Do you enter a score every single time you play?

[MrFlipper]

Potential is not your current golfing ability, though. You need to take the good with the bad.

I have about about 4.2 strokes between ability and potential. On topic, when I include all my practice rounds which I record in a spreadsheet with all my scores, the average score is identical. This is obviously because my average score tells me how I play on average.

The OP clearly wants to play rounds that do not count because he wants to practice without feeling guilty about it. This is a totally valid thing to do. It prevents inflated scores from getting posted. It's more honorable than posting a score when you hit 2 8i (for practice) onto a 310 yard par 4 and shooting a bogey when with a driver/wedge could be a tap in par or birdie.

The ROG clearly state that you must play to the best of your ability. If you hit 2 8i on a 310 yard par 4 as in my example above, you are clearly not doing that. Thus you are breaking the rules.

What??? Dude! If you want to hit 2 8 irons to that par 4, feel free, that may or may not be the best way for you to play it but its sure not against the rules of golf to do that.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lihu

Potential is not your current golfing ability, though. You need to take the good with the bad.

I have about about 4.2 strokes between ability and potential. On topic, when I include all my practice rounds which I record in a spreadsheet with all my scores, the average score is identical. This is obviously because my average score tells me how I play on average.

The OP clearly wants to play rounds that do not count because he wants to practice without feeling guilty about it. This is a totally valid thing to do. It prevents inflated scores from getting posted. It's more honorable than posting a score when you hit 2 8i (for practice) onto a 310 yard par 4 and shooting a bogey when with a driver/wedge could be a tap in par or birdie.

The ROG clearly state that you must play to the best of your ability. If you hit 2 8i on a 310 yard par 4 as in my example above, you are clearly not doing that. Thus you are breaking the rules.

What??? Dude! If you want to hit 2 8 irons to that par 4, feel free, that may or may not be the best way for you to play it but its sure not against the rules of golf to do that.

You should always be trying to make the hole in as few strokes as possible, right?

If not you're prime sand bagging material, or playing a practice round.

[Jeremie Boop]

If your a golfer who considers himself a real golfer then you should post every round played. Doesn't matter that you played from another set of tees. You still have to swing the club

I don't agree with this, I use some rounds as practice. I hit multiple tee shots, approach shots, practice putting and chipping. When I play these rounds I don't even keep score. However, if I do keep score I post it.

[DrvFrShow]

Here are some cases where you won't enter a round:

1) you're carrying 15 or more clubs.

2) you're trying different settings on your driver (adjustable).

3) you're playing more than one ball.

[MyrtleBeachGolf]

Potential is not your current golfing ability , though. You need to take the good with the bad. ;-) I have about about 4.2 strokes between ability and potential. On topic, when I include all my practice rounds which I record in a spreadsheet with all my scores, the average score is identical. This is obviously because my average score tells me how I play on average. The OP clearly wants to play rounds that do not count because he wants to practice without feeling guilty about it. This is a totally valid thing to do. It prevents inflated scores from getting posted. It's more honorable than posting a score when you hit 2 8i (for practice) onto a 310 yard par 4 and shooting a bogey when with a driver/wedge could be a tap in par or birdie.

Respectfully, I disagree. My index is 12.5. I've had multiple rounds with a differential of 9.0. So, 12.5 isn't my potential. My potential is much lower. It's a decent representation of my current ability. I'm not sure why you are insisting that ability and scoring average are interchangeable? I think potential, ability, and scoring average are 3 different things.

[mvmac]

Remind me to never take any of the guys that don't post every round as a partner

Guys, you're suppose to post as many rounds as you can.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrFlipper

Amen! I'm sure folks here are honest, but I've known so many decent upstanding types who managed their handicap both ways (vanity and sandbagger) that the overwhelming percentage of folks who play and don't post scores are managing their handicaps (consciously or not).

Everyone is always working to improve something. Why does that qualify to not post a round? If you said this to a handicap committee, they would laugh you out of the room.

