World Handicap System

  • Thread starter Thread starter Deleted member 15344
  • Start date Start date
I can't think of anything worse than every round counts. I played quite a bit with a mate when I visited his family in Australia, just a friendly 2 ball, and he had to record every round like it was a medal comp. How quickly will this suck the enjoyment out of golf?? Juniors won't bother taking it up and nobody has even mentioned pace of play yet if every time you venture out on the course you have a pencil & card in hand. I don't want a quick 9 holes after work to count towards my handicap, my score doesn't matter to me on such occasions, I'm just out enjoying the fresh air & getting some exercise with half a set in a pencil bag, why the hell would I want to keep score and submit it for handicap. I just wouldn't bother going.
 
Last night I went out for 9 holes with my son. Both a bit tired, we hacked around before coming good at the end. During the dodgy middle bit I was spraying the ball around into thick rough, behind trees. It was a Wednesday night knock about between the two of us. I picked my ball out of said rough and chucked it onto the fairway. I had been beaten up enough. We went out for a bit of light relief, to practice with certain clubs. I can't say I'd be a supporter of a card every time.
 
Wildrover said:
I can't think of anything worse than every round counts. I played quite a bit with a mate when I visited his family in Australia, just a friendly 2 ball, and he had to record every round like it was a medal comp. How quickly will this suck the enjoyment out of golf?? Juniors won't bother taking it up and nobody has even mentioned pace of play yet if every time you venture out on the course you have a pencil & card in hand. I don't want a quick 9 holes after work to count towards my handicap, my score doesn't matter to me on such occasions, I'm just out enjoying the fresh air & getting some exercise with half a set in a pencil bag, why the hell would I want to keep score and submit it for handicap. I just wouldn't bother going.
Click to expand...

Totally agree.
 
Lot of guys I play with, who have played for 20+ years, would not be able to accept a handicap going up from low teens to probably over 20.

They just would not hand any cards in out of their own pride. They already NR almost all comps they enter and mainly just play roll ups.
 
If it is going to be a "every card counts" system.....who's going to be the poor bugger who processes all the cards? Not every club has "player entry" computer terminals where players enter their own scores.....and even if they did.....there would still be the need for someone to retrospectively verify that the entered cards are correct (we tried player entry once....the seniors perhaps were not the best set of guinea pigs as they all to a man ended up with Stableford scores of 60+ points....yes they'd gone and entered either their net scores into the computer or, even worse, their Stableford points!!).

Even ignoring out and out "social" golf....we have a couple of regular "semi-formal" (i.e. fun, still played pretty much mostly under comp rules but the odd 6-12 inch gimme here and there) groups that play Friday and Saturday where you could say the rules are applied to a stringent enough level that the cards should count towards handicap.....theres easily another 30 or 40 cards that would need processing/checking before the Sunday when pretty much all of our Club Competitions take place. Just not going to happen at clubs where comps/handcaps are largely managed by a small group of "volunteers".
 
The every score counts approach just seems even more open to abuse. People will withhold good or bad cards depending on whether their goal is to go up or down. Or will you have to sign in before every friendly game?
 
I've played dozens of rounds in the States and it can be painfully slow as Hank or BillyJoeBobStevie putts out for a 15 to keep his card going.

Really looking forward to my 5 hour rounds :mad:
 
I think that would be my worry, the impact on pace of play. if you know your handicap is on the line then you'd take more time.

I know at our place Sunday when no medal is just over 4h, with medal is often over 5h has got close to 6h on occasions.

If that was every round then I think I'd give up, 4h is usually about as long as I can take.
 
nickjdavis said:
If it is going to be a "every card counts" system.....who's going to be the poor bugger who processes all the cards? Not every club has "player entry" computer terminals where players enter their own scores.....and even if they did.....there would still be the need for someone to retrospectively verify that the entered cards are correct (we tried player entry once....the seniors perhaps were not the best set of guinea pigs as they all to a man ended up with Stableford scores of 60+ points....yes they'd gone and entered either their net scores into the computer or, even worse, their Stableford points!!).

Even ignoring out and out "social" golf....we have a couple of regular "semi-formal" (i.e. fun, still played pretty much mostly under comp rules but the odd 6-12 inch gimme here and there) groups that play Friday and Saturday where you could say the rules are applied to a stringent enough level that the cards should count towards handicap.....theres easily another 30 or 40 cards that would need processing/checking before the Sunday when pretty much all of our Club Competitions take place. Just not going to happen at clubs where comps/handcaps are largely managed by a small group of "volunteers".
Click to expand...


