Forum Profile Handicap Indices....

[Lihu]

Originally Posted by trackster

3.  I calculate it myself because I don't need to pay $40 dollars to have a computer calculate a number that I can calculate myself

You get a free subscription to "Fore" magazine, and some discounted greens fees as well ).

[Lash]

Originally Posted by Meltdwhiskey

As long as these numbers are real, there is nothing sad about them.  Golf is f-ing hard.  What's sad is numbers that don't actually reflect what went on at the course - mulligans, creative scoring, forgotten strokes, fluffed lies, etc. More people score like this than you would think.  I see it all the time.  They just don't have your courage when talking about them.  Glad to hear it is improving. It is fun to watch the numbers go down.

Thanks, I agree on the fake numbers. I try my best to play by every rule and always take a penalty stroke when warranted. The only possible exceptions being if I lose a ball I usually just take one stroke penalty and drop where I think I lost it, to save going back to the last spot. But that's just for time's sake and hasn't happened much since I got my driving under much better control.

I usually play with my dad, and he will take an extra drive after losing his first one at least once or twice a round, and hardly adds penalties. But I don't get too worked up about it, it's just that much more satisfying when my score is tied with him or a few strokes better, because I know his is really a little higher.

[Hacker James]

well for me, it is two out of three.  My handicap is current. My handicap is correct. Official? no need. I no longer compete, I no longer belong to a mens' club or anything. The reason I keep a handicap is like you said, to give me a way to track my progress.  I could simply take the average of the raw scores, but from what I have read, using the handicap formula gives one a better idea of how he stacks up against others and for a particular golf course.   One caveat however, I have not played for several weeks, but have done a lot of back yard practice but no way to utilize the handicap formula there. So in all honesty, I would need to get out and post a few actual scores to see what progress, if any, all that practice has made. I have made a couple of videos, so I do have a few things to work on.   I do not expect to break 80 again, and my scores are probably not going to improve by any great measure. Right now, I would be perfectly content to break 90 more consistently.  The last 7 or 8 rounds have been right around 94, the lowest  being 92.  If I used only 9 holes, then I would see better numbers.The lowest recently was a 41 but I managed to blow it up on the back nine.

[boogielicious]

Mine is my GHIN index I post on-line with Hickory Hill GC as my home course.  It updates on the 1st and 15th of each month.  I try to remember to change my profile then.  I started last year with an official handicap in case I play in tournaments that require it.  So far I have not, but may this fall.

[whatwoodtigerdo]

Mine is an estimate and probably not a good one. Doesn't need to be because I don't compete in anything and I don't need it to gauge my swing. I keep my FIR, GIR and putt stats on an app and I was at the course and know how I hit. Eventually I will keep an official one though.

[kw purp]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Agreed.  I just averaged my last 20 rounds and it comes out to 81.8.  The courses I play are usually in the 6400-6500 range, so I'd guess that the average rating/slope would be something like 70.5/128.

There is a good chance that you are close on your guesstimate ... but at the same time, if you play courses that are a little bit more difficult, you could easily be down closer to a 7, or even less if you play the tips at hard courses.

Also, how do you produce your average?  Not mathematically, duh, everybody knows that, but I mean, how are your scores.  Are they 82,81,83,82 etc, or are they more like 87,77,82,90,74, etc??  That would also make a giant difference in your handicap.

I play from the tips on a mediocre difficulty course. I shoot scores more like your second example.. I only play straight up stroke play, no handicaps when I play people anyway. So not a big concern to me

[Lihu]

Originally Posted by kw purp

I play from the tips on a mediocre difficulty course. I shoot scores more like your second example.. I only play straight up stroke play, no handicaps when I play people anyway. So not a big concern to me

Your handicap will be way lower than you indicate. You throw out your 10 high scores out of 20.

I think they call that sandbagging ).

