Jump to content
Subscribe to the Spin Axis Podcast! ×
IGNORED

Your handicap index


Note: This thread is 5216 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Recommended Posts



  DaSportsGuy said:
Originally Posted by DaSportsGuy

I keep an official index through my club. I really have no reason to keep an official index other than for personal pride(I guess). Next season I'm probably going to be leaving my club though and becoming a daily fee, play all over the place guy because of the increase in membership cost that I did not agree with. The conditions of the course were absolutely awful last year after the course I guess got a disease? Nobody really knows and their were a ton of rumors. Yet they jack up the price this year another $1,000 and create a "must be 18 to take a cart rule". Your telling me I can drive a car that can go upwards of 100 mph but cannot control a freakin golf cart that tops out at maybe 15-20mph? I don't really mind the cart rule because I usually prefer to walk most of the time, but it's kinda frustrating when you go out with your dad and your brother and someone has to walk.

Anyway, if you do not belong to a club and keep your handicap through them, is their any other way to obtain an official USGA Handicap Index?

A "club" does not always mean the golf club itself. If a local muni has a men's club (an association of golfers who play at that course) you can join that and now you're a member of a club as far as the USGA is concerned. That's how I got my official handicap.


A USGA handicap is pretty cheap and worth the cost.  There are other benefits to joining besides having a handicap that you can bring to any course and play against anyone fairly.  You also typically get a local (state/region) magazine, bag tag, and help sponsor USGA/local/state events.  It's also a great way to track how your game is improving or going downhill over the span of many years.

Drivercleveland.gif Launcher 290XL with Miazaki C.Kua Fairway Woodcleveland.gif Launcher 15* 

Hybridsnickent.gif 4DX 17* and 20* Ironsnickent.gif  3DX Pro

 Wedgesnickent.gif ARC 52*  mizuno.gif MP-T10 Black Satin 54-9, 60-5

Putterodyssey.gif Dual Force Rossie II Range Finder Tournament Edition 1600

Ski-U-Mah! 


Mine is official, actually I just came back from paying my dues for the year ($21.40 US) I use it for playing in net skins games etc and when I go out to AZ for my anual tourney in September.

Driver: Taylormade R9
3 Wood: Cobra S 9-1
5 Wood: Cobra S 9-1
7 Wood: Cobra S 9-1

Irons: Taylormade r7 Custom Fit (SW-4)

Putter: Taylormade Rossa Monza Spyder

Balls: Titleist Pro V1x


It is used for action. how else would you set up a fair wager on a round of you don't keep an offical number?

Driver- Callaway Razor somthing or other
3W- Taylor Made R11S
3H Rocketballz
4I-PW- MP-59
Gap- Vokey 54

Lob- Cleveland 60

Putter- Rife

Skycaddie SG5  


Mine is EGA official, works in Europe.  Most often when I play using handicaps I prefer local handicap or playing handicap for the current course, tee's etc.

In my bag:Driver: 910D2, 10.25˚, Aldila RIP, Fairway: 904F, 15˚, YS-6FW+ Stiff, Hybrid: Titleist 910H, Irons: S-58, 4-PW, DG S300, Wedges: Wishon 52˚, 56˚, Putter: Odyssey Black series i 1


official RCGA (or now Golf Canada) here

it's included in my membership

although somedays i wonder if it should be 20........

"My swing is homemade - but I have perfect flaws!" - Me

I keep mine using Scorecard.  It's unofficial, but I don't gamble on golf and don't intend to, certainly not against people who I couldn't trust (and wouldn't trust me) to keep an accurate index without a committee watching over their shoulder.  Even though I'm a high handicap, I prefer to "compete" using gross score---I put the word in quotes because I am usually just out playing alongside a friend rather than really competing against them.  Sure, I expect to lose most of the time, but I don't mind.

I probably will start working on a USGA handicap next year or so, just so I have one in case I ever want to play a course that requires a maximum handicap index to get out.  (St. Andrews, I'm looking at you.)  Until I get my index down a bit farther, though, it's not really that important since proving I'm a 28 isn't going to do me any good...

