When do you stop being a bandit?

[GolferRob]

I have played golf for a couple of years now and have worked my handicap down bit by bit. And have heard the term bandit used a numeber of times when the higher handicappers win competitions. And I wanted to know when you think it is still acceptable for someone to be called a bandit? Above 15,20,25 ?

 

[MikeH]

Rob
Neil our deputy editor is off 5, and we still call him a bandit!

 

[Macster]

When you dont regularly play under your Handicap, simple as that.

 

[vig]

When you get caught!

 

[GolferRob]

True Chris. The touble with that is that some clubs maintain handicaps really well but others dont. So you can get lots of bandits coming from one club.

 

[Macster]

GolferRob: Well, using my benchmark only you will know whether you are or arent ?!

Speaking with 100% honesty, I simply cant remember ever entering a Medal or Comp with anything other than an intention to reduce my Handicap.
Sure, I won one this year playing 4 under, but the money in the Proshop wasnt the motivator, it was the .8 reduction.

 

[GolferRob]

Yeh I beleive that is why most people enter compotitions.

 

[Dave3498]

When you have a really good round, which is what you will always be trying to do, then you will be tagged a bandit. It's a tag that you will never escape. I'm afraid it will always turn up when you have a good game.

 

[USER1999]

When you look in your bag, at your clothes, your shoes, umbrella, and realise you didn't pay for any of it, it has all come from winnings, you are officially a bandit.

Other than that, it is someone who protects their h/cap so they can win the important games. Only you know if this is you.

 

[Herbie]

I agree its when someone has a good round below their handicap they are often called a bandit.

Some golfers refer to people holding a false h/c for comp benefit as bandits but I call these folk cheating b......s.

 

[Smiffy]

Some golfers refer to people holding a false h/c for comp benefit as bandits but I call these folk cheating b......s.

Agreed!

I got called a bandit once.
Playing on a local course in a company day, it was one of those days where I couldn't do anything wrong. Par 3 I hit my tee shot way into the trees, declared it lost and put my second shot just off the green and chipped in for a 4. I could have stood there all day trying to do that again and failed. As I say, it was one of those days where the luck just ran with you. Scored 40 points off my then 14 handicap, felt a little guilty about it and in fact handed my card in at my club to try to get my handicap down a bit more.
The previous years winner came up to me afterwards and called me a bandit, he was cheesed off because he wanted to win the trophy again. I asked him how many points he had scored when he had won it and he replied "40". Pot, kettle, black or what?
We had a member of our society played off 1. He always won the longest drive competiton but very rarely figured in the stableford competition because that type of scoring does tend to favour the higher handicapped golfer.
But he won it one year with 37 points and people were jokingly calling him a bandit off one!!

 

[DCB]

I know people who play their minimum 3 comps, usually early in the season to maintain their handicap They then play two/three times a week and play well below their handicap most of the time. As a result they can have great runs in the knockout comps.

Whilst the current SGU Handicapping system allows this it is not in the spirit of the game.

Bandit is too mild a description.

 

[ColinR]

I'm getting called it quite regularly at the moment.

I play off 17 and have played in 10 qualifying competitions this year, mostly in the buffer zone and some 0.1 uplifts. Basically this was my first year of playing in competitions and was a bag of nerves in most of them and therefore did not do myself justice.

However, I play every weekend with friends at the club and regularly get 36-39 points. Having said that we do run a separate handicap book, which has now cut me down to 14 last weekend.

Playing off the official 17 in the winter competitions, does give me a chance to win some prizes which of course I'm going to have a go at.

Bandit ??

 

[Canfordhacker]

I think this really falls into two categories - those who knowingly protect their handicaps to increase chances of wining particular comps is one. In some areas of life you could say they were only cheating themselves, but in golf they are taking prizes and honours from the committed golfers in category 2, and that's unforgiveable.

The second category is that which I believe this forum represents - people who can't wait to get out on the course, who love the feel of a ball singing off the middle of the club, nestling on the green, want to get their handicap down to represent their best golfing ability and generally love it when their mates play well. I think that's where the best banter comes in - I've no problem when my mates call me a bandit on the days when it all comes good, because I know they mean it as a compliment, would love it if it were them, and I know my handicap is a true reflection of where I am at in my golfing life.

 

[USER1999]

I will also make the point I always make, and that is that h/caps are based off the back tees, with the pins in the hardest places, and the pressure of having signed in. It is easy to shoot 40 odd points when the course is shorter, you don't give a stuff, and the greens more forgiving, and then get called a bandit. Add 30 yards to each hole, it becomes a lot tougher.

As a recent example, when we played at Crowborough, we played off the yellows, and I beat Sammmebee on a count back having shot 79. Had this been off the Tiger tees, he would have won easily, as I am just not long enough off the tee to trouble the scorer.

 

[OldWindy]

I think you stop being a bandit when you no longer play much better than your handicap would suggest, i.e., the higher the handicap the more likely you're going to get better days as the room for improvement is there. Also, as mentioned, it does depend on how well the handicap is managed, albeit by the club or the player (which could be in effect mismanagement).

Overall, and it's entirely from my experience, I would think the lowest handicap at which you could expect robbery is about 9 as, IMHO, this is the point where the quality of golf can dictate consistency.

 

[Mawgan]

This situation can become yet more complicated... As a returning golfer who has yet to be granted a handicap, I am trying to play as much as I can either at pay-and-plays, as a guest with members of clubs, or with societies. I aim to submit cards to one of these pay-and-plays but the process does take time. I have gone round there in 24 and 25 over in my last three rounds and so played with a society at Chart Hills (Kent) off of 24. I scored 45 points (off the blue tees - on a society day!) and unsurprisingly won, but I was naturally embarrassed. I don't want to be a 24 handicapper, and hope to be much better, but it can be very difficult to be 'honest' and still have an enjoyable game. This score meant that I had played to the equivalent of 15, which was encouraging, but risked losing the goodwill of the friends I was playing with. Luckily, they (mostly) laughed about it, but it would be difficult if it happened again!

I need to get that certificate sorted...

 

[USER1999]

I think more than 45 is bandit country. I have had 45 quite a few times, and I put 2 cards in every month. 45 means I have to play off 3, but it is quite possible if I have a good day with the putter.

 

[Mawgan]

Murph, Is that two competition cards a month or general play? I'm not quite sure how this all works...

 

[USER1999]

I play in at least two comps a month. General play counts for zip, it is not representative of medal play (see my post above re: back tees). 45 points off the back tees I have done once. More often off the whites, as they are easier. Never play off the yellows on my track, so can't comment.