Gambling with a unknown golfer...how do you decide the number of strokes?

[briggek8717]

So, some of the guys I play poker with at the casino have a lot of gamble in them (along with some big bank rolls).  One of them in particular can't do much of anything without gambling.  They like to golf, and I hear stories about them betting $500/side and $10 skins.  Part of me wants to get in on it, but the other part of me wonders how much playing for those kind of stakes would affect my game.  I'm sure it would affect me a lot more than them.

My handicap fluctuates between 2.5 and 4, so I'm no pro, but from what I've heard around the poker table I'm better than they are.  How do you go about determining how many strokes to give/get when you've never played with anyone before? It's not like they have a GHIN handicap (even if they did, I'm not sure I'd trust it).  Not something that I'm going to run out and do tomorrow, but it definitely has peaked my interest...

[Beachcomber]

I've bet guys (not for the sums of money you're referencing here) without knowing their true skill or handicap.  What we did was simply say what score we average - or our handicaps at the beginning of the round.  And then readjust after 9.

So say you are a 2 and the guy you're playing money is a 4.  You have to give him one stroke a side.

After 9... You readjust accordingly... So say you are up 6 shots after the front 9 in stroke play... Maybe you give him 3 shots on the back - versus the 1 originally used on the front 9.

Once you play someone a few times - you'll know what to give/take accordingly.  But the first time you play someone - this is generally a good rule of thumb to adjust midway.

[meenman]

I'd play a few rounds with them first and observe them so you know what you are getting into. Unless they want to play gross skins instead of net - then you should be stealing their $$$ anyway

There are certain friends of mine that I wont play for cash - their handicaps arent worth the paper they are printed on. Then they beg to give me less strokes for *home course advantage*

Playing with compulsive gambles is a lose/lose - if they win they will want to be paid. If they are losing they tend to want to double up every bet until they get lucky and break even.

[ApocG10]

Only person I ever gamble with is my dad.

And he never pays up.

[Paradox]

I could tell you my handicap is 25 and then give the old "I'm just playing out of this world today" line.  If I don't know you/haven't seen you play and you want me to bet..we play straight up.

[David in FL]

If I don't know them it's all gross.... No strokes either way. Either play or don't.....but nothing handicapped. That gets rid of the sandbaggers and all you have to worry about is whether you're better than he is or not!

[Yukari]

With strangers I have never played with before, this is the only way I would bet.  If that person carries a GHIN card but has no tournament scores on the index, I wouldn't trust it.  I only trust tournament scores and base handicap off of that with strangers carrying a GHIN card.

If they don't like it, then all bets off.

Originally Posted by Paradox

I could tell you my handicap is 25 and then give the old "I'm just playing out of this world today" line.  If I don't know you/haven't seen you play and you want me to bet..we play straight up.

Originally Posted by David in FL

If I don't know them it's all gross.... No strokes either way.

Either play or don't.....but nothing handicapped. That gets rid of the sandbaggers and all you have to worry about is whether you're better than he is or not!

[NM Golf]

I don't like betting with anyone I don't know, and like others have said if I do its all gross no strokes. Remember, you can't beat strokes, I won't ever give someone their full handicap anyway even if I know them. My buddy I play with  every weekend is a 7 handicap and I am a 0, I give him 2 a side no more.

I did take about $300 off some guy I played with in Laughlin, NV one time. He wouldn't take no for an answer, I saw him take one swing and I agreed o play him for anything he wanted. He had more money than game that's for sure.

[BuckeyeNut]

I don't like gambling with strangers when giving strokes are involved.......................................

I have in the past.....if I won, maybe they thought I was a sandbagger......................if I lost, I thought they were sandbaggers.   It's a lose-lose situation.....IMO   I traveled extensively waaay back in the 1990s and fell into a few money games and it was always awkward for me.   If playing for money, I'd much rather play with people I know.    Playing with strangers takes the fun out of it for me.........