In the bag:
FT-iQ 10° driver, FT 21° neutral 3H
T-Zoid Forged 15° 3W, MX-23 4-PW
Harmonized 52° GW, Tom Watson 56° SW, X-Forged Vintage 60° LW
White Hot XG #1 Putter, 33"


This would've been more handy if it were a poll. Mine is not official. I've used a couple different services to track it and I currently use Scorecard (the best of all of them, IMO). I never play in anything that requires an official handicap index, all my rounds are just for fun.

"Golf is an entire game built around making something that is naturally easy - putting a ball into a hole - as difficult as possible." - Scott Adams

Mid-priced ball reviews: Top Flight Gamer v2 | Bridgestone e5 ('10) | Titleist NXT Tour ('10) | Taylormade Burner TP LDP | Taylormade TP Black | Taylormade Burner Tour | Srixon Q-Star ('12)


Note: This thread is 5216 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Want to join this community?

    We'd love to have you!

    Sign Up
  • TST Partners

    PlayBetter
    TourStriker
    Golfer's Journal
    ShotScope
    The Stack System
    FitForGolf
    FlightScope Mevo
    Direct: Mevo, Mevo+, and Pro Package.

    Coupon Codes (save 10-20%): "IACAS" for Mevo/Stack/FitForGolf, "IACASPLUS" for Mevo+/Pro Package, and "THESANDTRAP" for ShotScope. 15% off TourStriker (no code).
  • Posts

    • Wordle 1,396 4/6* ⬛🟦🟦⬛⬛ ⬛🟦⬛🟧⬛ 🟧⬛⬛🟧⬛ 🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧
    • Day 16 - Worked on partial wedges and my hybrid. 
    • But it makes it crystal clear that the major drought had nothing to do with his physique, since he was able to do all of that with that physique.
    • I posted this earlier - includes some reasonable analysis and stats, yes?  Does this help?   ******************** Appreciate your responses—seriously. Agreed - Rory's overall play from 2015–2024 has been elite. Twenty wins, constant top-10s, and staying in the top tier of strokes gained stats year after year is no joke. That only makes the major drought more puzzling, not less. And yes, he’s come close—Carnoustie, St. Andrews, LACC—but that almost makes the argument more interesting. When you’ve got a guy that good, who keeps putting himself in position, why hasn’t he sealed the deal in the biggest moments? I do think his transformation post-2014—adding noticeable muscle, changing his physical profile—might’ve altered his swing tempo, feel, or ability to stay loose under extreme pressure. Not during Thursday or even Saturday—but on the back nine on Sunday, when the mental and physical margins get razor thin, especially at Augusta. Is this stat meaningful?  From 2016–2024, Rory lost strokes to the field on Sundays in nearly half of his major appearances, despite being dominant Thursday through Saturday. That pattern suggests it’s not just bad luck or getting beat—it’s a recurring issue with closing, under pressure. It’s tough to measure pressure in a spreadsheet. And Augusta especially punishes any uptick in tension or loss of touch. I’m not saying “getting jacked” is the sole reason for the drought—but looking for subtle shifts that could explain why a generational talent keeps coming up just short in majors, I think it’s worth considering. And OF COURSE - he finally got to the mountaintop, in extreme, dramatic fashion.  Maybe, as others have said, this will equate to cracking the code and going on a major run for the next 5-10 yrs?
    • He started lifting and gained some muscle mass. Whatever you call it is irrelevant. You still haven’t been able to explain why that was preventing him from winning tournaments. You can have theories of course, but don’t confuse that with facts. In the first post you argue that Rory getting bigger hurt his game, but you failed to explain why and how you arrived at that conclusion. Don’t you see why you were “audited” as you said, when you make those assumptions without a sliver of evidence or explanation? The exact same theories were said about Tiger. He also aquired some muscle mass and people claimed it ruined his swing, but there were no facts to support it.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Welcome to TST! Signing up is free, and you'll see fewer ads and can talk with fellow golf enthusiasts! By using TST, you agree to our Terms of Use, our Privacy Policy, and our Guidelines.

The popup will be closed in 10 seconds...