How far over your handicap do you typically play?!?

[Kingfisher]

None of us should be playing to or below our handicap most of the time - if a golfer is doing, then something is wrong.

http://www.usga.org/playing/handicap...eanstable.html

A handicap should be more of a measure of potential than of actual performance.

[flguy]

The Website I use says my Handicap is a 14.8 and my last 3 scores were:

88 (68.6/122) Par 72
84 (65.8/110) Par 70
69 (57.4/85) Par 57

Don't know how accurate the site is, but I assume it's not too far off.

[Ignorant]

We use a different system I think.

You've misunderstood the CONGU (European) system completely.

As the USGA system also our's reflects the potential instead of average. In CONGU one's hcp reflects the level that a player can achieve on a good day. As fourputt well put it nobody can play one's handicap all the time, otherwise the hcp would decrease constantly and at some point there is bound to be a limit when the player no longer can equal his hcp but occasionally. When a player is in a positive development loop it may happen that the scores are better than hcp as hcp goes down slower than player's scores but hcp will inevitably pass the normal scores. My hcp is now 5,4 and round average in 2009 was +9,5. So I played 81 on the average but best round was -1 and worst maybe +20. Out of those about 60 rounds I played 10 better than my hcp, 5 exactly on and 15 within buffer (1-2 shots worse than my hcp). This result is far better than on the average as I sometimes play very constantly. Normally people reach their hcp once every 15-20 rounds, in CONGU, that is.

[JaY_B]

You've misunderstood the CONGU (European) system completely.

Well no that's not true, if you play off five and shoot five over every time you play then your not coming down, you won't go up either but you won't come down. It can depend on the standard scratch, Ive shot five over and got cut before and five over and gone up (playing off 5 in both instances.)

[luckyluke699]

None of us should be playing to or below our handicap most of the time - if a golfer is doing, then something is wrong.

That is most likely true in the US, but in the UK under the CONGU system you need to play under your handicap to decrease it. It also doesn't pick the best games, but uses all of your games, so a bad round affects your handicap too...

So theoretically you should play to your handicap each time you go out! :S

[Nyper]

what the hell?

hahaha... typo.

[DavidFehertysBike]

hahaha... typo.

I was about to say, man...jesus.

[James_Black]

You've misunderstood the CONGU (European) system completely.

One in every 20 rounds??

Don't think so. How we get cut is if we play in a compeition. In the competition if you beat standard scratch you go down .something(depends on your handicap) for every shot better you do. If you don't score in the buffer zone you go up .something depending on your handicap

[Ignorant]

Well no that's not true, if you play off five and shoot five over every time you play then your not coming down, you won't go up either but you won't come down. It can depend on the standard scratch, Ive shot five over and got cut before and five over and gone up (playing off 5 in both instances.)

You're mixing up USGA and CONGU. In the latter it goes as I explained in all other hcp groups except nr 1 (-4.4).

For example, in CONGU hcp 5,4 is in hcp group nr 2. In this group three strokes under hcp decreases hcp by 0,6. Three strokes over increases hcp by 0,1.

[Ignorant]

That is most likely true in the US, but in the UK under the CONGU system you need to play under your handicap to decrease it. It also doesn't pick the best games, but uses all of your games, so a bad round affects your handicap too...

Theoretically I should play 18 under par each time I go out because I have birdied every single hole on my home courses at least once

[Jay-Bird]

Here are the differentials of my last 20 rounds. The lowest 10 are averaged, then multiplied by .96 for the handicap of 1.8. You will see that I shot at/better than my handicap 4 out of 20 rounds. So I shot over my handicap 16 of 20 times. Ususally within a couple of strokes.

4.6
0.8
2.8
2.4
4.3
5.6
4.3
2.9
4.6
3.4
5.6
-2.6
1.2
3.4
0.9
6.0
4.1
4.5
4.6

[flopdarock]

well today i sure didnt play to my hcp... nowhere even near it... lol... i didnt break a hundred today on my HOME course

[Mr Eagle]

With the USGA system, you should only shoot your handicap one out of every five rounds.

With the UK system if you shoot under your handicap you are cut.0.3 per shot.Anything over your handicap incurs a 0.1 increase

[Mr Eagle]

Here are the differentials of my last 20 rounds. The lowest 10 are averaged, then multiplied by .96 for the handicap of 1.8. You will see that I shot at/better than my handicap 4 out of 20 rounds. So I shot over my handicap 16 of 20 times. Ususally within a couple of strokes.

Does your H'cap not change then? As from my previous post ,as soon as you shoot below your handicap you should be cut, no?

[Ash1974]

I have been playing since October 2007, played some pitch and put golf for about 3 months b4 that and then decided I liked it so got a full set of clubs October 2007, that is when I started adding my score to the handicap tracker on Today's Golfer (every round I have played I have tried to add to there to keep the handicap accurate, but may have missed the odd round so about 99%)

I am now just over 2 years playing and am 15.4 (club handicap at the Celtic Manor RR is 13.4 due to SSS of the course, so they say)

My scores are as follows (bearing in mind I have been recovering from an injury and only played 6 times since August with only 2 practice sessions)

8 Aug 2009 = 86
22 Aug 2009 = 87
5 sept 2009 = 88
12 Sept 2009 = 95
7 Nov 2009 = 89
28 Nov 2009 = 86

Played last Sat and walked off after 9 due to weather and damaging my driver, see my driver post.

Was on 49 front but it was very wet and my head had gone after 4th hole due to driver damage.

So I would say I am around my handicap or even under? I can still go out and have a mid to hi 90's though as seen, but even with what I would consider a nightmare round I don't shoot over 97/98.

[Ash1974]

With the UK system if you shoot under your handicap you are cut.0.3 per shot.Anything over your handicap incurs a 0.1 increase

I was 16.6 and shot an 86 on a Par 70 SSS 73 course in the UK, that dropped me by -1.2 to 15.4 so I agree that UK rules drop you by 0.3 but I think it also depends on SSS no?

[Jay-Bird]

Does your H'cap not change then? As from my previous post ,as soon as you shoot below your handicap you should be cut, no?

The handicap changes when the best 10 out of the last 20 rounds changes. Anytime I shoot lower than my highest counted differential (or if a low number is bumped out of the last 20 and replaced by a higher number) the handicap will change accordingly.

[luckyluke699]

Theoretically I should play 18 under par each time I go out because I have birdied every single hole on my home courses at least once

No, sorry if you read that this way... it's not like that at all! The long and shot of it is... if your handicap is say... 4, and you are playing on a par 72 course, with a SSS score of 70, then you "should" go round in 74 (SSS of 70 + 4 handicap) and your handicap will increase, if you go round in 76 (cat1 player, so allowed 1 extra shot for a bad day).

If that doesn't make sense, this page explains it well... http://www.mygolfexperience.com/golf...f-handicap.asp