Are People Not Updating Their Handicaps or...

[wolverine_man]

You have WAY too much time on your hands and don't even start correcting me on my grammar. I personally don't see handicap as a useful tool. I have never once played against my friends or family and figured out everyone's final score based upon their handicap.

The only thing I thought about was whether I got beat or not, especially when playing with my cousin. Same thing in high school. If I was playing the number one slot on my team, I knew I'd be playing against the other team's number one. I had to beat him just the same - whether he be a scratch golfer or a 15.

[wolverine_man]

I always thought the same thing about the decimal points.

FYI, I shot a 33 when I was back in high school, 15 years ago. I was, at that time, a much better golfer. I now work for a living and don't have the luxury of golfing 5 days a week. I'd imagine if I lived in Atlanta where I could golf damn near all year round, I'd be a much, much better golfer than a 5 handicap.

[Happy Dragon]

You have WAY too much time on your hands and don't even start correcting me on my grammar. I personally don't see handicap as a useful tool. I have never once played against my friends or family and figured out everyone's final score based up on their handicap.

I appreciate your concern, but it doesn't take me much time or effort to correct grammar, as I see it so clearly when I read your posts. Well, I have to say that you have a positive attitude towards competition. I hope you never get "beat" by your cousin. My love for you and another Michigan ass-beating by the hands of the Buckeyes still runs deep.

[wolverine_man]

I appreciate your concern, but it doesn't take me much time or effort to correct grammar, as I see it so clearly when I read your posts. Well, I have to say that you have a positive attitude towards competition. I hope you never get "beat" by your cousin. My love for you and another Michigan ass-beating by the hands of the Buckeyes still runs deep.

Buckeyes - most worthless and trashiest fans in all of college football. Absolutely zero class.

THE Ohio State - because not everyone is bright enough to go to Michigan.

[microcrayfish]

Handicap fight, don't ya just love the interweb.

Unfortunately my handicap has varied from 21.9 to 22.1 for about 8 months now so I don't bother updating mine on here.

[MSchumacher]

My handicap is 12 and shot 80 and a few scores in the high 70s the past month. Yardage ranges from 5800/6000 with slopes of 116/120. Does this make sense?

[10footer4bird]

I always thought the same thing about the decimal points.

it can happen. when i was in high school i shot a 34 on league night with a 9-10 index. was 11 years ago and has never happened again.

[brgolf]

This topic has made me rethink my handicap a bit as I will admit my informal calculations had been based on my average score. I had considered it to be +12 but something like +8 may be more accurate. You say if a 9.7 breaks 80 you scratch your head, well...

Put this way not only do I aim to break 80 on a given round but I achieve it about 1/4 of the time on a moderately difficult course.

I don't know if I have missed the point somewhat but there was a time when my average round was +14 (5 years ago) yet in that period I managed to completed 9 holes at +1 and +3 at a tricky local course. Some days it just all comes together, I would not be too cynical about the times opponents do this.

[goblue107501]

A 10 handicap can easily shoot in the mid 70's and their number not move. Did you ever think that maybe it was an easy course and the differential won't be low? Maybe he had a good week and shot some good scores. The rest of his scores might be crap so that brings the number up. Regardless, why does someone on the internet care what some other person shot 1000 miles away and what his handicap is?

[enis750]

i just put mine low so i can look cool in the ol INTRAnet.....actually, I dont even "golf"

[n8dogg2669]

I am a 12, probably a little lower now that I actually started playing again this year, but I shot a 74 (+3) on a pretty easy course friday, Played driver - 9 iron almost all day. and I shot an 81 on a pretty challenging course yesterday, and an 82 today on a similar course. I think alot of it has to do with the amount you get to golf. I can shoot in the 70's pretty consistant on easier courses, but I am probably a true 10 on decent courses.

[Jay-Bird]

My GHIN card updates every 1st and 15th. I have it saved as a Dashboard widget so I see it every time I move my mouse to the lower right of my monitor. I usually update here the following day of any change.

[Harry SasQuatch]

In the last week I have had scores of 98, 89, 79, 75, 83, and 93. My handicap has been in the nine's the past month or two and was a 10.2 before I shot the 75. Of course that 75 dropped my handicap to a 9.2 and it was a differential of 3.042. My short game was working well after putting in some extra time on the course a few days earlier and I was even through 15. Handicaps are meant to provide an even playing field and they system isn't perfect but what else are you going to do?

[-BAMA-]

i dont carry an actual handicap. dont see a reason to. when i play my buddies i play them stroke for stroke regardless of how much better than me they are.

i dont feel a need to be politically correct and carry something that makes the playing field "even" for us... i either beat them outright or i dont.

this... i feel, makes me a better golfer. (2 guys i normally play with carry a legit single digit handicap, ive beat one of them twice)

honestly... i think if the HC system was abolished, we'd all be just fine. golfers that suck will still be golfers that suck.. they just wont have a way to beat a better golfer due to a system of points that rewards them for sucking... they'd have to actually fix their swings and get better or stay out of tournaments....

my 2 cents.. take it as you may...

[flanagan]

do they have no idea how handicaps are calculated?

Your starting this thread shows only that you have no idea how handicaps are calculated.

I haven't changed mine on this site (playing to a 10 now), but shot 76 yesterday (6 over). Had a great round for me, but that would only not make sense to you if you don't understand handicaps or golf.

[Fourputt]

i dont carry an actual handicap. dont see a reason to. when i play my buddies i play them stroke for stroke regardless of how much better than me they are.

It has absolutely nothing to do with being "politically correct". Someday you may join a club or league, and those tournaments are naturally organized by skill level (handicap groupings). If that wasn't the case then there would be no avenues for the average golfer to play in a competitive environment. Within my club, the high handicappers almost never compete against lower handicappers. What carrying a handicap mostly does is identify the group (or flight) you belong in within the club.

Saying that the weaker player needs to fix his swing is easy to spit out, not necessarily easy to accomplish. There is such a thing called real life, and most golfers also have to deal with that. That prevents them from devoting the time and expense necessary to "fix their swings". Then there are the players who simply lack the muscular coordination to ever be able to advance beyond a certain level. Your method would deny them the opportunity to ever compete. In my opinion, that's just selfish. I play to a 13 home course handicap at the moment, yet 2 weeks ago I beat my head pro straight up. For the one and probably only time in my life. Certainly it felt good, but if I had to play him straight all the time, it would NOT be fun, only frustrating. When I play with my buddies, I'm usually the one who wins... so I give them a few strokes per side to make the game more competitive. That's more fun for me, and it's certainly more fun for them. And on those rare occasions when they beat me straight up, it doesn't diminish that feeling of accomplishment for them either.

[wedge player]

do they have no idea how handicaps are calculated?

just because they shot a low round doesnt mean they do it all the time ive shot 68 once that doesnt mean i should have a +4 handicap though

[sean_miller]

A 10 handicap can easily shoot in the mid 70's and their number not move. Did you ever think that maybe it was an easy course and the differential won't be low? Maybe he had a good week and shot some good scores. The rest of his scores might be crap so that brings the number up. Regardless, why does someone on the internet care what some other person shot 1000 miles away and what his handicap is?

Hear hear!