How Do You Score Blowups?

[bones75]

For non tourney rounds, typically i do this:

 

I pickup when its looking like quad+* and IF: 

- I dont want to slow down my group,

- I'm playing w people i don't know, OR

- the group behind is on us.

 

I playout quad+'s IF

- my group is in no rush, AND

- no one is behind us.

 

I score pickups fairly conservatively (e.g. if i'm still 180 out over water, i'd score as if id be on in 2 more strokes from there, then 2-3 putts). I dont use ESC.

 

If someone asks me what i shot that day, i'd say my score using the above and typically add "including one pickup". I dont use ESC. I know it could just be a meaningless casual round, but i simply feel its more accurate.

 

You?

 

*i do dramatically speed up my play starting when its looking like double+

 

 

[Shindig]

If I'm playing in a tournament, unless I'm about to tear up my scorecard and WD, I play it out.  My club doesn't let us pick up during a tournament (although I did once WD, many years ago, on the 15th hole, but played the rest of the round after that hole). 

If I'm playing casual, once my score is ESC or higher, I probably pick up unless we're right on the group ahead of us and I'm not causing too much of a problem for someone in my group.  Sometimes I won't even play the 7th stroke (my current ESC, although the 2020 handicap guidelines will change that I think).  For my usual group/game, though, if you pick up, you aren't eligible for the low net award (typically about fifty cents from other players). 

By reasoning on the second paragraph is that position of the group behind you doesn't matter;  your place on the course is behind the group ahead of you, not ahead of the group behind you. 

[Patch]

It is what it is. I just write the number down, and move on. 

Luckily it doesn't happen very often. .

Just asking, but what is considered a "blow up" number?

[DaveP043]

6 hours ago, bones75 said:

For non tourney rounds, typically i do this:

 

I pickup when its looking like quad+* and IF: 

- I dont want to slow down my group,

- I'm playing w people i don't know, OR

- the group behind is on us.

 

I playout quad+'s IF

- my group is in no rush, AND

- no one is behind us.

 

I score pickups fairly conservatively (e.g. if i'm still 180 out over water, i'd score as if id be on in 2 more strokes from there, then 2-3 putts). I dont use ESC.

 

If someone asks me what i shot that day, i'd say my score using the above and typically add "including one pickup". I dont use ESC. I know it could just be a meaningless casual round, but i simply feel its more accurate.

You say twice that you don't use ESC.  Does that mean that the handicap that you list is based on scores that include triple and quadruple bogeys?  If so, that's tantamount to cheating, your handicap is inflated.  Now if you play it out, and adjust for ESC before you post for handicap, that's fine.

As for me, in a casual round I'll play to my ESC score, maybe a bit higher if I'm in a (informal) match and we're both having a bad hole.  I'll write down my real score, and adjust for ESC when I post for handicap.

[CarlSpackler]

I score every hole the same. I use my fingers and hope that I don't need to use my toes. Like others, I might pick up if I am over ESC in a casual round if it's busy.

[BC-to-MI]

I tend to play it out in most cases, then I'll adjust before entering in my handicap. I figure it's worth trying out a shot in my short game I normally wouldn't or getting a better feel for the green speeds/break.

But, if I'm holding up my group or we are starting to lag behind the group in front of us, I'll generally just pick up at my ESC score, assuming it is just a casual round.

[David in FL]

Pick up at ESC unless it means something within the context of our match.

 

[Lihu]

7 hours ago, bones75 said:

For non tourney rounds, typically i do this:

 

I pickup when its looking like quad+* and IF: 

- I dont want to slow down my group,

- I'm playing w people i don't know, OR

- the group behind is on us.

 

I playout quad+'s IF

- my group is in no rush, AND

- no one is behind us.

 

I score pickups fairly conservatively (e.g. if i'm still 180 out over water, i'd score as if id be on in 2 more strokes from there, then 2-3 putts). I dont use ESC.

 

If someone asks me what i shot that day, i'd say my score using the above and typically add "including one pickup". I dont use ESC. I know it could just be a meaningless casual round, but i simply feel its more accurate.

 

You?

 

*i do dramatically speed up my play starting when its looking like double+

 

 

ESC, but if competing every shot counts, or just concede the hole.

If someone asks, I just comment ESC for the round and everyone pretty much understands 😁😂

[mcanadiens]

One of two ways: ESC or the scorecard becomes bird cage liner.

