so confused about posting handicap scores

[sean_miller]

no, they're the same.

An 18 handicapper would shoot an 80 in what system? I thought bogeys would be zero or -1?!?!

[James_Black]

An 18 handicapper would shoot an 80 in what system? I thought bogeys would be zero or -1?!?!

18 handicap is the easiest way to describe it.

For a scratch handicapper a a eagle is worth 4, birdie is 3, par is 2 and bogey is 1. Sean, the aim is to shoot 36 points. a 7 handicapper would then get a shot on indexes 1-7, so a eagle is worth 5, birdie is worth 4 ect.

[soloredd]

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.

Ok, but this is with ESC corrected, right?

I'm at the point where I understand any posted score for handicap index purposes MUST use ESC (at least as far as USGA is concerned). Where I and my buddy are at a cross is for course handicap . Is this used only for tournaments? The way I read it was it should be used whenever playing against another player. Well, I play stroke play with other players all the time, and they aren't tournaments just the usual round. I shouldn't be using course handicap in this instance, correct?

[drglew]

Ok, but this is with ESC corrected, right?

Course handicap is the "handicap" value you use when figuring out max score for posting purposes even if not in a tourney. Course handicap essentially combines your handicap index and the difficulty of the course.

Actually, in most tournaments you are required to record your ACTUAL score even if higher than the max for handicap purposes. I.e when figuring out your total score for competition purposes, your 9 is still a 9 even if ESC says your max is 7. However, when you POST that score, ESC is applied to that hole and it's a 7. In a non-competition round, you could pick up after 7 strokes, but in a tourney you play out. I know it's confusing...

[sean_miller]

Ok, but this is with ESC corrected, right?

What are the facts in this case.

Are you talking about playing your buddies in match play, for money? Or, are you just talking about your gross score with which to brag over beverages at the 19th hole?

[meenman]

Ok, but this is with ESC corrected, right?

If you are playing stroke play with handicaps with your buddies then yes, you use course handicaps to figure out who is giving strokes to who.

[cody west]

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

if its a round for fun and not a tournament or for money esc is mainly to stop people from raising their handicap unrealistically fast. it also helps keep up pace of play, i dont use it but it could be worth it if your holding up play

[zeg]

It is a bit confusing, isn't it? Think of it this way: after you play, you have three scores.

1) Gross score. This is the number of strokes (+ penalties) that you took to hole out every hole. Every stroke and every penalty is counted here, no adjustments of any kind are made.

2) Net score. This is the gross score with your course handicap subtracted from it.

3) ESC score. This is the gross score with each hole adjusted for ESC.

That's simple, right? Now, what do you do with them? For competition, you use either gross score or net score, depending on the competition. That is your competitive score, adjusted for your handicap if you are playing in a net score competition. When you submit your score for your handicap, you submit your ESC score.

That's it. ESC never affects a score reported for competition. Your course handicap *only* affects the ESC score you record for your handicap in that your ESC limit is set by it, but you do not ever subtract strokes otherwise.

Hope that helps...

[Fourputt]

Stableford would judge an index how?

No so in the US. The various associations affiliated with the USGA have a fixed revision schedule, and handicaps are updated according to that schedule. I play through a club under the auspices of the Colorado Golf Association, and our handicaps are revised twice a month during the season, generally on the 15th and the 30th or 31st (our latest revision came out today, July 31). All scores submitted during the 2 week period are incorporated into the new revision. My handicap dropped 1 full point from 13.2 to 12.2 this revision, but I played a LOT of golf (10 full rounds in the last 12 days), and returned some fairly good scores, including a 77.

[sean_miller]

No so in the US.

I wasn't sure when USGA indexes got updated, but knew the RCGA method was unique. It obviously wasn't always that way since they used to be done by hand.

[Jimbo Slice]

So when your friends ask what you shot yesterday, what do you tell them. Your actual shot total, or your ESC score?

[David in FL]

So when your friends ask what you shot yesterday, what do you tell them. Your actual shot total, or your ESC score?

My actual gross score. ESC has NOTHING to do with your on course performance. It's only use is in adjusting, if necessary the score submitted for handicap purposes.

[TomK82]

very good thread players need to know this information if they are keeping a handicap