Handicap scoring

[iHack]

I have 2 questions. 1st in a 3 man game my friend is a 8 hc I am a 13.8 and my other friend is a 26. We were on a hole everyone shot bogey. It was the 14hc hole so I don't get a stroke and the 26 handicap only strokes against the 8 but not me. How would the winner be determined. Second question we were playing 5$ a hole skins match. I won 20 skins the other guy got 16 skins and the third man got 8 skins. We were counting junk as 5 skins and birdie as double. That's why there are so many. How should the money be distributed. I believe I was cheaped out of money not purposely but I think we did the payouts wrong. Nor do I care they are just friendly games amongst friends. Just wondering how everyone else would have scored it. Ijust reviewed this and realized .it is written like one of those math word problems.

[bkuehn1952]

Usually one converts the indexes (e.g. 13.8) into a course handicap (14 to 16 depending on the course difficulty).  For the sake of your example, let's say the course handicaps are 8, 14 and 26. Typically the "8" plays at scratch and gets -0- strokes.  The "14" becomes a "6" and the "26" converts to an "18".  In your example, you would get 3 strokes a side on the 3 hardest handicap holes (1,3,5 and 2,4,6).  So on the 14th rated hole, your friend playing off the "18" gets a stroke and you and your other friend do not.  He wins.

For the skins, each of you are in for $5 x 18 or $90.  So the total pot is $270.  There were 44 skins and you won 20.  20/44 = .45    .45 x 270 = $122  /  16 skins gets $97 and 8 skins  $51

The guy with 8 skins throws $39 bucks on the table.  You get $32 and your other friend gets $7.

Of course there are other acceptable ways to do this entire process.  Next time you may want to lay out the ground rules prior to teeing off so no one feels shorted at the end.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by iHack

I have 2 questions.

1st in a 3 man game my friend is a 8 hc I am a 13.8 and my other friend is a 26. We were on a hole everyone shot bogey. It was the 14hc hole so I don't get a stroke and the 26 handicap only strokes against the 8 but not me. How would the winner be determined.

Second question we were playing 5$ a hole skins match. I won 20 skins the other guy got 16 skins and the third man got 8 skins. We were counting junk as 5 skins and birdie as double. That's why there are so many. How should the money be distributed. I believe I was cheaped out of money not purposely but I think we did the payouts wrong. Nor do I care they are just friendly games amongst friends. Just wondering how everyone else would have scored it.

Ijust reviewed this and realized .it is written like one of those math word problems.

First I need to know how you are using handicaps.  Your index should be converted to a whole number for course handicap according to the slope for the tees you play.  Then the low cap plays scratch, and the other guys wheel off him.  At my home course (127 slope), your course handicaps would have been 9, 16 and 29 so that translates to 0, 7, 20.   Your buddy with the high cap strokes on every hole, and gets 2 strokes on the #1 and 2 handicap holes.  You stroke on the 1-7 handicap holes, and the third guy plays to scratch.  This is the normal way to use handicaps in a match situation, which is what skins is.

But that's only true if the course handicaps work out that way.  If the slope for the tees you play is different, then the course handicaps may be different.  The 8 index on a course with a 120 slope is still an 8, and you are knocked down to a 15, with the third guy at 28.  As it turns out, the playing differences will still be the same -- 0, 7, 20.

One other consideration, often in a game among friends, there is the first tee negotiation.  If one of you has been playing better or worse than normal, some "friendly" adjustment may be in order.  I've played in games when there was a renegotiation on the 10 tee for the sake of parity.

[flintcreek6412]

Originally Posted by Fourputt

One other consideration, often in a game among friends, there is the first tee negotiation.  If one of you has been playing better or worse than normal, some "friendly" adjustment may be in order.  I've played in games when there was a renegotiation on the 10 tee for the sake of parity.

This is especially true if you are playing on the home course for one of the players.  It's rare to play to your HC on an unfamiliar course.  When my brother and I play on dad's home course there is no way we are giving him the strokes it says we should.  We negotiate him down so it's more fair.  You can say HCs travel to any course but in reality they don't.  At least not on 140+ slope courses where knowing the greens and bail out areas are very important to course management.