Best way to estimate handicap when you usually play 9?

[Soup Fan]

Well...I guess I blew my load in the thread title.

Anyway, I usually play 9 holes just because it what my time and budget allows for. I know I can't get a true handicap index based on 9 hole rounds, but how should I at least get my estimation?

For instance, I have played both the front and back 9 at my home course this season, both rounds happened back to back within a week of each other. Should I just combine those two scores as if it were a full 18 and base it off that, or should I take my separate rounds and double them to get an 18 hole estimate?

Or is there a better option (other than just playing 18, of course...would if I could!)?

[artfulgolfer]

Well...I guess I blew my load in the thread title.

You post your "combined" score from your last 2 nines. If they happen to be a front nine and back nine score, simply add the scores to get your "combined" score. Even if you play the same nine holes or 9 holes from 2 different courses, you can still combine your score to make an 18 hole score, but you'll have to find out what the course rating and slope are for each of the nine holes (available from the course pro - both nines usually have a different rating and slope). Then add the 2 ratings together to get an 18 hole rating and average the 2 slopes.

The SCGA allows you to post 9 hole scores and it combines them automatically when calculating 18 hole indexes each month. p.s. I went to H.S. in Palatine (Fremd) and caddied at Inverness GC in 8th grade.

[iacas]

Find your nine-hole ratings (and slopes) and you can do some calculations on the nine-hole rounds.

Otherwise, sure, combine rounds.

If your course has a GHIN computer or anything else, just make the right choices when you enter your scores. It'll do the right calculations.

[DavidFehertysBike]

Ive found that the ghin system will combine them automatically if you play two 9's on the same course. You'll see a "C" by in your scores table when you do this. Or you can combine them on your own and enter it as a full 18. I dont really think it matters either way.

[Andy_Mac]

You can post 9 hole scores online with GHIN. It will combine the last 2 9 hole scores (even from different courses) and do all the right math for you and give you a 18 hole score that goes towards your cap.

[Soup Fan]

Thanks everybody.

P.S. I have to change my profile...not in Palatine any more. Back in Streamwood which is where I grew up.

[rudygu]

If you don't need an official handicap I really recommend buying Scorecard to track your entire golf game. It keeps a plethora of statistics in addition to your handicap index and the course handicap for each course you play. The stats it keeps really will allow you to pinpoint your weaknesses and improve your game much more than handicap index on its own.

As far as 9 hole rounds go, using Scorecard you would just combine the rounds like everyone has already said. You could also add a course that is the front or back nine of your course repeated in the event that you play the same nine twice in a row.