Which course is better for reducing handicap?

[Orikoru]

Yes I have. It was a long time ago, but from what I remember, it’s not a surprise to learn that the course rating and slope rating are very low. I don’t remember the greens being fast, but that may not have been representative of normal conditions.

Ori also mentioned Rickmansworth in this thread as a difficult course. I’ve played there more times, it was originally the ladies course for Moor Park and is very short and easy on the whole, excepting a few long par threes. If that’s the benchmark I sense the comparison may be skewed.

Bear in mind I'm talking in relation to the course ratings. I'm not saying it's the hardest course in the world, I'm just saying that just because it's shorter and has a lower par that doesn't make it easy automatically. I find a 180-yard par 3 a lot harder than a 300 yard par 4, for example. It's all relative.

Overall I think there's maybe too much difference in ratings between courses since they brought the new system in. I understand the need to have more shots on harder courses, but I don't really think we should be taking 3 and 4 shots off people just because a course is 500-800 yards shorter. We'll still the same golfer with the same faults playing the same game at the end of the day. My best score at Rickmansworth is 79 I think - 14 over par - so it's not playing any easier than any other typical course for me.

 

[irip]

Bear in mind I'm talking in relation to the course ratings. I'm not saying it's the hardest course in the world, I'm just saying that just because it's shorter and has a lower par that doesn't make it easy automatically. I find a 180-yard par 3 a lot harder than a 300 yard par 4, for example. It's all relative.

Overall I think there's maybe too much difference in ratings between courses since they brought the new system in. I understand the need to have more shots on harder courses, but I don't really think we should be taking 3 and 4 shots off people just because a course is 500-800 yards shorter. We'll still the same golfer with the same faults playing the same game at the end of the day. My best score at Rickmansworth is 79 I think - 14 over par - so it's not playing any easier than any other typical course for me.

Yeah for some reason the system doesn’t account for me topping the ball 20 yards off the tee.
It’s pretty immaterial if that’s on a 300 or 400 yard hole

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

Bear in mind I'm talking in relation to the course ratings. I'm not saying it's the hardest course in the world, I'm just saying that just because it's shorter and has a lower par that doesn't make it easy automatically. I find a 180-yard par 3 a lot harder than a 300 yard par 4, for example. It's all relative.

Overall I think there's maybe too much difference in ratings between courses since they brought the new system in. I understand the need to have more shots on harder courses, but I don't really think we should be taking 3 and 4 shots off people just because a course is 500-800 yards shorter. We'll still the same golfer with the same faults playing the same game at the end of the day. My best score at Rickmansworth is 79 I think - 14 over par - so it's not playing any easier than any other typical course for me.

Par 3’s are where the anomaly lies for me and where SI and course ratings should be somehow better link (they may already be and I’m Just not aware). If someone plays a course with more par 3s than the average layout then invariably with an average approach game and a weak short game scores will be a lot worse than on a longer course where they can use good driving and average approach play to shoot better numbers especially if they get extra shots. My dad suffered this exact problem for years after his course became shorter and the number of Par3s increased

We have an interesting one at my place our 10th hole is a 244yd Par 3 it’s bloody hard and ruins many a card especially when into the wind and people can’t reach with a driver