Handicapping Master Thread

[alf174]

ok, I recently calculated my new handicap to be 20.1 (will change in profile soon). My best round is a 90 and I have had a few rounds in the 90s. However, I am by no means shooting solely in the low 90s. I have an occasional (a couple recently) blow-up round over 100 (100-106).

Your handicap describes your

potential . For further reading, do a search on your anti-handicap .

[kleraudio]

Hey guys, I have 3 questions about handicaps...

First, I shoot between an 89 and a 92 at a course I play at. The par is 69. Why is my handicap 25.1??

Second... If I shoot bogey golf, why wouldnt my HC be 18?? Does course rating and slope play a big factor in that?

And finally, does the Yahoo handicap tracker use the USGA formula to figure out my handicap?

Thanks in advance everyone!

Jim

[CG031]

Hey guys, I have 3 questions about handicaps...

Course rating and slope do play a big factor in what your handicap is. If the course is pretty easy and not rated hardly, you're going to have to shoot better than bogey golf to be an 18 handicap. If the course is average you can shoot 18 over, and be an 18 handicap. If the course is of harder difficulty, you can shoot about 22 over or so and be a 18 handicap...

Now, this is just a ROUGH estimate to make it into more simple terms. I'm not sure exactly all the formula's to figure it out but this can just give you a ROUGH idea on how it works - really far more complicated than this. So, yes, to answer your question, the course itself plays a strong factor. I don't know anything about the yahoo! handicap system. If you want a pretty good, free handicap online system checkout www.greenskeeper.org . I'd suggest getting a real one though if you want to be serious about the game and handicap system in general.

[goblue107501]

The other big things about the handicap system is that it really isn't truly accurate until you have 20 scores entered. It will then take your best 10 differentials, average them, and multiply by .96. The differential is figured by using the course slope and rating so they play a big part in figuring the handicap. The harder the course rating and slope, the lower the differential.

Any number of free sites will use the same formula, they just won't be 'official'. If you are any good at math or a spreadsheet program like Excel you can do the formula yourself, it isn't that hard. A program like Scorecard at the top of this page, will figure your handicap and keep track of stats if you want to go that route. Any Google search can get you an explanation on the formula and how to figure it yourself. Just make sure you get the chart on number of rounds. e.g. with 5 rounds you use one differential, 12 rounds you use 4, etc. It won't really be accurate if you use all your scores.

[alf174]

Hey guys, I have 3 questions about handicaps...

For questions #1 & #2 you need to know the course rating and slope to correctly calculate a handicap index AND a course handicap.

For #3, Yahoo states: The Yahoo! Sports Golf HandicapTracker is not endorsed by the USGA and the results derived from Yahoo! Sports Golf HandicapTracker cannot be used for any event requiring a USGA index. So who knows what formula they are using.

[kleraudio]

Cool guys thanks for the input. The course Ive been playing is pretty easy, by slope and course rating at least

Its like 4600 yards and par 69....... so I guess I understand why if I play 20 over my handicap will be at 25. So in order to be an 18 handicap there you probably have to shoot like 12 or 13 over......

I'll start playing the tips there, its about 800 yards longer and the rating and slope goes up....

I think I'd have better luck at a longer and more difficult course. My long game is the same everywhere, its the short game that sucks, I'd get the same score at a more difficult course and my handicap would probably drop....

So does playing certain courses actually hurt your handicap more than it helps??

Wow, so many questions! Thanks for taking the time guys!

Jim

[CG031]

Its like 4600 yards and par 69....... so I guess I understand why if I play 20 over my handicap will be at 25. So in order to be an 18 handicap there you probably have to shoot like 12 or 13 over......

Yeah, pretty much - that's the 'general' idea of it.

So does playing certain courses actually hurt your handicap more than it helps??

Theoritically no, because you should be able to shoot lower at the easier courses, and a bit higher at the tougher courses; but essentially it does because you have to achieve higher than you may be capable at the easier course, and it can wear on you feeling like 'this course is supposed to be easy, but I am not shooting where I should!'...

[mcfc_nick]

the standar scratch of the course makes a big difference! a mate of mine plays at royal lytham where par is 71 but the standard scratch is something like 75

[kleraudio]

Theoritically no, because you should be able to shoot lower at the easier courses, and a bit higher at the tougher courses; but essentially it does because you have to achieve higher than you may be capable at the easier course, and it can wear on you feeling like 'this course is supposed to be easy, but I am not shooting where I should!'...

Yea thats what Im saying, I can shoot 18-20 over on a tough course or an easy course, its my short game that needs work usually. So I do think if I play tougher courses my handicap may drop a bit. Or maybe if I just play from the tips there, the rating goes up as does the slope... I dunno, I never thought about it that way.

I dont even enter in my scores at the small executive course because its only like 3200 yards and mostly par 3's.

[kleraudio]

the standar scratch of the course makes a big difference! a mate of mine plays at royal lytham where par is 71 but the standard scratch is something like 75

So, theoretically if he shoots par there consistently (70-72) his handicap will be something in the range of +1 to +4 because the rating is higher than the par, making it a very difficult course?

The handicap is all based on your score vs. the "actual" difficulty of the course then. If I shot an 82 at course A, an 82 at course B, and an 82 at course C, my handicap probably wont be an even 10 due to slope and course ratings? it will be higher or lower than 10 depending on how difficult those particular courses are. Thanks for clearing that up guys! Now I'd just like to know if Yahoo uses the USGA formula... Im sure they do... This forum is incredible! Jim

[kleraudio]

I'd like to do it all online, including printing my card when needed. Anyone know of a service like this?

I want something that can be verified if I need to show my HC to play tournaments.

Thanks!

Jim

[jrm1493]

Golfsmith has a service that I use. It uses something called NGN instead of GHIN but its a USGA legal handicap.

[kleraudio]

Yea Ive seen that one. Do you like it and can you print your card whenever needed?

Will they be able to verify it at a tournament?

Thanks!

Jim

[kpaulhus]

I you already have a GHIN #....then go to ghin.com and set yourself up.Look me up man. You should be able to find me based on my last name and first initial.....you will see the recent bad rounds lol

[kleraudio]

I you already have a GHIN #....then go to ghin.com and set yourself up.Look me up man. You should be able to find me based on my last name and first initial.....you will see the recent bad rounds lol

Hey man, where did you get your GHIN number though? At a club? I may just go to westchase golf club and get a handicap... I think they have GHIN...

I'd much rather do it online though. Thanks dude Jim

[kpaulhus]

I got my number from my club, but I can post scores and access it online through GHIN.com

[jrm1493]

I like the service, everything is online and you can print out a card when you need it. I haven't used it to play any tournaments but it is a USGA handicap so I don't see how that could be an issue.

[kleraudio]

Sorry KPaul, didnt realize you were a member at a club. I understand now. I think I may just go to Westchase course and just get a handicap. I think after a couple weeks I get a GHIN number so that would work out. I'll probably go do that tomorrow.

JRM, thanks man, If I cant get a GHIN num through the golf course, Im gonna just do it on Golfsmith.com.

Jim