Would golf be better without handicaps?

[cliveb]

The other thing is rapidly improving players, I think in some of the new rules proposals they are trying to address this, the current system doesn't react quickly enough to someone who is improving quickly.

It reacts a heck of a lot faster for improving players than it does for deteriorating ones.

A young guy fairly new to the game joined my club a few months ago. Six weeks ago he was playing off about 20. A few more comps, and a couple of weeks ago he was 15. Then he shot 49 points (!) in a charity event. Next day he was off 10

This tells me that the system seems to be working pretty well for rapid improvers.

In contrast, there are some older guys who don't have a cat in hell's chance of playing to their handicap, and because of this they tend not to bother entering many qualifiers. Result: very few HCP increases, meaning they can't compete in the social swindles. But to their credit, they keep joining in for the joy of playing.

 

[patricks148]

It reacts a heck of a lot faster for improving players than it does for deteriorating ones.

A young guy fairly new to the game joined my club a few months ago. Six weeks ago he was playing off about 20. A few more comps, and a couple of weeks ago he was 15. Then he shot 49 points (!) in a charity event. Next day he was off 10

This tells me that the system seems to be working pretty well for rapid improvers.

In contrast, there are some older guys who don't have a cat in hell's chance of playing to their handicap, and because of this they tend not to bother entering many qualifiers. Result: very few HCP increases, meaning they can't compete in the social swindles. But to their credit, they keep joining in for the joy of playing.

i can sort of see what you are saying, but over the holidays, juniors (well the ones at my club ) are up there all day everyday playing and practicing, the only problem there is i comp a week for them and ai know a couple of the local clubs much less something like one a month. Up in Scotland the SGU hasn't adapted ESR. I think thats fine for adults with limited playing and practice time. Myself, i started on 24 and was down to 12 in a couple of months with No ESR

 

[Face breaker]

Snooker obviously can be played with a handicap.

I agree with what you're saying re golf though. I like comps because it's a test of my ability to do it when it matters. Not so bothered about winning the prizes, just like putting a good score in.

Couldn't agree more, for me it's all about joining in with all the fun and banter, I'm not the competitive type and as long as I've 'won/drawn/lost' fair and square then I'm really not that bothered...

 

[jim8flog]

New club has 5 prizes any category, old club had 3 prizes for cat 1,2,3 and overall winner which worked better for all but less prize money being 10 prizes.

Handicaps work but 3 card rule is pretty useless, it should be 8-10 to get a proper spread and proper review over the year.

We have a requirement for a player to have submitted at least 7 qualifying scores to get a handicap review by request.

PS The 3 card rule is to maintain competition handicap status only.

 

[clubchamp98]

Think a lot of this comes down to the 9/10th handicap now.
we play A lot of opens and the winning scores have gone up by 3 to 4 shots this year.
Handicaps do make it easy to play with your friends but the bandits need sorting but how to do it is a problem.

 

[medwayjon]

The main problem I see is that higher handicappers can often improve at a fast rate and their handicap doesn't always catch up

I scored 54 points playing off 27 at a club I belonged to which was pretty embarrassing to be honest, despite it being an easy course in the scheme of things

Now I'm back playing after 3-years out Ive reverted to my best society h/cap of 13 as I don't want to be dubbed a bandit

 

[Jates12]

i was the only person with a 2 in one of the comps last year, 70 plus entrants... thought i was quids in, £36 most had not put in... tight fisted buggers

I got £2.25 for a 2 in a club comp 3 weeks ago, :rofl:

Nightmare lads :rofl:

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I'm one of the mean one's I'm afraid. It's a percentage thing. I can only reach 1 of our par 3's with an iron and even that is a push. Taking rescue for the other 3 is asking a lot to get down in 2. I'm not paying in to something I am unlikely to get anything back on. I always paid in at previous clubs but the odds were better there.