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by kw purp

I play from the tips on a mediocre difficulty course. I shoot scores more like your second example.. I only play straight up stroke play, no handicaps when I play people anyway. So not a big concern to me

Then, like Melt said ... you're handicap is probably lower than 10.  If you want to get closer, yet still be rough and guessing, just average the 10 best of the last 20, then subtract the course rating, and round down.  (If the slope is 110-115, then round down about 3/10.  If the slope is 130, then round down, 6 or 7 tenths.

Do that, and I bet you are withing 1/4 or 1/2 of a stroke of an "official" handicap, and you will probably be pleasantly surprised to see what it actually is. :)

[David in FL]

Originally Posted by whatwoodtigerdo

Mine is an estimate and probably not a good one. Doesn't need to be because I don't compete in anything and I don't need it to gauge my swing. I keep my FIR, GIR and putt stats on an app and I was at the course and know how I hit. Eventually I will keep an official one though.

So how do you estimate it?  Why not simply get an actual handicap?  Doing so takes about 5 minutes and costs maybe $20 a year through your state golf association.  If you're genuinely interested in improving, you need to know where you currently stand.....

[McMullenCPA]

Before I calculated my handicap I just called myself a bogey golfer. Handicap measures your potential and not your average though. When I actually calculated my handicap I realized my handicap was a few strokes better than bogey golf, although lately with my back hurting it's been creeping up but I hope it doesn't creep up any higher. I'm playing today and I have REALLY high expectations.

[kw purp]

Originally Posted by Lihu

Your handicap will be way lower than you indicate. You throw out your 10 high scores out of 20.

I think they call that sandbagging ).

Only be sandbagging if I played in handicap league/tournament/bet. Tried it before and after I beat someone by 4 strokes and they somehow obliterated me in the league score I said never again.

[whatwoodtigerdo]

Originally Posted by David in FL

So how do you estimate it?  Why not simply get an actual handicap?  Doing so takes about 5 minutes and costs maybe $20 a year through your state golf association.  If you're genuinely interested in improving, you need to know where you currently stand.....

Just estimate by my scores. When I shoot high I am usually in the 88-90 range, low in the 80-82 range. So I put 14. I know where I stand, I hit driver for decent distance and decent accuracy, I pitch and putt well, and I cannot hit a full swing iron at all. I don't need a handicap to tell me that. I will end up keeping one however. Maybe start my next round.

[geauxforbroke]

Originally Posted by McMullenCPA

Why do auditors have to come and check out the accounting books when I know I did them right

You're not independent. The same goes with handicaps. If you're playing in tournaments that require handicaps, they really don't mean anything if they aren't certified. It seems like most tournaments don't require a certified 'cap though.

[Lihu]

Originally Posted by kw purp

Only be sandbagging if I played in handicap league/tournament/bet. Tried it before and after I beat someone by 4 strokes and they somehow obliterated me in the league score I said never again.

Sounds like you got burned by a sandbagger.

According to a couple players in the 2 to 4 handicap range I played with at my home course, most sandbagging occurs in the 6 to 12 handicap range.

[sealpuncher]

Mine's not correct and official but I keep track in a spreadsheet and calculate it using a handicap calculator I found online using the course rating and slope.

I'm not correct and official because I don't know how to get it setup at the club I play at and I'm only living here temporarily so I'm not sure if it transfers.

[David in FL]

Originally Posted by sealpuncher

Mine's not correct and official but I keep track in a spreadsheet and calculate it using a handicap calculator I found online using the course rating and slope.

I'm not correct and official because I don't know how to get it setup at the club I play at and I'm only living here temporarily so I'm not sure if it transfers.

If your handicap index is provided through the standardized USGA GHIN system, it will transfer anywhere.  You can usually go to your state golf association's website and sign up there.

[Dave2512]

Scores aren't enough to estimate handicap without taking rating and slope into consideration. If I shoot a 10 over 82 from the tips at my former home course it's a 12.06 differential. If I shoot a 14 over 85 at my parents club it's a 12.66 differential. If you play a lot of 9 hole golf the combined scores can be all over place, could vary as much as 3-4 strokes strokes if the 9 you play are the easier of the two on both courses.

[Shindig]

I used to update mine every time a revision came in. I'm going to try to get back to that habit.