I've never used a Handicap. Getting started......

[SpoiledRotten]

How do I use a handicap on a round of play?
Does one simply subtract the handicap number from the total score at the end of the round?
Do you use one point of the total number like a mulligan?

This probably seems like a real elementary question, but again, I've never used a handicap.

Thanks, in advance.

[Meddle]

Click here

[lonewolf]

Asuming your handicap is calculated correctly and there isn't some tournament handicapping going on then you simple subtract your handicap from your score to get your net score.

[kpaulhus]

In tournament handicapping does the player get a stroke based on the difficulty of the hole? For instance, Jon is a 5 handicap. Jon gets a stroke on holes handicapped #1-5?

[lonewolf]

In tournament handicapping does the player get a stroke based on the difficulty of the hole? For instance, Jon is a 5 handicap. Jon gets a stroke on holes handicapped #1-5?

In some tournament formats - Yes.

[SpoiledRotten]

Lots of good info on that site, meddle. Thanks for making that easy to fine. I'll use the calculated handicap system to see if it lifts my confidence level, thus improving my game some, but to be honest, it sure seems like some kind of "welfare program" for golf. JMO

[James_Black]

In tournament handicapping does the player get a stroke based on the difficulty of the hole? For instance, Jon is a 5 handicap. Jon gets a stroke on holes handicapped #1-5?

yep that's for stableford/matchplay

net scores is taking your handicap away from the gross score. strokeplay is gross score.

[cody west]

the handycap uses the best 10 of your last 20 scores then averages them and multiplies the average by about .96 because the handycap is actually a measure of your potential not your average scoring.
in a 1v1 match it works were you "stroke" off of the lowest handycap meaning if im a 1 and your a 10 you get 9 "stokes" on the 9 hardest holes on the course. by stokes it basically means you subtract one from your final score on that hole. it was made so no matter what ability level you are you can have a fun but competitive match against any other golfer.
if you are just playing for your net score it would be your total gross score (the number you actually shot)- your handycap= your net score
your net score would be a way of you measuring yourself. say your a 10 handycap and you shoot 79 gross then you shot a net 69 meaning you played better than you potential but if your a 10 handycap and you shoot 85 you shot a net 75 meaning you were not up to par today or you were simply having a bad day.
i hope this helps a little

[SpoiledRotten]

Helps a great deal Cody. This handicap thing is getting pretty interesting. Thanks to all for sharing your knowledge. Hey... I'm learning!

[Sanzabar]

I think they should just make it easy.

Your handicap should be how many strokes over par you are. Average it out and you have your 'cap.

[trumps4]

I would add that there are actually two handicaps that are often confused. "Handicap index" is generally the number people quote you when you ask how good a player they are. This is the number that takes the 10 best out of your last 20 and multiplies it by roughly .96. It also takes into account the slope and course rating of the course you played when posting those scores. This is not how many strokes you get on the course on any given day. That number is your "course handicap" and is derived from the slope, course rating and handicap index of the player. In other words, your course handicap varies depending on the difficulty level of the course and it can be very different from your handicap index in some cases. For example, I currently have a 14.1 handicap index but this equates to a course handicap of 16 on my home course. Most courses post a chart to make it easy to convert your index to your course handicap.

[SpoiledRotten]

I don't understand the score card regarding the handicap.

Hopefully, this will show up. It shows the Par for each hole, but what does that handicap number for each hole mean? How does that work?

Well, I was going to attach a copy of the score card, but I can't attach anything. Maybe I don't have enough posts to do that. Anyway, there is a number along the width of the score card, just below the "PAR" numbers.

For example,
Hole 1, MEN'S 432, LADIES' 374, PAR 5, HANDICAP 2
Hole 2, MEN'S 320, LADIES' 317, PAR 3, HANDICAP 14

[fr0sty]

I don't understand the score card regarding the handicap.

read this:

USGA Hole Handicap explaination Many people incorrectly think that the #1 handicap hole is the hardest hole on the course but it is not.