so confused about posting handicap scores

[Bullitt5339]

I was called a cheater today by a playing partner (who knows very little about the rules of golf) because when I posted my score for my handicap it didn't match my scorecard because of the ESC. I got a 10 on a par 4 today because of 2 OB shots. I tried to explain ESC to him, but he said it wasn't right, and he had maintained an actual handicap before and had never heard of ESC. I told him he wasn't keeping a real handicap if he wasn't using ESC, and he scoffed at me like I didn't know what I was talking about.

[steelernation]

but with an 18.7 index there is a good chance your course handicap was over 20 when you played

maybe, ive been under 20 for at least 7 rounds. The course ratings range from 70.1 to 73 usually slopes are at 128 to 136. Ill try to start doing that from now on.. Last round i scored a 98 with a nine and an 8 on the card. So that wasnt exactly stellar, we were rushing(daylight), so I chalked it as a practice round.

[Valleygolfer]

I am gonna put my neck on the line and say esc is a load of crap.

Um....might I ask how this came about...13 is a hell of a number

[zeg]

The whole point is that your handicap is intended to show your scoring

This is exactly correct. If you are able to shoot ~ par on 17 of 18 holes but routinely blow it terribly on the 18th, then you

deserve to lose relative to the guy who shoots +1 on every hole (in stroke play). Handicapping is intended to give you the ability to play at your potential and have a chance to win against someone of a different potential. If you're able to shoot near par, but somehow blow up on one hole, then you have failed to play to your ability, and the system punishes you. The most important thing to remember about handicaps is that having a low one, while it's certainly something to be proud of, is not in your favor in a competition. Thus, there's no reason to sweat someone posting lower scores (for handicap purposes) than they're entitled to---it's doing their opponents a favor. ESC takes advantage of this to "punish" inconsistency by refusing to recognize abnormally poor scoring. Regarding why the score cap goes from something relative to par to an absolute score is a bit of a mystery, but I suspect it has to do with the tendencies of bad players being different from better players. I think it's just that, by the time you're at 8-10 strokes, it almost doesn't matter what the distance was. Usually there are enough decent ones in there to cover the distance to a par 5, since even a shank goes ~100 yards. On a par 3, your 9 probably includes 3 or 4 flubbed chips; on a par 5, there are some extra flubbed full strokes... if you're capping at par+2, that's less room for the flubs to reach a par 5...

[trickymicky69]

You're cheating if you don't use ESC. It's designed to allow players of differing handicaps to compete on a fairly even footing. If you have one blow up hole per round that inflates your handicap you would win nearly every other hole against a competitor. Handicap is not a pure reflection of what you average over par, it's a tool to allow the 'handicapping' of multiple players, and it reflects what you shoot over the course rating on a good day. And on a good day you would probably avoid the huge blowup hole.

But I only play in medal tournaments - so I wouldnt be sandbagging as I never win as my stroke count is too high?

I dont care for stableford its not how golf was meant to be played

[trickymicky69]

Ok here goes -

Getting really excited about carding a guesstimated 80 with an imagined bogey on the s.i 1 17th (i am still on hole 14 but dreaming of great things)

So get all nervous, five off the tee.

The ball is now in play but in a bush.

Penalty stroke drop out, followed by an "this might make it" 3 wood - it didnt make it

High "power fade" into more trees.

Drop again, now playing 10 which was a 5 iron to the fringe

1 chip and two putts

THIRTEEN AAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH

[trickymicky69]

Do we even use esc in the uk?

[goob3r]

Ok here goes -

Wow! That hurts me just to read that. Sorry.

At least you didn't three putt it for a fourteen!

[trickymicky69]

Its easliy the biggest number I have ever had.

ESC would turn it into a 7

[shades9323]

If on the #1 handicap rated hole I score a 6 (this is a par 4) would I then, for handicap index purposes, mark a 4? And so on...

No, you mark what your actual score is for your index. In other words, you post your gross score, not your net(after handicap) score.

[James_Black]

how does the handicap index work in the U.S?

over here every score counts towards your handicap, if you above it you go up .1, if you go below it your handicap drops.
I've heard that in america you do the best 10 of your last 20 scores or something?

[sean_miller]

how does the handicap index work in the U.S?

The RCGA and USGA are similar with two important exceptions that I know of. The RCGA (or Golf Canada) ESC is triple bogey, double bogey, and bogey, not 7s and 8s. 8 strokes on a par 3 sounds too high, but they have their reasons. We also enter scores before the next round is played and our index is upated immediately. Basically, if I have a really good day on Saturday, you might get more strokes from me on Sunday.

[James_Black]

The RCGA and USGA are similar with two important exceptions that I know of. The RCGA (or Golf Canada) ESC is triple bogey, double bogey, and bogey, not 7s and 8s. 8 strokes on a par 3 sounds too high, but they have their reasons. We also enter scores before the next round is played and our index is upated immediately. Basically, if I have a really good day on Saturday, you might get more strokes from me on Sunday.

But don't your scores have to be checked?

My scores won't go through until a day or two later. do you use stableford or strokeplay to judge your handicaps?

[sean_miller]

But don't your scores have to be checked?

Stableford would judge an index how?

If I enter a score, my index is updated immediately and an index card can be printed immediately. I'm sure mid-tournament that wouldn't happen though. If I turn in a couple blowup rounds my index doesn't move because those scores aren't going to be included (low 10 of last 20).

[zeg]

how does the handicap index work in the U.S?

It's 0.96 * the average of your best 10 of the last 20 rounds down here.

Not applying ESC is sandbagging, plain and simple. It increases your handicap, which means you will be given extra strokes, making it easier to win. It seems to be a subtlety that many miss, so I'm not accusing anyone of intentionally cheating, but if you are maintaining a handicap for competition, it is your responsibility to understand the system and correctly apply it.

[James_Black]

Stableford would judge an index how?

36 points is level to your handicap.

If you shoot 37 points your handicap goes down .1-.4 depending on what category your in and what the SS of the club is.

[sean_miller]

36 points is level to your handicap.

Not sure I'm a fan of Stableford. A guy shooting 7 pars, 1 eagle, and 10 bogeys for an 80 would be considered a better golfer than one who shoots 10 pars and 8 bogeys. Is that correct?

[James_Black]

Not sure I'm a fan of Stableford. A guy shooting 7 pars, 1 eagle, and 10 bogeys for an 80 would be considered a better golfer than one who shoots 10 pars and 8 bogeys. Is that correct?

no, they're the same.

for an 18 handicapper. a eagle is worth 5, birdie is 4, par is 3 and bogey is 2. 7 pars = 21 points, 1 eagle = 5, 10 bogeys = 20, that's 46 points. 10 pars = 30, 8 bogeys = 16 that's also 46 points.