Largest number you can make on a hole??

[hippyboy]

I DO understand it is posted towards score but not handicap

Just a quick example of why this helps to keep handicaps reasonable.

Player A plays of a handicap of 1, you have drawn him in next weeks head to head tournament. He plays 3 handicap affected rounds in the weeks leading up to your match with him. He has a nightmare (or deliberately plays badly) on all of the holes in every round, posting triple bogeys on every hole. If this were taken into consideration for his handicap by the time you play him, he will be playing off around 17, giving him a 16 shot advantage from the 1st tee. Would you be happy with that if he plays back to his normal potential? Do not know if the 17 is entirely accurate, worked it out increasing handicap by 0.1 for each shot over initial handicap. It is only meant as an example.

[trumps4]

Others have said this but I just want to chime in. Handicap index is not meant to be bragging material. You should be much more upset if someone OVERSTATES their handicap index rather than understates it. It is just a number that levels the playing field. It is unique in the world of sports and one of the things that makes golf the greatest game ever played.

[NM Golf]

Just when I started thinking I had this handicap thing figured out... Okay so I know you guys know what you are talking about so just clear up the confusion for me.

Think of it this way without all the slope and stuff. Lets say one guy shoots 20 scores they are five 74's, five 77's, five 83's, and 5 86's. His average score is 80 but his handicap, depending on the slope, will by around a 2 or 3 because he has the

potential to shoot low scores. Another guy shoots ten 79's and ten 81's his average score is also 80 but his handicap, depending on the slope, would be around a 6 or 7 because he never shoots below 79. Understand? Mind you those are approximate numbers but thats the basics.

[ScottRempel]

Quick question for you folks. I'm going to try tracking my handicap for the first time and I am going to be using oobgolf.com. Since I don't have an established HI I'm assuming I'm between a 10 and 19. In an earlier post I saw someone mention that in that handicap range the max number of strokes to post per hole would be 7...is that correct? So, if I got a 9 on a par 5, I would post a 7 on the oob score card?

Also, for those that use oobgolf, when you enter the number of penalty strokes you got on a hole, how many stokes do you enter when you go OB, for example....1 or 2? I wasn't sure if you counted the initial shot that went OB as a penalty stroke, or just the stroke for teeing up again.

I think I'm going to be one of those people that has a HI quite a bit lower then their average score. My rounds tend to be quite a few pars, maybe some birdies, some bogeys, and a smattering of blow-up holes (those bad swings that go OB). Will be interesting to see anyway.

[GDWindowpane]

Until you have an established handicap I would post all scores, regardless of ESC.

[sacm3bill]

Also, for those that use oobgolf, when you enter the number of penalty strokes you got on a hole, how many stokes do you enter when you go OB, for example....1 or 2? I wasn't sure if you counted the initial shot that went OB as a penalty stroke, or just the stroke for teeing up again.

I don't think it matters as long as you are consistent. Personally I count OB or lost ball as 2 penalty strokes, since that's what it costs you for all intents. That's also why I add 2 strokes when dropping (for pace of play purposes) on a lost ball if I haven't hit a provisional.

[iacas]

Until you have an established handicap I would post all scores, regardless of ESC.

Also worth noting: software like

Scorecard automatically applies ESC. You can enter 12s for 18 holes and you'll get the proper ESC-modified differential.

[platgof]

My group 3 over par is the max on the score card. This gives everyone a chance to get back in it. We are bogey golfers most of the time.

[Bourbon and Coke]

Just a quick example of why this helps to keep handicaps reasonable.

This is what I was going to say, but aside from trying to game the system, it simply prevents an uncharacteristic bad hole from ruining a round and raising a good player's handicap. It actually works in favor of higher handicap players by keeping handicaps more closely tied to potential (if it's harder for your opponent's handicap to move up, and therefore closer to yours, then you're more likely to get extra strokes on the card.)

[flopdarock]

to my understanding esc is to prevent sandbaggers from taking all your money...
would you rather play a single digit handicap thats having troubles breaking 90/100 that day... or would you rather play the guy that claims to be a 25 handicap but is playing target golf birdieing every hole after you're spotted him 10-15 strokes?
this reminds me to go through some of my scorecards and make sure i havent been posting bigger numbers than i should

[RemyM]

Honestly though, most people don't check at each course they play and adjust their index......and unless your index is right on the edge......say a 9.7 or a 10.2, it's not likely to make a difference anyway.

I guess me being on the edge makes me very aware of this. My current 8.9 index makes me a 9 from one set of tees at my course and a 10 from the other.

[Leftygolfer]

That is the rules regarding only being able to post a double if you are under a nine.

The reason is the handicap is potential. Lets say you make 15 pars, 2 bogeys, a 9 on a par 4.

that is 7 over. Does that look like a 7s score card? No. I would say if you make 15 pars in 18 holes you a probably less than a 3.

If you want to learn more read about it on ghin.com or usga.com.

[msd3075]

As has been said on here by several people, I think that most golfers don't understand what a handicap is meant to do and what the meaning behind it really is. It's not meant ot be an "average" score. It's not meant to be an indication of how many over par you should shoot. It's none of these things. What it does indicate is what you should be able to do during one of your better rounds compared to a scratch golfer. As was said by someone earlier, it's not meant to be a number that you try to get as low as possible; it's meant to show what you are capable of so that you can have a fair match with someone of a different ability level. If anything, ESC hurts low-handicap players simply because it means that they can't take as many strokes as their "true" score indicates they should.

The entire handicap system is meant to enable people of different abilities to compete together, and the one thing that someone could do for their own advantage is try to inflate their index; ESC is meant to prevent that as much as possible.

[Leftygolfer]

That is sandbagging. If you have a ghin number, you must play by the rules. If you fluff the ball or don't take stroke and distance when you hit it OB, you are truely hurting yourself if you ever get in a situation where your handicap matters you will be at a true disadvantage.

Question. If I go above a 9 (I might), lets say a 9.5, can I then post a triple?

[David in FL]

Question. If I go above a 9 (I might), lets say a 9.5, can I then post a triple?

It's actually your course handicap, not your index. The course handicap will vary slightly from course to course. Each course should have posted a conversion chart. You find your handicap index and it will provide you with your actual handicap for use on the course and tees that you'll be playing. If your course handicap is over 9, you can post up to a 7. That could be a double on a par 5 or a quad on a par 3, but 7 is the largest number ESC will allow you to post. Under 9 and you would still be able to post the 7 on the par 5, but would be limited to a 5 on that par 3.

[dro]

I suppose I understand the purpose of ESC in the notion of preventing sandbaggers - it seems incredibly useful there.

My problem now is switching my thinking of HI's to "potential" indicator and not "average".

[Leftygolfer]

Lets just hope it is a non issue.

[msd3075]

Question. If I go above a 9 (I might), lets say a 9.5, can I then post a triple?

It's all based on Course Handicap, not your Handicap Index. From the tees I play at my normal course, a 7.7 index would put you at a Course Handicap of 10 (slope is 140).