Dirty Sandbaggers

[DaveP043]

1 hour ago, Zekez said:

If a putt is conceded don't they HAVE to take it?

If a putt is conceded, its conceded, for the purposes of a match,  However, for handicap posting, if you don't finish a hole (such as when a putt is conceded), you should report the score you most likely would have made.  Alternatively, you could putt out once the other guys have finished in order to have a score for handicap purposes.  Our interclub league instituted a rule to cover just this circumstance, where a conceded putt would be counted as two putts for handicap posting if it was over about 3 feet.  Before, occasionally a guy would concede a 20 footer and want to make that count for handicap posting, simply and totally unfair.

[Denny Bang Bang]

On 4/19/2017 at 4:00 PM, Yukari said:

I hate sandbaggers as much as anyone. But having said that, I can shoot mid- to high 70's one day and shoot in the 90's the next day. This game is very fickle. 

Big difference between a 6 index player firing a few 80s (or 70s) in a row (regardless if it's followed by a rough round, or two)... and a 16 index player doing it.  I've never met a 16 index player who has done that.

On 4/19/2017 at 4:29 PM, No Mulligans said:

Yeah, looking at my last 20 differentials... Low 10.0, high 26.1.  On any given day you might conclude I'm a vanitycapper or another day a sandbagger.

At a 15 index, those ranges are reasonable/common.  I doubt you have a few 80s in a row though (especially since a 10 differential wouldn't be shooting 80 at an average/typical course).

[uitar9]

On 4/19/2017 at 4:29 PM, No Mulligans said:

Yeah, looking at my last 20 differentials... Low 10.0, high 26.1.  On any given day you might conclude I'm a vanitycapper or another day a sandbagger.

This made me look at my differentials (I just keep track for my own amusement) and it's 14.5 to 40.6. I don't compete but can't imagine playing poorly, just to have an advantage in a competition. Sure wouldn't want to be doing business,knowingly, with those folks.

[ghalfaire]

On 4/20/2017 at 7:41 AM, Zekez said:

If a putt is conceded don't they HAVE to take it?

My league carries the handicap over from the previous year.  As there isn't much turnover  (2 new guys out of 26 this year) the handicaps are pretty legit.  I think the main reason there are no sandbaggers is that everyone wants to shoot their best all the time.  Sure a few care about winning, but most just really want to shoot a good round.  Our handicaps range from 3-16 for 9 holes.

I believe the rules say if a putt is conceded you cannot refuse it,  But a better question is, "why would you not accept it".  I don't know about you guys/gals but I have missed a few two footers. 

[DaveP043]

26 minutes ago, ghalfaire said:

I believe the rules say if a putt is conceded you cannot refuse it,  But a better question is, "why would you not accept it".  I don't know about you guys/gals but I have missed a few two footers. 

Again, from a handicap posting standpoint only, when a putt is conceded, the player did not finish the hole.  From Rule 4-1 of the USGA Handicap Manual:

A player who starts, but does not complete a hole or is conceded a stroke must record for handicap purposes the most likely score.

You can only concede putts in match play, and the actual score doesn't matter, just a win, loss, or half.  The only real reason to keep a hole by hole score during match play is for posting handicaps.  As to why you would "not accept it", the reason for posting the correct score, in accordance with the rules, is to have an accurate handicap. 

Edited April 21, 2017 by DaveP043