Handicap and Slope Rating

[Mr22putt]

5 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

Exactly!  A is shooting an average of maybe 85 or 86, B is probably averaging closer to 80.  It's hard to guess without the course ratings, but that could be close.

Yes, many of the courses here .....at around 115 are rated around 68 and for 135...around 72....so yes....I think the player on course A shoots about an average score in around 87 and player on course  B, shoots an average score around 81.

[gbogey]

15 hours ago, iacas said:

Sometimes a course can be "too easy" too.

For example, when I played the forward tees (now the "5" tees I think) at Lake View when I was a 1.8, I'd have had to shoot about 69 to 70 just to keep a 1.8 index (rating and slope are 67.6/120).

In other words, B might be the better player, if the course is "too easy."

I think my opinion is similar to this.  Before I moved I played a 129 slope (which has since been re-rated to 132) and here I mostly play a 114 slope.  I've maintained a 6-7 index at both places, but my game and the game that is required is different.  At the higher sloped course I felt that recovery shots were crucial and a big part of having a good score is eliminating DB's.  At the lower sloped course I feel like I need to have fewer big errors and make more birdies to have a good score.  Some of this is a variant on different courses for different horses, but personally I think it's a little more than that.

[bkuehn1952]

For the large majority of players, I believe the Rating/Slope system does a good job of creating valid handicap indexes despite variations in courses played.  In most instances, Player A and Player B would have similar abilities. 

That being said, if I had to make a wager without knowing either player, I would put the bet on Player A.

[David in FL]

54 minutes ago, bkuehn1952 said:

For the large majority of players, I believe the Rating/Slope system does a good job of creating valid handicap indexes despite variations in courses played.  In most instances, Player A and Player B would have similar abilities. 

That being said, if I had to make a wager without knowing either player, I would put the bet on Player A.

Some people always bet “red” at the roulette wheel too.  Even though the odds are exactly the same if they bet “black”.