Forum Profile Handicap Indices....

[David in FL]

Originally Posted by cipher

Current but will likely be trending ^ on the first. I enjoyed being in the 3's for all of 15 days.  It is official through the WSGA as well.

I've never gotten under 4.  Some day perhaps.  People don't realize how hard that is for us mere mortals......

[cipher]

Originally Posted by David in FL

I've never gotten under 4.  Some day perhaps.  People don't realize how hard that is for us mere mortals......

With all the hard work I have put in this year I have only made it from 4.5 to 3.9...ouch.  And now likely back up to a 4.0-4.1.  It was easy getting into the single digits.  Going from about 6 to 4 has made getting to a 1 or 2 seem almost insurmountable.  So much of it is overcoming all the mental blocks where we are at.

[rustyredcab]

current and official

even though my regular game is a two-point per hole game, and we play for 50 cents a point, it bugs me when guys join the game with "estimated" handicaps.

Last week, I gave 18 strokes to one of my buddies and he played the back nine one shot from even with me. I KNOW his handicap is real, and I was pleased that he was having a great round -- even though I had to give him $7 at the end of the round.

Get official. If nothing else, it is a nice way to support your local USGA chapter.

[Slice of Life]

I know when I'm improving or regressing. I don't need an official HI to keep track of that, and when I compete against buddies, we go head to head.

[Meltdwhiskey]

Originally Posted by David in FL

Once you receive your GHIN number, there's a great little USGA GHIN app to allow you to post from your smart phone too.  Nothing easier.

Yeah - I actually have it. Very handy.  I often post the score before leaving the course.

[David in FL]

I know when I'm improving or regressing. I don't need an official HI to keep track of that, and when I compete against buddies, we go head to head.

No desire to play/compete against people better than you or outside of your own happy little group? You've been pretty active here for the last couple of months. That seems to indicate you're serious about the game. Why wouldn't you establish a handicap? Not poking.....genuinely curious.

[Meltdwhiskey]

Originally Posted by turtleback

How do they finesses the peer review requirements of the USGA?  I'm not a member of a country club but I AM a member of a club and there is a handicap committee and chairman that are responsible for peer review.  And the general membership is also responsible for peer review.  It almost sounds like they are completely ignoring Section 8 of the USGA Handicap Manual.

http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Handicap-System-Manual/Rule-08/

I am not familiar with the peer review - but will read about it when I get a chance.  But I imagine that the answer lies with the 'home course' I mentioned.  I called it that because I didn't want to use the term 'club' - which is the actual right term.  Despite it being the correct term, I think it is often misinterpreted to mean a country club and I didn't want to confuse those reading the board who were less familiar.

My 'home course' for instance is River Pines.  They are the actual club that manages my handicap even though I basically do everything on the GHIN.  But if I accidentally enter a bad score or something - I have to go to River Pines to fix it.  Can not do that through GHIN.  I'd imagine they are responsible for the peer review as well.

[Jodastra]

mine is current

It is whatever  myScorecard.com spits out, it is what I use

I had a calculating spreadsheet that use to do my handi cap for me.

Then i had my home course do it for me

about 2007 I started with Myscorecard.com and have entered well over 100 rounds

Like others if mine goes up, i may not correct it for a few rounds

I figure since I am playing from the back tees on every course it should steadily go down

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by David in FL

No desire to play/compete against people better than you or outside of your own happy little group?

You've been pretty active here for the last couple of months. That seems to indicate you're serious about the game. Why wouldn't you establish a handicap?

Not poking.....genuinely curious.

I'll play anyone...but I don't want strokes. I get no joy out of "beating" someone who shot 12 strokes better than me. Regardless of the outcome, to me...I lost.

I don't play in tournaments, I'm not in a league, so there's really no point in establishing a handicap. My listed one is just based on some of my rounds tossed into a calculator.

Eventually I'd like to enter tournaments, but tourneys where there's no handicap.

[PirateJim]

Mine is current and official, which I suppose makes it as correct as I know how to get it.