It's done via an app on the phone in the states Golfshot app is linked with USGA. No physical card needed.

That'll be the same for here.
 
I'm all for it.
With every round counting I'm getting better value on my golf lessons and equipment that I've spent to get my handicap lower.

Nothing more frustrating than playing without a card and having the round of your life.

Nobody goes out there to play crap do they? So shouldn't be an issue.
 
Jamesbrown said:
I'm all for it.
With every round counting I'm getting better value on my golf lessons and equipment that I've spent to get my handicap lower.

Nothing more frustrating than playing without a card and having the round of your life.

Nobody goes out there to play crap do they? So shouldn't be an issue.
Click to expand...

Probably not but many times I've been out with a pal. Both have re-hit many shots. Had goes at each others tough up and downs. Discussed technical swing aspects and also strategy to play certain holes.


There is a humongous difference between the way I play practice games and rounds I have a card in hand. I tend to lean towards the cautious side with a card in hand. Try to make bogey at worst. When playing for fun I am taking dead aim from everywhere usually ending up not being as good as i wished I was. Lol
 
From what I see our current system is about ability and the American system is about form, get something in between and you'll have a better answer
 
It will be interesting to see the outcome.

I have a few friends who live and play over in the USA and they can put in as many cards as they wish, as often as they wish. Socially, if they are having a good round, they can stick the card in and get a reduction, if they are having a mare and don't want to have their handicap go up, they don't put the card in. In my experience, (and i'm not saying this is always the case), they have what I would class as a 'vanity' handicap. My concern is that the UK seem to have a lot more 'open' competitions and as has been discussed on here many times, these are open to banditry, and this system wont do that any favours. 　
 
There are a lot of assumptions at present of what system we will get.

I hope it will take the best of each one. To me, the most important thing is that a handicap is relevant to the person playing and the course they are on. A slope based system adjusts handicaps for the course ( and even the tee used ). I don't want a system that is changing too quickly upwards - maybe 0.1 up in every category is too slow.
 
Bigfoot said:
There are a lot of assumptions at present of what system we will get.

I hope it will take the best of each one. To me, the most important thing is that a handicap is relevant to the person playing and the course they are on. A slope based system adjusts handicaps for the course ( and even the tee used ). I don't want a system that is changing too quickly upwards - maybe 0.1 up in every category is too slow.
Click to expand...

I agree BF, a slope rating makes sense but IMHO counting social/practice rounds is just plain daft.

Coming back to my earlier question about how this would work with my preference to play vintage gear in summer non-competition rounds, where I'd guess I'm normally scoring 3 to 10 shots worse than handicap depending on which set I'm playing.
If all rounds were counting I'd be seen as the biggest bandit going for putting those scores in, as such I think they'd have to be classed as playing with non-conforming equipment and therefore not eligible for handicap, which would suit me perfect. :)

In fact I think I've read somewhere that the US don't allow cards for handicapping if clubs are beyond a certain age as they're considered non-conforming. If this is the case then there you go folks, join the blades and persimmon movement, you know you want to, see here for further details: ;)
http://forums.golf-monthly.co.uk/showthread.php?90419-Old-School-Competition-at-Clitheroe-Golf-Club
 
Re the slow play concerns, our medals in NZ were around 3 hours 30 and most Kiwi's were grumbling at the slow play ;)

To those who feel there would be bandits abusing the system in Opens, well as every card counts , even if playing Pairs ,so if your winning your handicap will be being adjusted.


As Bigfoot and others have said a combination of all the systems should see most of the issues addressed.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

2blue
My Club, Wike Ridge, Leeds, is Runner-up as 'Most Welcoming Club' in EGU Awards
Replies
16
Views
3K
pedro212
P
3565
Woodhall Spa Hotchkin Renovations
Replies
10
Views
2K
Birchy
Birchy
D
World Handicap System
16 17 18
Replies
351
Views
46K
nickjdavis
N
huds1475
Gender Free Tees
Replies
15
Views
5K
Sats
Sats
Foliage Finder
Golf Express, Backed by Justin Rose - Good Idea?
Replies
16
Views
3K
GB72
GB72
Top