Can't you play a round that qualifies for handicap by following the rules, in a light, social, fun way with your wife? Why not? Honestly, I don't understand. If you choose to play with 3 clubs, or 8 or 10 or 13 or 14, what does it matter? Why is that not a handicap round? The general shenanigans guys, same thing. I think what your idea of a handicap is, isn't really what it is meant to be, and you have to post all your scores or it's not a real handicap, right? Cause other folks in those situations are posting their scores---

Good for you! You should post it. Everyone is always working on something.

I hear you here. If you are not allowed to play a regulation round, nothing you can do about it. Playing 3 holes in the evening, 3 balls at a time, isn't a round so sure you don't post it.

I'm sure folks here have good intentions, but all these comments about high numbers of practice rounds, reasons not to post a round, (and these are full rounds) are all the reasons used by vanity cappers and sandbaggers to massage handicaps. Again, I'm not accusing anyone of anything, I don't even know you guys, and I know you all mean well, but most every handicap committee would have serious issues with what you are doing, and folks with legit handicaps who post their scores are either going to be licking their chops (vs. vanity handicappers) or refusing to play at posted handicaps (vs. sandbaggers). If you just figure your own handicap with an online app, that's cool, but recognize it isn't being done like a USGA approved handicap would be done, and shouldn't really be compared to one.

Good post.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MyrtleBeachGolf

I post every round I play. Doesn't matter if it's a competitive round for money, a casual round with my wife, a tournament round, or a round with my "non-golfing" buddies that include beers and music in our cart. There have been years where I posted 100 rounds of golf to my handicap.

Yep, I've done the same.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoundandFury

Apparently you guys have never been 4 beers deep and made a bet with your leftie buddy on who could shoot lower playing wrong handed with the other guy's clubs for the back 9.

Then that round would definitely be thrown out

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoundandFury

So the general consensus is yes.  I get the idea, but to me that means you take every single round super serious.

That's why you throw out half the rounds.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoundandFury

In my opinion your handicap is meant to reflect your ability as a golfer, and in any of those situations above, I don't see how that would serve any purpose.

I've posted plenty of rounds that weren't "serious" and you can still shoot good scores not being serious.

Quote:

The most important point to remember is that an USGA Handicap Index is supposed to represent a golfer’s “potential” ability, not his actual, current or average ability.

“Potential,” for these purposes, is identified by an examination of a golfer’s top 10 performances of their 20 most recent rounds, AND, by a comparison of this best 10 of 20 calculation with the two best T-scores recorded within the past 12 months (longer for golfers who play fewer than 20 rounds per year).

Specifically, it is the “gap” between the best 10 of 20 figure and two lowest T-scores that is examined. If the T-scores are sufficiently low, additional calculations are made which factor in the size of the gap and the total number of T-scores recorded within the past 12 months. The calculations can call for an automatic reduction of the best 10 of 20 figure.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Ludden

When you post GHIN doesn't ask you if it was wet or windy, etc. this all means it's golf. Take the good and the bad, post it. It will give you your true ability to play the game. Your true potential

Right, good post.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Ludden


I agree that people who play often have a better representation of their handicap and are less likely to manipulate. I play 300+ rounds a year and post the good, bad, and ugly. Guess what, my HC doesn't fluctuate more than 2 strokes. So the system works

In college I had a few years where I posted over 300 times, I had the same experience, didn't fluctuate more than 2 strokes.

[dfreuter415]

I don't enter scores under these circumstances:

1) In the fall when we play the "leaf rule" in late October and November which goes against USGA rules - I count it as a practice round

2) In the fall, again late October and November when the courses here in Western Pennsylvania aerate the courses.

3) In winter months, November - February, when we play "Winter Rules" which allow you to use preferred lies - Again I count these rounds as practice

4) My wife likes to play 9 holes and eat dinner Sunday afternoons with her sister and brother-in-law. Since we only play 9 holes, I elect to treat it as a practice round, and experiment with different clubs that I have at home which I would not use if I had to post a score.

