Handicaps Are Just a System That Makes Bad Golfers Think They Can Compete

[ChetlovesMer]

8 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

 The absurd amount of water Ohio has gotten the past few months has not helped my average 😉

 

I hear that! 

[phillyk]

Golf isn't like other sports, you are right @FLOG4.  There isn't another sport that a nobody could go play with someone like Tiger Woods and actually have a match with him.  There isn't something like the Pebble Beach Pro Am where you could play duos with a touring pro versus other guys in a tournament setting and be competitive.

Handicap is a wonderful thing to have, the hundreds of millions of people around the world, that play golf can all compete in the same tournament if they wanted to. No other sport could do that, but maybe they should.

Sure people take advantage of the system every once in a while, but it'll check back on them.

[rehmwa]

it's funny - handicap doesn't make bad golfers THINK they can compete.  It allows bad golfers TO compete.

frankly why anyone would ruin a good round of golf by competing is beyond me anyway

[Zippo]

The only way I'm going to shoot in the 70's is if I play a 9 hole par 3. My handicap is high because my scores are high. I don't play well enough, yet, to feel like playing in a tournament. As I improve - as I'm doing - my handicap will come down - as its doing. However, thanks to the OP, I now know that I can take my bad golf game and go out and win a ton of tournys. I just knew there was a reason I keep topping them into the pond on the 11th hole. I thought it was my bad golf but it must be me sandbagging!

[Double Mocha Man]

15 minutes ago, rehmwa said:

 

frankly why anyone would ruin a good round of golf by competing is beyond me anyway

it's enough that you have to compete against the weather, your own in consistencies, the course conditions, the sun in your eyes, a nagging elbow injury, grass in your spikes, a balky putter and a list of chores you have to do when you get home.

Edited June 24, 2019 by Double Mocha Man

[David in FL]

25 minutes ago, rehmwa said:

 

frankly why anyone would ruin a good round of golf by competing is beyond me anyway

Funny.  I can’t imagine playing a round of golf and not competing.  Heck, even if I weren’t playing against someone else (though I always do...), I’d be competing against myself in an effort to play better than my norm.

If not, I guess I could just bang balls on the driving range for the enormous “fun” of that.  On second thought, I’d rather head to the local pool hall and pick up a game there.  

 

[Vinsk]

3 hours ago, saevel25 said:

His ability is not that 1 in 10.

Perhaps I’m just being a bit ‘semantical’. Ability is ability. It’s not like luck was the only factor involved. If someone shoots a 72 honestly, it’s a 72. Whether or not it ever happens again isn’t relevant. If they shot 72 then they have the ability to shoot 72 no? And I’m not talking about a round like the priest in Caddy Shack..lol. 

[CarlSpackler]

3 hours ago, rehmwa said:

it's funny - handicap doesn't make bad golfers THINK they can compete.  It allows bad golfers TO compete.

My sentiments exactly. It also allows mediocre golfers to compete. It actually doesn't matter what level you are. With that being said, I like tournaments to be flighted so that a 20HC is not competing against a single digit. It's hard to competed against someone who gets a gross par when you are giving them 2 strokes on a par 5.

[lastings]

First off, the handicap system is legit.  but, two things about all this whiny baby stuff.  

1) no one is forcing you to participate in handicapped events.   Feel free to only participate in the Gross events.   

2) a 25 handicap did not shoot an 83.   didn't happen.   that person either has a sandbagged handicap, or he straight up cheated on the course.   Either way, this is not a flaw in the handicap system.  you played against a cheater (one way, or another).  

 

 

 

[longiron205]

Solution: play in a 10 week long weekly league like I do. The handicaps are adjusted by the scores each team posts each week. So no single event sandbagging. If you put up a really low score in one week, your handicap index is appropriately adjusted.  Over the course of 10 weeks the handicaps become very representative and competitive as long as the players on each team remain the same.

[ncates00]

On 6/22/2019 at 9:15 PM, FLOG4 said:

70 was good for 4th place gross....63 not in the payout slots net

Again, stop your bellyaching and stick with gross.  Problem solved!

Edited June 24, 2019 by ncates00

[NJpatbee]

I am a 16 handicap and have never been more than a 14 and change.  In addition to gauging my progress I primarily used my handicap for money matches and it was fine if the golfers were of similar talent (e.g. +- 2 strokes) but was terrible when a low cap joined in the match.  First of all, I would normally lose to the more consistent low cap and even worse, I would occasionally beat the better player.  I have had golfers stop speaking to me because I won the cash but they were better golfers.  I stopped playing any handicapped money matches over 10 years ago.  The OP's case sounds like extreme sandbagging which is a shame.  I still keep my handicap to track my progress and I am less than an hour from Pine Valley which requires that you have a 22 or better HCP to play the course (still waiting for my invitation).  To the OP, I suggest that you follow this high handicapper and avoid handicapped net matches.

[Buckeyebowman]

On 6/22/2019 at 11:38 PM, ncates00 said:

That’s why I always count gross strokes. I don’t care about handicaps. Not interested in giving or taking strokes; just play golf. 

That works for players of similar ability, but sometimes something has to give. Like strokes. 

On 6/23/2019 at 12:04 AM, Double Mocha Man said:

Horse racing. Horses and jockeys are handicapped with different weights.

Boxing has weight classes. That's why 220 pounders aren't fighting 180 pounders. 

[ncates00]

2 minutes ago, Buckeyebowman said:

That works for players of similar ability, but sometimes something has to give. Like strokes.

Nah, I'm not interested.  I play against old man Par.  Don't care what someone's handicap is.  Play straight up with everyone.  I've gotten banged up by some plus college golfers and don't care.  I don't give strokes or take any from anyone.  You can play from whatever tee you want as well; I don't care.

[edomingox]

I think the most fair way to compete with handicaps is using 80% instead of 100%.  It allows the low handicappers a better chance (more advantage) to win since it's the low handicappers that put the effort in to get better.  Not these 30+ handicappers that play once a month.

 

[iacas]

47 minutes ago, edomingox said:

I think the most fair way to compete with handicaps is using 80% instead of 100%.  It allows the low handicappers a better chance (more advantage) to win since it's the low handicappers that put the effort in to get better.  Not these 30+ handicappers that play once a month.

Huh? It’s fair the way it is set up now.

Plus you’re screwing the +4 playing against the scratch golfer. 😉

[paperclip]

I found it interesting in that he says his index is 8 and then it shouldn't matter because everyone should just play each other scratch,. So if all he wants to do is play people straight up, then why does he bother calculating an index?  Sounds like he had a few cold ones and just wanted to stir up the ****.

But you know what?  Every board has contributors like this that keep things interesting.

[DaveP043]

16 hours ago, iacas said:

Huh? It’s fair the way it is set up now.

Plus you’re screwing the +4 playing against the scratch golfer. 😉

Um....80% would mean the +4 gives only 3 strokes to the scratch, instead of 4.  It seems to me that it helps the better player in this case too.