Handicapping Master Thread

[sacm3bill]

On the other hand, if you want to compete in tournaments, then you need to get an official USGA sanctioned handicap index, which is administered by GHIN (Golf Handicap Information Network). That involves joining a club, like the men's (or women's) club at your local course. Or alternatively, you can join a "Club Without Real Estate" which is a golf club that does not have its own course (e.g. Golfsmith offers an official GHIN handicap index for about $30/year).

And in case you're wondering MellowYellow, I think one reason your handicap needs to be administered by a club is so that there is some visibility into the scores you are entering. That helps prevent people from either intentionally or unintentionally entering too many scores that are crazy high or low.

[QWKDTSN]

Post my scores on the computer in the pro shop. $25/year fee at the club. Thinking about spending more money on buying a Scorecard license to keep track of all the statistics that really matter to my game, though.

[Ben]

As a NCGA member I just post my scores on the Northern California Golf Association website and the 1st of every month the handicap is calculated for you.

S CGA member here...

[birdmangriffin]

I've noticed that Golfsmith/Galaxy/etc all use the "national golf network." Is this less acceptable than a GHIN?

[alf174]

For stats and games I use Intelligolf's Eagle Edition ; it works back and forth with my PDA. For official tracking I use the Golf Association of Michigan 's online service. The membership card provides lots of discounts at courses and driving ranges all over the state so it pays for itself ($20) very quickly.

[RemyM]

I've noticed that Golfsmith/Galaxy/etc all use the "national golf network." Is this less acceptable than a GHIN?

Getting a handicap through Golfsmith would not qualify as a club under the USGA handicap system so that is why they can't use GHIN. So yes, a non GHIN handicap would most likely not be accepted for entry into a tournament run by a golf association. I know it wouldn't get you into the city tournament I'm on the committee of.

Here are links to the USGA website about handicapping. http://www.usga.org/playing/handicap..._handicap.html http://www.usga.org/questions/faqs/h...r.asp?FAQidx=3

[iacas]

I use a program called Caddy Master Pro. I think it costs around $20 or so. It keeps stats as well. Scorecard looks better, but I don't want to reenter all of my past rounds and courses.

You're going to have to re-enter them all at some point. You should try using the demo for five rounds, then see how you like it. Use both concurrently for five rounds.

You never did get back to me, either. There's a chance we could import your data for you, but only if you keep the same stats. Do you? Do you keep "first putt distance"? Importing only half of your stats will make things pretty funky, so I don't recommend that. Also, Scorecard's handicap index isn't official. If you enter all your rounds the same as you do at the courses or into GHIN or whatever, it'll give you the same handicap index, but since there's no chance for peer review or anything, it's not an "official" index. Using Scorecard just for your index, too, is akin to using your car to get to your mailbox only, and not to get to work or anywhere else. Scorecard's real value is all the stats. Nobody's really said any differently, but I still wanted to point that out. We've had this discussion a hundred times before, guys, so I'm closing this one down.

[Guest]

I've found that http://www.pasturepool.com has been a great service. ONline handicap, GIR, FW, Up/Down, Round Notes. Also has great education resources. I had a suggestion for a future enhancement and their help desk was responsive.

They also have an iphone web version and have communicated to members that they are working on an iphone native app as well. They cost $14.95 one time fee for lifetime membership.

I also like the fact that if a course is not included in their database that I can add it myself or ask for help from their site adding it for me.

Either way, they seem to focus on us golfers.

[| Night Foxx |]

I'm trying to find a place where my group and I can track our scores/handicap.. Does anyone know of a good/free site? Unfortunately it seems the ones that offer USGA handicap rating are on a trial basis… the others use a formula based upon USGA. How something based on that has my handicap over 30 when my official is 24 is beyond my pay grade.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. As a last resort, we're using Yahoo, which is easy/friendly, but gave me the above mentioned 30 handicap.

Thanks

[clearwaterms]

do you have the link for the yahoo one? can you put 9 hole rounds in it?

[Harry Longshanks]

http://www.oobgolf.com/

[| Night Foxx |]

http://golf.sports.yahoo.com/tracker ..

I'm still at a loss as to how two different site gave me two different handicaps based on the same rounds.

[klaymon]

Another vote for www.oobgolf.com . My HCP is well within 0.5 on OOBGolf and my official GHIN/USGA HCP. OOB just recently implemented ESC so, I expect my HCP there will even more closely match my real one as I enter more scores.

[Harry Longshanks]

Another vote for

klaymon-

So OOBGolf's calculation now automatically adjusts for ESC? So a player can just enter raw scores? Geez, that would be fantastic for beginners. I've been wonder for years why someone didn't do that. I mean, the programs already have all of the information to do it automatically. EDIT: Found the announcement on the OOBGOLF site: http://www.oobgolf.com/content/site+...rovements.html That is awesome.

[TinCupTampa]

http://www.oobgolf.com/

Is that one USGA... I use it but have never looked. I am being forced to change after the 1st of the year per golf channel amateur tour instructions. They said that oobgolf is an unacceptable source to declare a handicap if you want to play in their tournaments.

[Harry Longshanks]

Is that one USGA... I use it but have never looked. I am being forced to change after the 1st of the year per golf channel amateur tour instructions. They said that oobgolf is an unacceptable source to declare a handicap if you want to play in their tournaments.

That's correct. OOBGolf uses the USGA formula, but it isn't approved for tournaments. You will have to get a GHIN / USGA handicap to compete. Local men's/ladies' clubs, or even Golfsmith offer GHIN handicap indexes, but you will have to pay for it. The lowest price I've seen is usualy around $25-$30 per year.

[mposter]

That's correct. OOBGolf uses the USGA formula, but it isn't approved for tournaments. You will have to get a GHIN / USGA handicap to compete. Local men's/ladies' clubs, or even Golfsmith offer GHIN handicap indexes, but you will have to pay for it. The lowest price I've seen is usualy around $25-$30 per year.

Golf.com offers an official USGA handicap for $29.99 and it includes 6 months subscription. I looked around and found some online discount codes. I was able to get both my dad and I signed up for about $25 in total. Plus you can track every stat you would wish for -- and some you would rather not know about :(

[iacas]

So a player can just enter raw scores? Geez, that would be fantastic for beginners. I've been wonder for years why someone didn't do that. I mean, the programs already have all of the information to do it automatically.

And Scorecard (

http://cynicalpeak.com/scorecard/ ) has taken care of ESC since the first release. It's not free software, though, so that's all I'll say in this thread.