Handicap -v- time spent on course

[DJYoshi]

Are you applying ESC to your scores (for example, the 10s)?

most people don't use ESC.... I should, but don't... I want my HC to fully reflect how I shoot. I know the HC is meant to calculate potential... but then my anti HC is affected by using ESC. I've actually never taken anything more than 8 on a hole (thank God), but I normally play courses with a 130 slope.

so that gives me a course HC of 10. at that level, I can't take more than a 7 on any given hole..... but on par 5's.. i've tripled before with an errant tee shot.....2nd shot in the water...3rd shot in the water... so if i earned that triple, i earned it...

[DavidFehertysBike]

Durning the summer i will play close to 100 holes a week. I dont have kids and im not married (thank god) so i have the time. I'll try get in 9 after work and sometimes 72 holes on the weekends. Ill practice about 3-4 hours a week on top of that.

[Fourputt]

most people don't use ESC.... I should, but don't... I want my HC to fully reflect how I shoot. I know the HC is meant to calculate potential... but then my anti HC is affected by using ESC. I've actually never taken anything more than 8 on a hole (thank God), but I normally play courses with a 130 slope.

Do you play in tournaments? If so then you are sandbagging. Doesn't matter how you achieve it, if you are turning in higher scores than the rules allow then you are cheating.

[TheNatural]

Are you applying ESC to your scores (for example, the 10s)?

No ...i guess,,,, i count every stroke

[Big_M]

most people don't use ESC.... I should, but don't... I want my HC to fully reflect how I shoot. I know the HC is meant to calculate potential... but then my anti HC is affected by using ESC. I've actually never taken anything more than 8 on a hole (thank God), but I normally play courses with a 130 slope.

First of all... how and the hell have you never taken over an 8... I am pretty close to you handicap wise, and I take one of those BIG numbers at least once a year, maybe a few times. Professionals take over 8's once in a while. Plus, all that time you spent getting to a 9, and you never took over an 8.

If your handicap is official you must use ESC... it is not an optional thing. Handicaps are meant to level the playing field, and when you don't use ESC you are maintaining an improperly high handicap, thus taking extra strokes. Now if you don't play in tournaments or otherwise it doesn't matter as much. Also, your handicap is not meant to reflect how you shoot, but rather your potential... otherwise EVERY score would count, etc.

Do you play in tournaments? If so then you are sandbagging. Doesn't matter how you achieve it, if you are turning in higher scores than the rules allow then you are cheating.

EXACTLY!

Personally I use scorecard... it keeps my handicap using ESC, but still reflects my actual scores and stats. Soon I will probably be paying to maintain an official handicap, but right now it is unnecessary as I am not playing any tournaments. The amatuer tour I was doing last year kept their own handicaps for us... and we simply played in flighted tournaments where handicaps were only used to put you in the proper flight.