What is your definition of a fair and correct handicap?

[CountLippe]

Judging a handicap is difficult, but after playing with someone I can normally tell whether they are better than me or not even if they've had a shocker.

 

[Swango1980]

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.

I played an open once (2 best scores count out of 4). Group in from had 3 28 handicappers and a 20 handicapper. I coud only see their drives, but they hit it beautifully, and all pretty much drove the 280 yards par 4 4th. These events are normally won with scores of around 90ish points, pushing 100 is fantastic. These guys won the comp with 128 points.

So, I hadn't even played with them, just seen a few shots. However, I was happy to come to the conclusion that their handicaps were too high. And many other angry competitors also seemed to have the same feeling

 

[LincolnShep]

I played an open once (2 best scores count out of 4). Group in from had 3 28 handicappers and a 20 handicapper. I coud only see their drives, but they hit it beautifully, and all pretty much drove the 280 yards par 4 4th. These events are normally won with scores of around 90ish points, pushing 100 is fantastic. These guys won the comp with 128 points.

So, not only were they cheats, they were really bad at it.
If I was of the mind to try to manipulate my handicap, I'd hope I'd be a bit more subtle.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

I played an open once (2 best scores count out of 4). Group in from had 3 28 handicappers and a 20 handicapper. I coud only see their drives, but they hit it beautifully, and all pretty much drove the 280 yards par 4 4th. These events are normally won with scores of around 90ish points, pushing 100 is fantastic. These guys won the comp with 128 points.

So, I hadn't even played with them, just seen a few shots. However, I was happy to come to the conclusion that their handicaps were too high. And many other angry competitors also seemed to have the same feeling

You are concluding what is not a fair/correct handicap rather than what is a fair/correct handicap, so answering a different question.

Don't get me wrong any system is never really going to stop cheats, even no handicaps wont stop it.... However totally understand your point, I've had people win with 48, 49 points on guest golf days and saying its a lucky day etc but then be part of a group that has had it levied at as well.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

As I noted elsewhere (on a WHS thread) I can't judge my OWN handicap at the moment - never mind anyone else's.

Currently playing off 8.6 - but feeling that my golf must look like that of a 20+ handicapper (and scoring a bit like one) - I have just worked out the average of my best 8 from last 20 Q rounds - and that came out as exactly 9.0. I would never have guessed.

Now I might bet that if I were to play with someone who has never played with me before - the way things have been going recently - if they didn't know they would never guess I play off 9 - and were I to tell them they might well scratch their head in befuddlement.

Just can't tell. Golf's a funny game.