What's a blob?

[USER1999]

J_F, you can't win the comp clearly as you are DQ'ed, but for your h/cap, all comps are effectively stableford anyway? You are playing in a comp to win it, but playing a qualifying course for your handicap at the same time (neatly avoiding the rule about playing in two comps simultaneously).

It would be daft (but may yet be correct) to play 37 shots down the 18th to complete a card and get a cut if you were 38 points standing on the 18th tee, in a strokeplay comp, where anying over a double is going to mean you won't win the comp. You should get cut on the 38 points.

 

[Smiffy]

I've just read Fyldewhite's post above and I have to say this is the first time I've ever heard this re medal rounds. I'm very sceptical personally.

I think we need Birdieman's take on that one as a handicap secretary. How can you get cut in Strokeplay when you haven't finished out a hole? You are either DQ'd or NR surely? Seems unfair to me to be honest.

I tend to take this view too

 

[John_Findlay]

Regarding what Flydewhite & Murphthemog have said I've just read a piece on the SGU site for handicap conveners which says;-

"Players should be aware of the significance of the Stableford / Nett Double Bogey Adjustment. This adjustment allows a player who has a ‘bad’ score on a hole(s) or does not complete a hole(s), for any reason, to continue to record a score on subsequent holes for handicap purposes. This sustains the golfing interest and at the same time provides valuable handicap information. See Clause 19."

Now I can't find the clause 19 they're referring to but it certainly seems to support their view if it refers to strokeplay rounds.

I want a definitive answer. This is important.

I've had many a medal round where 1 bad hole early on has caused me to NR when the subsequent holes would either have resulted in me hitting my buffer or even getting cut.

Can anyone come up with the authority for this?

 

[Fyldewhite]

I've just read Fyldewhite's post above and I have to say this is the first time I've ever heard this re medal rounds. I'm very sceptical personally.

I think we need Birdieman's take on that one as a handicap secretary. How can you get cut in Strokeplay when you haven't finished out a hole? You are either DQ'd or NR surely? Seems unfair to me to be honest.

I can't see how it's unfair. If someone off (say) 10 plays the course in level gross for 17 holes but (say) NR'd on the 5th then I think I'd want him looking at wouldn't you?

The principle of stableford adjustment for medal scores is to ensure that a one-off bad hole does not detract from the overall "value" of a round disproportionately. It's the same reason you ignore worse than a nett double bogey when allocating new handicaps. Therefore (for handicap purposes) it doesn't matter if you have an 8, 9, 22 or NR it will count as a nett double bogey.

As a handicap chairman myself I have seen this happen on many occasions. One further point, yes, technically you are disqualified if you fail to hole out but in many circumstances (this being one of them) a disqualified score still counts for handicapping.

 

[Twire]

I've always carried on filling in my card on a Medal round after a N/R as it can be used for handicap purposes.

A couple of weeks ago, I N/R'd on the 16th and didn't complete the 17th either. The HDID computor gave me 7's for both holes, par 4's (I assume 7's, as the gross was 14 more than the 16 holes added up to).

 

[John_Findlay]

I can't see how it's unfair. If someone off (say) 10 plays the course in level gross for 17 holes but (say) NR'd on the 5th then I think I'd want him looking at wouldn't you?

Yes I would. But it is unfair to the extent that once you've NR'd there's no longer the pressure upon your shoulders to hold a strokeplay score together. You're playing under different circumstances from the rest of the field.

With the system as it stands it seem that I could quite happily get down to scratch without ever completing a strokeplay round. Surely that's not correct.

 

[Ethan]

I disagree. A no pointer is a no pointer, whether it is a 10 or a no score at that hole. If you have 40 points including a no score your handicap should go down. You are a NR with respect to the medal and will appear at the bottom of the results sheet.

I think you're mixing up strokeplay matches with stableford ones, Ethan.I agree you can have a handicap cut in stableford with a blob. No need to hole out on every hole in that format (a blob). Every need in strokeplay otherwise your handicap can't be cut.

Rule 3-2. Failure to Hole Out in Strokeplay
If a competitor fails to hole out at any hole and does not correct his
mistake before he makes a stroke on the next teeing ground or, in the
case of the last hole of the round, before he leaves the putting green,
he is disqualified

Rule 114 - Stableford
The marker is responsible for marking only the gross number of strokes
at each hole where the competitor’s net score earns one or more points.

Sorry. Handicap calculation is not a rule of golf.