[MyrtleBeachGolf]

I don't enter scores under these circumstances: 1) In the fall when we play the "leaf rule" in late October and November which goes against USGA rules - I count it as a practice round 2) In the fall, again late October and November when the courses here in Western Pennsylvania aerate the courses. 3) In winter months, November - February, when we play "Winter Rules" which allow you to use preferred lies - Again I count these rounds as practice 4) My wife likes to play 9 holes and eat dinner Sunday afternoons with her sister and brother-in-law. Since we only play 9 holes, I elect to treat it as a practice round, and experiment with different clubs that I have at home which I would not use if I had to post a score.

Being in Penn, your handicap most likely has a season. I doubt you are allowed to post scores from Nov - Mar even if you wanted to.

[imsys0042]

Being in Penn, your handicap most likely has a season. I doubt you are allowed to post scores from Nov - Mar even if you wanted to.

Yes, Or enjoy life is any way whatsoever.

[DrvFrShow]

Yeah, when the plug and sand the greens and give you the auto 2 putt max rule that can go on for about 10 to 14 days depending upon weather. You wouldn't enter those rounds. A rolling ball does gather sand.

When you have more than two temporary greens and or tees and the course has not been re-rated. - this is another case you would not enter the score.

[dfreuter415]

Yes, Or enjoy life is any way whatsoever.

Hey - Western PA is heaven to me. Different strokes for different folks.

I refer you to the Night Gallery episode starring John Astin called, "Hell's Bells."  At the end of the episode the devil says, "You see, while this.. is absolute Hell for you, ...it is someone else’s idea of heaven."

[Jeremie Boop]

Remind me to never take any of the guys that don't post every round as a partner

Guys, you're suppose to post as many rounds as you can.

Lol, it's not like I skip bad rounds and don't post them for handicap. It's rare that I don't post a score, just when I end up behind people and I play multiple balls or go out with the express intention of just practicing shots and not keeping score.

[ghalfaire]

Yes as long as i played enough holes and by the rules, e.g. not a practice round.

[SoundandFury]

No, not every time. Some days we are out there just goofing off.

Long and short of it, this is my point.  I agree wholeheartedly that ever single score should be entered when you're playing with the intention of doing your best.  I play probably 3-4x per week, and enter 95% of scores.  5% of the time though, I'm NOT trying my best, not even close.

[rkim291968]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patch

No, not every time. Some days we are out there just goofing off.

Long and short of it, this is my point.  I agree wholeheartedly that ever single score should be entered when you're playing with the intention of doing your best.  I play probably 3-4x per week, and enter 95% of scores.  5% of the time though, I'm NOT trying my best, not even close.

Sounds reasonable to me.  As for me, I submit all my scores except when I could not finish a round due to unforeseen circumstances (rained out, injured, etc.).   I don't have practice rounds b/c it is too tempting to post or not post based on how I do on a "practice" round.

[imsys0042]

Hey - Western PA is heaven to me. Different strokes for different folks. I refer you to the Night Gallery episode starring John Astin called, "Hell's Bells."  At the end of the episode the devil says, "You see, while this.. is absolute Hell for you, ...it is someone else’s idea of heaven."   :-P

Better weather...better weather....my wife lied to me about moving here.... If I had a winter hobby it would be great. I don't, so all I have to do is come up with schemes on how to not post scores to game my handicap... Ha ha ha.

[No Mulligans]

Yeah, when the plug and sand the greens and give you the auto 2 putt max rule that can go on for about 10 to 14 days depending upon weather. You wouldn't enter those rounds. A rolling ball does gather sand.

When you have more than two temporary greens and or tees and the course has not been re-rated. - this is another case you would not enter the score.

I post when the greens have been recently plugged and sanded.  I've never seen more than one temporary green and I posted then also.

If I'm doing this wrong, please reference the rules so I can understand and make the correction.

[boogielicious]

I voted yes because you limited the options. The only round this year I didn't enter was a scramble we played at a new course for a friends birthday.  All other rounds were entered.