What is your definition of a fair and correct handicap?

[Bermuda]

When you play golf with someone how do you judge if their handicap is broadly correct and fair?

 

[Orikoru]

Well, if they play to their handicap or better then they're a bandit. That's the general rule isn't it?

 

[howbow88]

Shooting more than 30 points = bandit

 

[Ross61]

I’m not sure you can.

An opponent in a matchplay told me that he had asked someone if I was any good when he had drawn me. He was told that it depended on which one of me turned up on the day..

Unfortunately for him the better player version of me turned up.

 

[2blue]

If, in a year, they play in 20 or more Q Comps then their H/cap is likely to be pretty true.

 

[Liverbirdie]

If, in a year, they play in 20 or more Q Comps then their H/cap is likely to be pretty true.

Unless they get 20 x 0.1's, but win all the matchplays, of course.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I never really give it a thought. Most of the guys I play with enter all of the comps and to be honest if someone plays better on the day then nothing I can do and I wouldn't automatically conclude their handicap was unfair or incorrect

 

[Sports_Fanatic]

As long as it's an active handicap then that's fine by me. We have a system in place for people to keep a handicap so my assessment of their swing in terms of how picturesque, focusing on only their good shots like a driver and ignoring the rest of their game or their scoring that day is likely to be much less reliable than a thought through handicap system monitored and implemented over decades .

I don't even need 20 a year, although i probably only get 7-10 a year personally, I've had a handicap for 25 years so it's unlikely to be too far out if i just get busy one year and don't play many competitions.

 

[clubchamp98]

If, in a year, they play in 20 or more Q Comps then their H/cap is likely to be pretty true.

This is correct.
You can play with someone off 18 and one day will look like The pro.
But next week he can look like he’s just started.
Nobody is immune ,it’s the nature of the game.
New players are often accused of this , but if they improve rapidly can shoot some great scores, but this honeymoon period soon settles.
Manipulating caps does happen but imo it’s quite rare but is a form of cheating.

 

[2blue]

Unless they get 20 x 0.1's, but win all the matchplays, of course.

Yeah..... Some people are just crap at Matchplay ??

 

[Swango1980]

If a golfer comes in and boasts about shooting 45+ points with a couple of blobs, I suspect their handicap is too high. If they are a golfer who barely ever gets as high as even 30 odd points, I suspect their handicap is too low.

Ultimately, if a golfer submits a decent amount of qualifying scores (and say, doesn't do the bare minimum and generally only play in team opens or matchplay), then I'm usually happy the system will take care of their handicap. Certainly, there is not one member at my golf club that plays in regular comps that anyone could accuse of being a bandit. Fair enough, new golfers can shoot great scores early on, but as long as they do in qualifiers, their handicap should change pretty quickly to a more reasonable level.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

If they can score 32-34 pts stableford without loads of luck or loads of misfortune.

 

[LincolnShep]

When you play golf with someone how do you judge if their handicap is broadly correct and fair?

You can't.
I played rounds on two consecutive days last week, I worked out my handicap based on each of those rounds individually: day 1 was 33.8, day 2 was 10.0.
You need a collection of scores over a period of time to calculate a reflective handicap, one round is never enough.

However, having said that, anyone that beats me is still a bandit.

 

[Swango1980]

You can't.
I played rounds on two consecutive days last week, I worked out my handicap based on each of those rounds individually: day 1 was 33.8, day 2 was 10.0.
You need a collection of scores over a period of time to calculate a reflective handicap, one round is never enough.

However, having said that, anyone that beats me is still a bandit.

Shep, I believed you until you typed "10.0"

 

[LincolnShep]

Shep, I believed you until you typed "10.0"

I did have to check and recheck my maths but I think it's right. 82 gross at Seacroft last week, I had a worldy (by my usual standards anyway!).

 

[chrisd]

Certainly, there is not one member at my golf club that plays in regular comps that anyone could accuse of being a bandit.

Can you be sure?

I played with a former club captain who was around 16 handicapper and he said that he liked to keep a handicap about there as he knew he could win a competition once a year off that - he clearly was managing his handicap but you'd have never known unless he said what he was doing

 

[jmf1488]

You cant judge someone's handicap based on 1 round. You can go out and shoot 77 one day and 90 the next. All depends on whats going on at the time.

 

[Springveldt]

Someone that shoots between 30-36 points for most rounds will likely have the correct handicap.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

If I only play once with the person, I can not draw a conclusion on their handicap. As anyone can play good or bad on any only day, so I would be guessing.

Would need to play with them a number of times and club handicap is as good as basis as any for a handicap.

 

[Grant85]

I don't really think you can with 1 round.

I play off 18. I can hit the ball a decent distance, but I'm not long - however I keep it in play and don't lose many balls. I've had a few rounds where I've got it going and been level par after 8 holes. Been plus 3 after 9 a couple of times this year and shot 2 rounds of 83 off the yellows in June. Had plenty of bad rounds in the 90s as well.

Around a decent course, I think most people would concede than an 18 handicapper should not be level par for 8 holes or even threatening to shoot in the 70s. But ultimately I've not come down because I've not scored well enough over 18 holes in medals.

In my head I'd feel comfortable as a 15 handicapper for bounce games and matchplay, but I need to eliminate the double bogeys from medals or I have no chance.