USGA Should Start National Net Tournament

**onthehunt526** · October 13, 2014

As you all know the USGA recently killed off the Publinx and Women's Publinx Championships and replaced them with their team championships... Good idea in theory... I know Mike Davis is going to call me mad, insane, which ever other adjectives you feel like putting in there. Here's the idea, the USGA has spent so much time and money on perfecting their handicap system... what about a Handicap Championship... most golfers are not elite level amateurs or professionals... So how about having weekend warriors have a shot at a USGA Championship? It would be open to anyone with a verifiable USGA Handicap Index, who doesn't have a Handicap low enough to make the cutoff for the US Amateur, Open, Mid-Am, you know the elite level competition... I know they are busy with the R&A; and IOC for the Olympics in 2016... But us average golfers deserve a shot at a National Championship, I know the Golf Channel has their Amateur tour, but don't you think the 120 year old USGA should appeal to the 98% of golfers who aren't Rory Phil Tiger or Scratch Golfers... Hell I'll take the trophy and the next U.S. Open tickets for winning it... Let me know what you think

***iacas*** · October 13, 2014

I think that while it sounds cool, the golfer most likely to win would be the higher handicappers, and among those, higher handicappers who are rapidly improving.

**David in FL** · October 13, 2014

I think that while it sounds cool, the golfer most likely to win would be the higher handicappers, and among those, higher handicappers who are rapidly improving.

And skilled at lying.....

**MS256** · October 13, 2014

I have a feeling it would soon be referred to as The Sandbagger's Open.

**onthehunt526** · October 13, 2014

Well you could also flight it like the Golf Channel does... and just count every stroke...

**onthehunt526** · October 13, 2014

Sandbaggers Open that's funny as hell... but seriously, like I had said before a verifiable handicap index... and hell you'd still have to qualify for it... besides you could do it like pool, if someone purposely sandbags to make a higher flight, DQ them something would be seriously wrong if a 10 HC goes out and shoots 72 gross in a round... I mean you can have the round of your life and make every Damn putt you look at but you'll probably shoot in the 80s the next day, that's why you have a fighting qualifying round... or you do match play with no HC after flight qualifying... Championship would be low 32, 1st 16 2nd 16 3rd 16 all the way to a sixth flight... something like such I don't know

**David in FL** · October 14, 2014

By definition, sandbaggers have "verifiable handicaps"...... Sorry. Just not interested in seeing something like that as a USGA national championship. There are a TON of amateur tours and events for those (me included) who enjoy the competition.

**bkuehn1952** · October 14, 2014

Here's the idea, the USGA has spent so much time and money on perfecting their handicap system... what about a Handicap Championship... most golfers are not elite level amateurs or professionals...

Let me know what you think

I agree that the idea has merit. Surely the brain trust at the USGA could devise a system that they think is "sandbagger" proof. Maybe to start, require a player to have maintained a handicap for 5 years. Then possibly require a certain number of tournament rounds to have been played within those 5 years. Finally, divide the field into "x" number of flights and have the champions of each flight playoff for the title. It would be difficult but worth a try.

I suspect that there are two reasons the USGA will never consider such an event. First, they are afraid that despite their best efforts the championship would devolve into the "Sandbagger Open" and that the winner would be "Louie" with a net 53 playing off an index of 21.7. Also, the leadership of the USGA are all private club members who look down upon the public venue handicap player.

***iacas*** · October 14, 2014

Also, the leadership of the USGA are all private club members who look down upon the public venue handicap player.

That's a fairly serious charge.

Heck, I work with the USGA via the West Penn Golf Association. I've never detected any bias or "looking down upon."

I think this discussion warrants a new thread.

**Golfingdad** · October 14, 2014

Seems to me like there isn't really much need for a net tournament at the National Level ... mainly for the reasons already stated. Further, we here is Socal already have one: http://www.ghintpp.com/scga/tpponlinegolfer/EventLanding.aspx?ID=901

Sure, it's not National, but it's half of the State of California, which is a pretty large group of golfers, and it comes with a pretty nice trophy too! (Big silver plate) http://www.scga.org/tournaments/scga-amateur-net-championship

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USGA Should Start National Net Tournament

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