Etiquette help

Was wondering if someone could advise me on some etiquette.

I worked at a golf club for a year after uni. I never had a handicap or became a member as I was getting free golf while working there. Within the year I was regularly shooting single figure scores in relation to par.

5 years on, with no golf in-between now and then I decided to join a golf club. Suffice to say golf doesn't seem to be like riding a bike.

I submitted my 3 cards and I can promise I was trying my very best. The resultant handicap is in the low 20's.

Over the course of the last month I've been playing socially 3-4 times a week plus range time on top. I've improved significantly.

There's a big comp coming up this weekend. I'm almost certainly going to win it. Given my improvement I'd be surprised if I didn't get 45 points.

What should I do? Should I request my handicap be cut before hand? Is this even a thing?

If not does this make me a bandit for improving so quickly?

Like I said I've never been a member before so I'm unsure of the done thing here.

OK, noted.

So for my own understanding of handicaps, does this apply whenever I improve?

Is winning a stableford tournament expected to come as a result of a one off good round rather than deliberate improvement to my game with work?

Handicaps usually get adjusted monthly here in the United States. So there can be a situation were you might play much better than what you were.

Its the nature of the handicap system. To me, as long as you are not purposely sandbagging then it's how it goes. I would let the guys who run the tournament go. They might have more experience with this. I think it would look good if you did inform them.

Usually this means you get more points for birdies or better than you do for bogeys or worse. I would say it benefits being more aggressive since a really good hole can wipe out a few bad ones. If you do really bad you usually just get no points, or a capped negative points (for modified stableford)

Agree. The last thing you want is an early questionable reputation at your new club. Go to the handicap chairman and explain. It wouldn't hurt to let some of the other guys you play with know that you're doing so either. Word will get around... I wouldn't worry much going forward. Once you get past the initial improvement, your handicap will stabilize a bit and continued fluctuations will be much less dramatic. The system will adjust in an appropriate and normal manner. Welcome to the site! :beer:

Thanks chaps,

Will do just that.