All rounds whether stroke, medal or bogey have handicap adjustments calculated the same way, using the stableford adjustment. The handicap system makes no such distinction. You may be DQ from the competition, although you will find a card so submitted generally appears as NR instead, but the handicap adjustment still applies.

 

[Fyldewhite]

I can't see how it's unfair. If someone off (say) 10 plays the course in level gross for 17 holes but (say) NR'd on the 5th then I think I'd want him looking at wouldn't you?

Yes I would. But it is unfair to the extent that once you've NR'd there's no longer the pressure upon your shoulders to hold a strokeplay score together. You're playing under different circumstances from the rest of the field.

With the system as it stands it seem that I could quite happily get down to scratch without ever completing a strokeplay round. Surely that's not correct.

Apologies to OP as this has moved on a tad but what you say is absolutely correct, a player could do that by just playing in stablefords should he want to.

I can see that the pressure isn't the same after NR'ing and I'm sure this is why many players believe stablefords are easier to play in. However, for "handicapping purposes" <u>every</u> competition is a stableford. The computer scores the medal round as a stableford and arrives at often a different figure for your nett score than is on the card.

 

[John_Findlay]

I stand corrected, Ethan. I realise the rules of the game and handicap regulations aren't the same (in fact they now seem at greater variance than they ever were) but at least I've learned something today. My apologies.

Note to self. Always NR at the first and take the pressure off. Will be down to 5 in no time.

 

[Ethan]

I stand corrected, Ethan. I realise the rules of the game and handicap regulations aren't the same (in fact they now seem at greater variance than they ever were) but at least I've learned something today. My apologies.

Note to self. Always NR at the first and take the pressure off. Will be down to 5 in no time.

No apology necessary! The rules on this have changed over the years, and seem to be applied differently in different clubs.

I always play a stableford round as stroke against gross par anyway, and don't count the points until the end.

 

[RGDave]

A blob is an unfinished hole and only applies to stableford IMO. If someone puts the ball in the hole that's a score not a blob and thats what goes on the card, if somone asks to put a blob down after holing out you are not doing your job (as Marker) properly and should refuse.

THANK YOU.

 

[viscount17]

a blob is a hole on which you score 0 Stableford points irrespective of whether you putt out or not, just as in tennis 0 is returned as 'love'. simples

 

[RGDave]

a blob is a hole on which you score 0 Stableford points irrespective of whether you putt out or not, just as in tennis 0 is returned as 'love'. simples

I am accepting this now, just about.

I only ever used the term "blob" to describe an unfinished hole. That's how I always did it and will continue along those lines.

I realise (with hindsight, and thanks to comments on here) that the issue wasn't with the "term", more with the way it was presented to me after a rather unfriendly game.

Interesting to note that *when*, for a moment after the game someone (from the 4-ball) suggested I avoided entering N/Rs on the computer and "make up" a probable gross score (for what reason, I know not) then the whole issue was called into question.

I have made a mental note not to play with one of these guys again.

t.b.h. I think he was just trying to wind me up.......


I have no intention of describing a hard-fought double (with no shots) a blob (from me or a fellow competitor), but if folk want to call it that, then I need to desensitise myself to the connotation that I didn't actually finish the hole.

End of.

 

[Ethan]

I disagree. A no pointer is a no pointer, whether it is a 10 or a no score at that hole. If you have 40 points including a no score your handicap should go down. You are a NR with respect to the medal and will appear at the bottom of the results sheet.

I think you're mixing up strokeplay matches with stableford ones, Ethan.I agree you can have a handicap cut in stableford with a blob. No need to hole out on every hole in that format (a blob). Every need in strokeplay otherwise your handicap can't be cut.

Rule 3-2. Failure to Hole Out in Strokeplay
If a competitor fails to hole out at any hole and does not correct his
mistake before he makes a stroke on the next teeing ground or, in the
case of the last hole of the round, before he leaves the putting green,
he is disqualified

Rule 114 - Stableford
The marker is responsible for marking only the gross number of strokes
at each hole where the competitor’s net score earns one or more points.

Sorry. Handicap calculation is not a rule of golf.

All rounds whether stroke, medal or bogey have handicap adjustments calculated the same way, using the stableford adjustment. The handicap system makes no such distinction. You may be DQ from the competition, although you will find a card so submitted generally appears as NR instead, but the handicap adjustment still applies.

I sent an email to the EGU and got a reply from their SSS and Handicapping guy conforming there is no difference between a medal and stableford, and a no score simply counts as 0 points for handicapping purposes.