Net Score=Load of crap

[James_Black]

Low handicappers have an advantage for matchplay though.

For most games it's normally 2/3 of the handicap so a 20 handicapper would be off 14 while a 10 handicapper would be off 7.

[DavidFehertysBike]

The thing is, that's not really representative of the scores a 20 handicapper is likely to shoot "on average." The 20 capper will pop off a 100+ round all too often. To take one for the hackin' team, I'll post my last 20 scores:

Perhaps, it was really just a hypothetical example of what could happen. But if you dropped one of those 87's in there id be toast!

[clipper100]

Flighted Match play... no strokes... about the only game you will be able to play.

Pity!

[saevel25]

Well there is one thing that can say about handicaps.. It is more likely for a 20+ handicap to shoot in the around 10-15, than its likely for a 5 handicap to shoot par or under. Its tougher save strokes as you get closer to par, period. I think that makes it easier for a 20+ person to beat a single digit. But also the 5 handicap is less likely to go 10+ than a higher handicap just to explode really high.

[pittpanther]

Below are the results from the top 3 finishers:

What's the problem? These 3 guys just happened to shoot their best possible scores. I'm sure no sandbagging was happening here... LOL!

Anyway, the HC thing works, but it's not a remedy for cheaters. I really have a hard time understanding why people want to win SO BADLY, at all costs. What was the winner's prize? Was it worth their integrity?

[Williamevanl]

^Thats interesting. What if you hadn't gone out yet but you knew the guy in first had already scored a net 63 and you were a scratch golfer.

I think the whole thing is lame too. Golf should be straight up all the time. I wouldn't care if I never one. Whats the incentive to get better if you can hack it around with a 25 handicap and compete week to week.

[cody west]

i actually agree with the op. i would never play a handicapped tournament because i have given strokes on every other hole in a champions flight. there is no way a 10 handicap should be given 8 or 9 strokes. its so much more likely for that 10 handicap to shoot like 77 then it is for a 1 or 2 hcp to shoot 67. i have a friend who is a 1 and has never broken par. he shoots even all the time and lips out putts on 18 like its his job but he just doesnt break par. then again my course's slope and rates is like 75/140 or something

edit: i totally understand if its a league and im playing a 20 hcp but if your a 10 or lower you shouldnt be given strokes because at that level it can go either way. a 10 hcp can put up a score jsut as low as i can because i rarely shoot a super low score on 18 (im not talking about even i mean like -2 or more)

[jetsknicks1]

^Thats interesting. What if you hadn't gone out yet but you knew the guy in first had already scored a net 63 and you were a scratch golfer.

I disagree. Golf should not be straight up all the time. If there's a tourny thats not flighted and no handicaps are used, why would anybody with a HC outside of 5 strokes from the best golfer even bother to play? The HC system was put in place for the express purpose of allowing golfers of different skill levels to compete on a more level playing field.

[sean_miller]

I disagree. Golf should not be straight up all the time. If there's a tourny thats not flighted and no handicaps are used, why would anybody with a HC outside of 5 strokes from the best golfer even bother to play? The HC system was put in place for the express purpose of allowing golfers of different skill levels to compete on a more level playing field.

The day I see a 0-10 handicapper place in the top 5 of a net tournament, my faith will be restored.

Handicaps work for one on one - matchplay events.

[James_Black]

The day I see a 0-10 handicapper place in the top 5 of a net tournament, my faith will be restored.

I saw a 1 handicapper win.

He shot 38 points. Most of the men shoot level at my club, I guess your club is different.

[sean_miller]

I saw a 1 handicapper win.

38 what?

I was talking about medal play. And either way, I'll have to take your word for it.

[Fat Slice]

Perhaps, it was really just a hypothetical example of what could happen. But if you dropped one of those 87's in there id be toast!

It can happen! A couple of years ago I played in a match play tourney against my buddy who was playing off a 1.2 index. I think I was a 22 or 23 at the time. The course was easy and I was hot and I shot an 81. Poor bastid was under par and lost! Thing is, I play with that guy once a week, more or less, so he knows that was a freak round. Hell, Sunday I shot a 38 on the front 9 - should have walked off :)

About the 87, I think you'd be fine as the differential was 1.3 more than my handicap index thanks to the easy course. The 94 on the tougher course would press a scratch player.

[James_Black]

38 what?

Stableford points?

1 under par. Isn't that medal play?

[meenman]

Handicaps, when applied honestly, keep everything fair.

As a high handicapper, I can tell you that every tournament I play in is a donation on my part.

The problem is the amount of cheating that goes on with others. Those people are generally run out, but new ones always pop up.

When I see games where the same people win every week and are constantly shooting net 65's there may be an issue - especially when those scores are never posted.

Especially under tournament conditions, a high-capper, when playing with strangers, is a lot more likely to be a bit nervous and much more likely to come out of the gate weak.

[WUTiger]

If two people know each other's games, you can make adjustments to the handicaps. Many years ago, my best golfing bud was a guy who had played on a Division II team team in college. He had about a 5 HDCP at the time, and I had a 16 or so.

We played it:
* I got full stroke on par 5s.
* I got a half stroke on par 4s.
* We played even on par 3s.

To stand a chance, I had to get natural par on several par 4s.

[jetsknicks1]

Handicaps, when applied honestly, keep everything fair.

Exactly. I've been in plenty of HC games and usually just end up donating money. A high handicapper stands a better chance of having an off day then a low handicapper.

[Fourputt]

Stableford points?

Stableford is virtually unknown over here. My club plays one such tournament a year... that's it. Most clubs don't even do that much. Since the PGA Tour dropped the International at Castle Pines from its schedule, Stableford has dropped competely out of the public eye. The US is totally hung up on straight stroke play. Even seeing a true match is rare, occasional fourballs although often with odd point scoring, and almost never a foursome match.

[allin]

The problem is not in the system, it's in the variability of scoring. The worse the player is, the more possible variability there is in his likely scores. A player who usually shoots around 95 has a lot more wiggle room than the player who normally shoots 73. The 95 player could easily have a miracle day (for him) and shoot 85. The 73 player will probably never shoot 63 in this lifetime. Yet both scores are only 10 better than their averages. That gives the 95 player a win in most any stroke competition because his handicap will skew the result.

I recently had one of those, not in tournament play. Shot 76, my only round under 80 this year. The odds of having a round 8 under your handicap in a tournament with a legit handicap is astronaomical. That is why the frequent occurances of this in tournaments frustrates low handicap players. They know they have been had. My shooting 76 is equvalent to a pro shooting 60 or 61. How many rounds that low do you see?