Forum Profile Handicap Indices....

[Crim]

Just completed my 2nd year golfing and I still feel that there's no point in having a handicap at the moment. I hit in the mid 90's from the white tees consistently. That's all I know, and I just don't find it important enough to get one right now. Once I start breaking into the 80's on the whites I'll probably drop back a tee and see where I'm at.

[David in FL]

Just completed my 2nd year golfing and I still feel that there's no point in having a handicap at the moment. I hit in the mid 90's from the white tees consistently. That's all I know, and I just don't find it important enough to get one right now. Once I start breaking into the 80's on the whites I'll probably drop back a tee and see where I'm at.

Why the heck not?  It's the best way that I know to honestly measure your progress in this silly game!  The game can be so frustrating, and improvement feels like it's non-existent at times......but an honest handicap can give you an accurate way to track that improvement over time.

Don't worry about the number.....it is what it is.

[CarlSpackler]

Why the heck not?  It's the best way that I know to honestly measure your progress in this silly game!  The game can be so frustrating, and improvement feels like it's non-existent at times......but an honest handicap can give you an accurate way to track that improvement over time.

Don't worry about the number.....it is what it is.

Or, in my case, un-improvement. =\

[iacas]

 

Or, in my case, un-improvement. =\

[CarlSpackler]

Quote:

 

I know. I know.

[Crim]

Don't worry about the number.....it is what it is.

Oh I don't care about the number in the least. It's just a feeling I have, just not ready. I usually don't play courses right now for low scores, I play to learn as much as I possibly can in the time I'm given. This includes playing multiple different balls, clubs, and shots. I do this when I play alone, and I play alone a lot. I will however try to shoot the lowest score possible when I'm with someone. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to plug in those scores into a handicap...I dunno...I guess it's the least on my mind right now. I feel like I learn 100 new things every time I go to the course.

[Valleygolfer]

Or, in my case, un-improvement. =\

You are here and working on your swing and improvements are minute. You can either forget how good (usually) you have played or sometimes not realize you are slipping. Often you think you are playing much worse when statistically you are about the same or maybe better. A cap somewhere can help you stay connected.

[CarlSpackler]

Oh I don't care about the number in the least. It's just a feeling I have, just not ready. I usually don't play courses right now for low scores, I play to learn as much as I possibly can in the time I'm given. This includes playing multiple different balls, clubs, and shots. I do this when I play alone, and I play alone a lot. I will however try to shoot the lowest score possible when I'm with someone. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to plug in those scores into a handicap...I dunno...I guess it's the least on my mind right now. I feel like I learn 100 new things every time I go to the course.

I would encourage you to track you Handicap. Learning is good, but having a handicap is truly enlightening.

You are here and working on your swing and improvements are minute. You can either forget how good (usually) you have played or sometimes not realize you are slipping. Often you think you are playing much worse when statistically you are about the same or maybe better. A cap somewhere can help you stay connected.

No, my scores have been a wreck all year. I haven't played/practiced nearly enough as @iacas mentioned, especially since my golf club closed back in July. I will likely re-join the city courses next year or somewhere else and get back to playing 3 or more times a week.

[DeadMan]

Posted one score and I went from an 12.2 to an 11.7. Oops.

Our handicap season actually ends on 11/15 (although it might be 10/31), so I won't have much change for a while. So far, I have two rounds scheduled before then, but I'm guessing I'll get in 5-ish rounds before the season is over.

[Golfingdad]

Up to a 5.6 this time around.

I played last week knowing that that round was going to knock one of my better differentials off the board.  Through 12 holes I was +1 and had visions of "the 4's" dancing in my head.  Proceeded to finish +12 over the course of those last 6 holes, ending that dream rather quickly and knocking off the old good round and replacing it with .

Whoops. ;)

[Pillo]

I'm italian and of course I play in Italy.

The main problem with handicap index here is that you can improve it (or worsen it) by playing one-day tournaments. So what's the point? Well first of all, not anybody wants to do tournaments, but here you kind of feel obliged to play them. So there are like 2 or 3 tournaments per week in almost any italian golf club.

Then, tournaments cost. It varies from club to club but the average entry fee is 20€. Plus the green fee if that is not your club.

So it happens that I can't spend 50+ € anytime I want to see what my exact handicap index is (my golf club is a driving range, so entry fee plus green fee for me).

I played my last tournament last June, so what about now? Who knows, I should go out and play some tournaments out there. I will, but I can't do it every week. I know, I could calculate my handicap on my own during free rounds, but the Italian golf association keeps track of your official one that is based on tournaments. So you'll keep seeing a not so up-to-date handicap.

[Lihu]

You are here and working on your swing and improvements are minute. You can either forget how good (usually) you have played or sometimes not realize you are slipping. Often you think you are playing much worse when statistically you are about the same or maybe better. A cap somewhere can help you stay connected.

I would encourage you to track you Handicap. Learning is good, but having a handicap is truly enlightening.

No, my scores have been a wreck all year. I haven't played/practiced nearly enough as @iacas mentioned, especially since my golf club closed back in July. I will likely re-join the city courses next year or somewhere else and get back to playing 3 or more times a week.

Hey, @Valleygolfer he's just trying to sandbag all of us. Notice that his handicap went from 12 to 15.4 in only the tiniest of increments?

I've played a round with him. Missed putt here and there. It all adds up.

[No Mulligans]

I like having a handicap index and with mine it should be easy to improve on.  A sense of accomplishment.  It's also handy for playing money games (real low stakes like $1 a skin or loser buys lunch, but still fun).

I got mine more or less by accident.  I'm using an iphone golf gps/scoring app that calculates my handicap for me.  So, it's unofficial but I think it's accurate.

[whatwoodtigerdo]

9.9, ouch. But since the last revision the course I play the most had to try to fix their greens so they aren't mowing them and I keep playing there the most because I get good deals. I am usually around 27 putts and since then the 3 courses I played I have had 37, 40 and 37 putts. Add to that getting new irons I struggled with at first and a complete overhaul of my iron setup(under a pros supervision) that I am just starting to get better control of and I feel there is evey reason to be optimistic. Or at least that's my story.

[MacDutch]

4.9 down from 7.0.  My biggest single revision drop ever.

Wow!!!!

Down another tenth, though I'm really not striking the ball very well right now.

Bad timing, the @MacDutch and his happy little band are coming into town next week.  We may be in for a repeat of the Ryder Cup thrashing.......

Piet is not there, he was the McDowell of our group.

[golf-noob-bruce]

I would encourage you to track you Handicap. Learning is good, but having a handicap is truly enlightening.

If you just want to track improvement (or non-improvement ) then it doesn't have to be a handicap. A simple rolling average would be just as useful, no?

Besides, as long as you write down scores, slopes and course rating then you can always calculate it later.

[CarlSpackler]

If you just want to track improvement (or non-improvement ) then it doesn't have to be a handicap. A simple rolling average would be just as useful, no?

Besides, as long as you write down scores, slopes and course rating then you can always calculate it later.

You can track it however you want, but why would you NOT want a handicap would be my question.

[David in FL]

If you just want to track improvement (or non-improvement ) then it doesn't have to be a handicap. A simple rolling average would be just as useful, no?

Besides, as long as you write down scores, slopes and course rating then you can always calculate it later.

No.  Unless you only ever play one course, and one set of tees.

For just the reason you mention.  Different courses and different tees have different levels of difficulty.  Your handicap is NOT simply an estimate of your average score, but more an indication of potential.

The real reason to maintain a handicap is to allow for golfers of different abilities to compete against each other on a relatively even basis.  Competing, even informally with your buddies, adds a tremendous amount of enjoyment to the game.