Is Your Handicap Season Correct?

[iacas]

Dates: https://www.usga.org/handicapping-articles/handicap-active-and-inactive-season-schedule-25489.html

For example we are April 1 to November 14, which I think is good. We used to end in October, maybe even the middle of October, so the extension through November 14 is welcome, particularly in Erie where the lake helps us stay warm. We were playing in shorts in early November this year, too.

Sometimes we can play golf in March and the conditions are good, but April 1 still seems "right."

[klineka]

Yup March 15 - Nov 30 feels right.

I was able to golf on Friday the 27th and the conditions were perfectly fine, borderline could have worn shorts. Now on the 30th, it's snowing and sticking to the ground. Guess they timed it perfectly for us this year lol.

I've golfed in March before too and it's been fine, don't really remember golfing around here In Feb. though, usually too wet/snowy so yeah I'd say the current schedule feels about right.

 

[DeadMan]

We're March 15 through November 14. I think that's about right. That's roughly our growing season and roughly the season where snow won't shut down courses for weeks. While you can play year round (and I normally get a round of golf in every month), it can be highly variable. Our "off-season" can have both silly golf (ground that is always frozen) but also perfect golf conditions (with dormant grass). I think you could probably extend the season to March 1, but those 2 weeks aren't really that big of deal. A few years ago, they extended our handicap season from October 31 to November 14, which was definitely the right decision. The first two weeks of November are normally good golf weather and conditions.

[mcanadiens]

21 minutes ago, klineka said:

I was able to golf on Friday the 27th and the conditions were perfectly fine, borderline could have worn shorts. Now on the 30th, it's snowing and sticking to the ground. Guess they timed it perfectly for us this year lol.

In my opinion, Nov. 30 is just a little late for Ohio. You can get some decent days in November as we did on Friday, but there have been some real borderline days as well. 

The bigger problem that the weather itself, is that some of the courses around here will cut back course maintenance quite a lot. Suddenly, fairways are sort of like a short rough and the greens go to hell. Obviously the better courses won't have those problems, but many of the lower-end public courses get a lot rougher after October. 

 

[billchao]

Ours is April 1st - November 14th. Feels right. We had an unseasonably warm November this year but typically it’s wet and cool. It used to be October 31st which I think was a little too early.

[phillyk]

It’s hard to say for WA. You have a pretty big difference in weather patterns from east to west sides of the mountains and course maintenance procedures. In middle of winter some courses could be plug city and others still perfect. Our season is March 1st to November 15th. If there is to be an off season, that is as good as anything. 

[cipher]

Yeah I feel like it is a good range of dates for us here in WI.  April 1 - Oct 31.  

[The Flush]

I don't keep an official handicap, but track scores in The Grint. I played yesterday for the first time in a long time and they have the course on winter tees, which are a good bit shorter than normal for all but 1 hole. These are just marked spots near the edge of the fairways that don't resemble a tee box at all.  I assume the shorter distance alone means these rounds can't count for an official handicap.  Is that right?

[mcanadiens]

11 minutes ago, The Flush said:

I don't keep an official handicap, but track scores in The Grint. I played yesterday for the first time in a long time and they have the course on winter tees, which are a good bit shorter than normal for all but 1 hole. These are just marked spots near the edge of the fairways that don't resemble a tee box at all.  I assume the shorter distance alone means these rounds can't count for an official handicap.  Is that right?

If there isn't an official rating and slope for the set of tees you are playing, there is no real way to calculate it in the first place.

Otherwise, there is no reason why not. You can always play the forward tees.

[Groucho Valentine]

It seems about right to me. Courses mostly go dormant in the northeast around November. You're getting crappy lies in the fairway, losing balls under dead leaves, etc. Stuff that doesn't happen in the spring and summer. 

[boogielicious]

Ours seems right, April 1 to November 14. March is sketchy at best for weather and I’m glad they shifted to November 14. There are lots of good days early in the month.

[Club Rat]

Ours is March 1st - November 14th. 
March is typically cold wet rainy and crappy conditions.
LCP almost daily, while USGA indicates LCP should not be used on extended play, guys will still post.
I try to push hard for when conditions when unfavorable, posting should be closed for certain days.

But no one cares....

[dennyjones]

Michigan's season runs April 1st thru October 31st.   

In 2017 I played once before mid April and 4 times after October 31st

In 2018 my first round was April 12th and only once after the season

In 2019 I played once before the season and my play ended before October 31st

Last year I played once before April but the weather wasn't really nice until the end of the month.   We had some great 70° weather in November and I played thru November 20th.  

 

I voted the season is about right for Michigan (where I live).   We have a different climate than the U.P.

[Zippo]

I think the season's GHIN periods are good for my portion of western Washington. My home course gets pretty wet (some of my worm burner shots remind me of the Miss Budweiser hydroplane rooster tail from back in the day). Also, there's a lot of plugged balls in the fairway so I'm mostly playing lift, clean and replace. Wouldn't count towards handicap anyway.

[DaveP043]

7 hours ago, Zippo said:

Also, there's a lot of plugged balls in the fairway so I'm mostly playing lift, clean and replace. Wouldn't count towards handicap anyway.

This isn't necessarily true.  LCP can be put in place under a Model Local Rule.  From the Handicap Rules:

Quote

Where a player follows the provisions set down in a Model Local Rule, even when the Committee in charge of the course has not adopted that Model Local Rule, the score may still be acceptable for handicap purposes.

If you had a wet day in the summer, wet enough to play preferred lies, you'd be expected to post that score, unless the Committee specifically told you not to.  The same would be the case when playing LCP in the winter, if handicap posting is still active in that area.

I live in the northernmost part of Virginia, and we post scores year round.  Just a couple of miles north in Maryland, the season has ended.  I think that in my specific location, it would be reasonable to suspend posting around January 1, and resume in early March.  On the other hand, the southeastern part of Virginia has better conditions throughout the winter.  On balance for the entirety of Virginia, its probably best to post year round.

[JGus]

I think Maryland's is right, at least from a 'safe' perspective, it is 15 Mar - 14 Nov.

We can get decent weather into December, 1 Apr - 30 Nov makes a little more sense as the heavier snow fall seems to be Feb-Mar, at least in my area.

[Zippo]

3 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

This isn't necessarily true.  LCP can be put in place under a Model Local Rule.  From the Handicap Rules:

If you had a wet day in the summer, wet enough to play preferred lies, you'd be expected to post that score, unless the Committee specifically told you not to.  The same would be the case when playing LCP in the winter, if handicap posting is still active in that area.

I live in the northernmost part of Virginia, and we post scores year round.  Just a couple of miles north in Maryland, the season has ended.  I think that in my specific location, it would be reasonable to suspend posting around January 1, and resume in early March.  On the other hand, the southeastern part of Virginia has better conditions throughout the winter.  On balance for the entirety of Virginia, its probably best to post year round.

You are correct and thanks for the clarification.