Only problem with that is our Club Championship is this weekend and I'm going to have to count every bleeding stroke.

Maybe it won't be so bad if the range driver follows me onto the course. Keeping hope alive.

 

[Groucho Valentine]

I do that too. In non tournament rounds i usually pick up if im lying 5 or worse and im not on the green yet. Theres not really much point in continuing the hole from a score POV.  As far as money games,  its very unlikely a double or worse will halve a hole against the level of player i usually play against. 

[gbogey]

I think about my scores in terms of ESC so the vast majority of the time I record the ESC, at least partly because I will take some risks knowing that my downside is limited by ESC.  Occasionally I ignore ESC just to remind myself of badly I played.

[David in FL]

11 minutes ago, Groucho Valentine said:

  its very unlikely a double or worse will halve a hole against the level of player i usually play against. 

True, but there are few things more unexpectedly satisfying than to rinse a ball, and then watch your opponent follow you into the drink.  

[Groucho Valentine]

8 minutes ago, David in FL said:

True, but there are few things more unexpectedly satisfying than to rinse a ball, and then watch your opponent follow you into the drink.  

Thats why you always wait a shot until you pick up. 😁

[Cantankerish]

32 minutes ago, David in FL said:

True, but there are few things more unexpectedly satisfying than to rinse a ball, and then watch your opponent follow you into the drink.  

I am slightly ashamed to admit that this is kinda true.  My misery prefers some company.

 

Also, I had to look up ESC.  I think I see it's purpose from a statistical standpoint, but it sure reads like sanctioned cheating.  I do not think I understand how it works, especially after reading Dave's comments.

 

Before I was seriously trying to improve, I was taught to call a bad hole "double par" and would record a 6 for par 3, 8 for par 4, or 10 for par 5 in the case of a blowup hole.  Is ESC simply a codified version of that?

[boogielicious]

2 hours ago, CarlSpackler said:

I score every hole the same. I use my fingers and hope that I don't need to use my toes. Like others, I might pick up if I am over ESC in a casual round if it's busy.

In a pinch, the pencil and divot tool can be used for 21 and 22.

[David in FL]

1 minute ago, Cantankerish said:

I am slightly ashamed to admit that this is kinda true.  My misery prefers some company.

 

Also, I had to look up ESC.  I think I see it's purpose from a statistical standpoint, but it sure reads like sanctioned cheating.  I do not think I understand how it works, especially after reading Dave's comments.

 

Before I was seriously trying to improve, I was taught to call a bad hole "double par" and would record a 6 for par 3, 8 for par 4, or 10 for par 5 in the case of a blowup hole.  Is ESC simply a codified version of that?

ESC only affects the score that you post for handicap purposes.  It has no impact whatsoever on the actual score for your round.

 As an example, in a stroke play event, if I were to actually take a 7 on a par-4, that’s my score on the scorecard.  But my ESC maximum for handicap reporting is no more than double bogey on any given hole, so a 6 is what gets counted for that hole afterwards instead of the 7.  It has no impact at all on the competition.

It’s actually designed to help eliminate cheating by those who might otherwise inflate their score on holes they had already lost to artificially inflate their handicap...

[DeadMan]

If I'm really out of a hole (i.e., not on the green in 5 or something like that), I'll pick up and put down ESC. Otherwise, I'll try my best to finish the hole and take my medicine. Although it happens (too often), it's fairly rare that I take over a double bogey on any hole.

This is assuming non-competition. That's different.

[bones75]

2 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

You say twice that you don't use ESC.  Does that mean that the handicap that you list is based on scores that include triple and quadruple bogeys?  If so, that's tantamount to cheating, your handicap is inflated.  Now if you play it out, and adjust for ESC before you post for handicap, that's fine.

As for me, in a casual round I'll play to my ESC score, maybe a bit higher if I'm in a (informal) match and we're both having a bad hole.  I'll write down my real score, and adjust for ESC when I post for handicap.

i dont have an official handicap at the moment, and actually havent played in a tourney in years. For scores i use my golf app which calcs "what my handicap would be" adjusts for ESC automatically.

When i did have a GHIN, of course i post using ESC. 

Even for casual rounds, it just feels better describing my round to others this way. E.g. i shot a 84 if say i had two quads, vs saying i shot a 80 (using ESC).