I too would like to think people were putting correct and at least moderately current numbers in there.  Not everyone has a handicap, and there's nothing wrong with that, but don't make something up.  I see plenty of people that put NA or something hopefully funny.  That's okay, but when I spout my opinions on stuff (that is what forums are for) I think the handicap helps people tell where I am coming from.  And I don't automatically give more credence to stuff people with low handicaps say, but there are some cases where knowing the "credentials" of the poster can help in sorting suggestions.

[trackster]

Originally Posted by turtleback

No there is also the peer review of the scores, which should be taking place.

And how is this making it official?  They weren't there on my round, they didn't see any of my shots.  Like I said your handicap is official if you pay a course to use the computer.  It's your own merit that keeps it accurate.

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

I'll play anyone...but I don't want strokes. I get no joy out of "beating" someone who shot 12 strokes better than me. Regardless of the outcome, to me...I lost.

I don't play in tournaments, I'm not in a league, so there's really no point in establishing a handicap. My listed one is just based on some of my rounds tossed into a calculator.

Eventually I'd like to enter tournaments, but tourneys where there's no handicap.

Hallelujah!  Great post.  I as well would take no joy in beating someone because they gave me tons of strokes.  If Tiger gave me 15 strokes and we went and played and he shot 67 and I shot 81, I'm not going to think I just "beat" Tiger.  I would rather loose straight up.  Some people rely on the handicap a little too much if you ask me.

[cipher]

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

I'll play anyone...but I don't want strokes. I get no joy out of "beating" someone who shot 12 strokes better than me. Regardless of the outcome, to me...I lost.

.

Same here.  I think it makes you a better player/competitor to go stroke for stroke with someone better than you.  As long as the gap is not huge.  Problem here is, I really don't have time to meet many people that I could compete with like this.

[Meltdwhiskey]

Originally Posted by cipher

Same here.  I think it makes you a better player/competitor to go stroke for stroke with someone better than you.  As long as the gap is not huge.  Problem here is, I really don't have time to meet many people that I could compete with like this.

I definitely see the point of the straight up competition.  But to counter a little, the HC system could help solve the lack of time to meet similarly skilled golfers problem.  Sometimes I've met people on the first tee box and got into a little nasseau or something based on our caps.  It doesn't mean a ton - but it is a way to make it interesting.  And helps us decide who has to buy the beers.

To your (and others) point though, I would never use my 16 cap to beat a 5 cap and pretend to have 'beaten' him.  I get it.  He is better.  I am worse.  He He was right. I was wrong.  He was smart.  I am dumb.  He was good looking, I was not attractive.

But I still like the system.  I like that it allows those of different levels to compete in a local tourney or something.  And I like that it is a solid and quantifiable way to gauge how good you are.

[Spyder]

Mine is not current unfortunately because I keep forgetting to update it. With my recent terrible rounds of golf, my "SHOTLY/Executive Caddy" app on my phone is saying that my USGA Handicap is 12.2, which is probably right on.

I guess I just overlook the handicap and never thought about keeping it as current as possible. I typically hover between 10 and 12 though and only broke 10 once at one point last season.

I'm not in any leagues at this time though or turning in official scorecards, so I just rely on my app to track my progress (Hazards, FIR, GIR, HC, etc.).

[kw purp]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

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. :)

Did what you said here. I am at 6.5. Pretty big difference

[whatwoodtigerdo]

Okay I buckled under pressure and went on myscorecard and entered my last 20 rounds. It's not official but it is at least accurate for everybody now. So I am not sandbagging anymore I guess.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by kw purp

Did what you said here. I am at 6.5. Pretty big difference

LOL ... told ya!!

Now I'm curious to see if my prediction was correct.  If you find an actual online calculator and have a chance to enter all your scores, let me know what it comes up with. :)

[David in FL]

I'll play anyone...but I don't want strokes. I get no joy out of "beating" someone who shot 12 strokes better than me. Regardless of the outcome, to me...I lost.  I don't play in tournaments, I'm not in a league, so there's really no point in establishing a handicap. My listed one is just based on some of my rounds tossed into a calculator.  Eventually I'd like to enter tournaments, but tourneys where there's no handicap.

Most better players get no joy out of beating someone that is clearly a less skilled player in a straight up, gross game. Unless, of course, there's a lot of money involved! ;-)