you are happy with and therefore more likely to achieve and then enjoy the round of golf.

I have been as low as 7, but after a break play off 16 and struggle, but the aim is to break 90 which I usually have a chance of doing with the final 4 hole. I enjoy the golf and it is then up to me when I reduce that target to 85 not some system dreamed up by someone else.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Btw yesterday I managed my first significant cut since 2001. Got down from 12,5 to 10,9

Good shooting

 

[bernix]

But it seems to me that players around my level are capable of playing anywhere within a 10 shot band. Usually worse, admittedly, but sometimes better.

Not only players of our level, take Rory for example, 18 strokes difference between Thursday and Friday at The Open

 

[jammydodger]

I just go out with the intention of shooting level par or better. I dont worry about my handicap figure until I tot up the score at the end on the scorecard. It shouldnt affect any shot I play during the round. People who mess up at the end and moan about it just dont get it. Golf is 18 holes and it is irrelevant whether you mess up at the beginning or the end or somewhere in between.

Got to admit though the lower I get the harder this bloomin' game seems to be

 

[JJF69]

Ask the craw - his has been difficult for the last 15 years

 

[MashieNiblick]

Interesting to read jammydodger's comments from the low h/c perspective.

I remember playing with a 2 (or 1) handicapper and we had a really interesting talk about tactics on the course. He said people expect him to be agressive because he's off 2 but in fact he has to play conservatively (for him) because 1 bad hole or shot and he's up 0.1. and over time it's tough to get those back with only 0.1 for every stroke under h/c. Even if he has a bad one early on he still has to think fairways and greens in the hope of holing a putt or 2 to get back on track. Despite all his ability he didn't really get to play hero shots in a medal. Those were for match play.

On the other hand mid/high handicappers have shots to play with so can play more aggresively and go for the occasional death or glory shot. If it all goes wrong it's easier to get the 0.1s back over time because of the h/c system.

Made me really think about how tough it is when you are very low.

Don't know if that was just him but would be interested in what the other low h/c guys on here think about that.

Can also see how this works with some of the "journeymen" pros on tour where they're trying to make a living and a bad hole could cost them significant money. Can see why they might settle for grinding out a round on the Sunday - they might miss the cut next week.

 

[RGDave]

I just caught sight of this.

That top row looks very good, if you take off the N/Rs.

I must say, I can't ever remember seeing anything like that on masterscoreboard on my record.

12 pars and a birdie.....you ought to be off better than 2 less than me.

The bottom one was 5 over gross?

Excellent!

I'll look mine up.

 

[jammydodger]

Interesting to read jammydodger's comments from the low h/c perspective.

I remember playing with a 2 (or 1) handicapper and we had a really interesting talk about tactics on the course. He said people expect him to be agressive because he's off 2 but in fact he has to play conservatively (for him) because 1 bad hole or shot and he's up 0.1. and over time it's tough to get those back with only 0.1 for every stroke under h/c. Even if he has a bad one early on he still has to think fairways and greens in the hope of holing a putt or 2 to get back on track. Despite all his ability he didn't really get to play hero shots in a medal. Those were for match play.

On the other hand mid/high handicappers have shots to play with so can play more aggresively and go for the occasional death or glory shot. If it all goes wrong it's easier to get the 0.1s back over time because of the h/c system.

Made me really think about how tough it is when you are very low.

Don't know if that was just him but would be interested in what the other low h/c guys on here think about that.

Can also see how this works with some of the "journeymen" pros on tour where they're trying to make a living and a bad hole could cost them significant money. Can see why they might settle for grinding out a round on the Sunday - they might miss the cut next week.

Good post Mashie , just about sums up how hard it is to stay or lower your h/c at cat 1 level. Also true how grinding pars is often over looked at the lower levels. It seems to me sometimes that I have to get those 3,4 or 5 birdies to be able to post a decent score as inevitably I will have the odd bogey and double for good measure. it also amazes me how people just expect you to throw in those birdies as if its nothing special A lot of effort, practice and patience has gone into getting that h/c low and then takes twice the amounts to keep it there