I propose a new system of THREE handicaps

[tjy355]

So if you are an 8/9/10, do you give strokes to the 8/12/15 ??

This question is for sonicblue, just trying to figure out what to do with your three handicap system...

[sonicblue]

I didn't really have anything in mind in terms of using these figures for actual match purposes, but the idea is definitely intriguing. As some have alluded, an 8/9/10 guy is probably more attractive for a better ball partner, and would certainly have my money against an 8/12/15. In an individual friendly match, I would think the 8/9/10 should probably give an extra stroke or two, or maybe the 8/12/15 gets to throw out his worst hole or something. Or maybe it's just more for personal development? If that 8/12/15 progresses to an 8/9/15, his index and anti-cap are unchanged, but clearly this would show a marked improvement in consistency, no? Yes, he would likely 'feel' that improvement before calculating the change but, hell, e.g., we all know 'who' the best baseball players are, but someone dreams up a new stat for that sport every three minutes.

The point of the thread is just as said, the more you know! I didn't have a complete discourse on 'my new system.' I'm an insatiable math guy, and I thought the concept - and then the results, in practice (if I had more data, I'd do it myself) - would spark a good discussion.

[tjy355]

I didn't really have anything in mind in terms of using these figures for actual match purposes, but the idea is definitely intriguing. As some have alluded, an 8/9/10 guy is probably more attractive for a better ball partner, and would certainly have my money against an 8/12/15. In an individual friendly match, I would think the 8/9/10 should probably give an extra stroke or two, or maybe the 8/12/15 gets to throw out his worst hole or something. Or maybe it's just more for personal development? If that 8/12/15 progresses to an 8/9/15, his index and anti-cap are unchanged, but clearly this would show a marked improvement in consistency, no? Yes, he would likely 'feel' that improvement before calculating the change but, hell, e.g., we all know 'who' the best baseball players are, but someone dreams up a new stat for that sport every three minutes.

If I'm an 8 and you're an 8, you think you should get strokes because your bad rounds are worse than my bad rounds? Good luck! I understand your idea is to know more about the person's game. Thing is, this new data still totally depends upon EVERY golfer following the procedure which is to post EVERY round good and bad. No different as is supposed to happen with the current system but doesn't. That is why you see a wide variety of skill shown by your example 8 index. You have sandbaggers who don't post their low scores, you have vanity cappers who post only low scores, the people who's scores are artificially low from mulligans, given putts, etc, and then you have the general lazy slobs who don't post any scores. This is why the current system fails in the way you describe to give a consistent and accurate picture of skill. It's not the system, it is the people using the system improperly. A new system is meaningless if the people still don't use it correctly.

[sonicblue]

I have a friend who is very erratic, but can have very good days. Relative to him, I'm MUCH more consistent. I don't know what his calculated index would be, but probably comparable to mine. If he and I played a match, I'd have no trouble giving him one or two strokes, as I said, in a friendly - but striving to be fair - match, under the premise that he'd be much less likely to play to/near his handicap than I would.

The idea that 'you only play to your handicap 25% of the time' is misleading. If someone has 20 identical differentials, it's nearly a given they'll play to their index. In contrast, someone may have 1-3 differentials FAR better than the other 17, and their most common round may be ten strokes from their index. If I and my buddies wanted to go out for a nice day of four-ball, I think a more accurate assessment would help everyone enjoy the 'friendly' competition.

Your comments on people abusing the system are certainly accurate, but not relevant here. If I was playing somebody who I considered to be gaming the system - any system - well, I wouldn't want to play him, regardless of system output. My idea here is intended for people who want to play the game, gauage their game and compete in this game, fairly.

[alf174]

If someone has 20 identical differentials, it's nearly a given they'll play to their index.

A variance of zero would be abnormal, not natural, suspect even. A golfer that is not improving and not getting worse would have a natural variation about an average (something like a bell shaped distribution?). And is it really a crystal ball? I think it provides a higher confidence level that the next score posted might be close to the average, but not an absolute prediction.

[TakeDeadAim]

I insist... You are on to something here.

My advice... if at all possible, register the concept in all its variants. Then try to contact some company that tracks stats for pro players.

Although it would just be a fun tracking game analysis tool for us lowlife-shmoe-sunday-grinders, it could be a powerful tool for betting houses.

Just an example...

If come Sunday at a PGA event you have two very similar players at the final pairing... who would be your go-to guy at the betting house?

Would you just care to know their average sunday final-round scores (that is, our single digit handi system), or their best, average and worse sunday final-round scores (that is, your proposed 3 number handi system)...

An betting houses move millions of $$$.

REGISTER the concept... NOW !!! (and when you make your bucks, rembember me... )

Did I take this a bit too far? Should I have better stuck with the chick with the huge ass ?? Maybe...

[bIGwIRE]

As some have alluded, an 8/9/10 guy is probably more attractive for a better ball partner, and would certainly have my money against an 8/12/15.

I disagree with the more consistent guy being a better partner, at least for me. My own game is very consistent, within a couple strokes every round. An 8/12/15 guy is alot more streaky, prolly match to match, but also hole to hole. If he plays to the same hcp as me, but is far less consistent, I would guess that while I'm making strait pars, hes making bogey and birdie. In best ball I would carry him on his bogey holes, and on his hot streaks he would through a couple birds my way.