World Handicap System and Pace of Play

[MacDutch]

Hmmm, I play regularly in Spain and the Netherlands, sometimes in Germany, Belgium, France or Italy. 

80% of the rounds I play we do Stableford. Also most tournaments are Stableford. So you pick up when you can’t score a Stableford point anymore (net bogey is still a point).

And because I play competition and clubchampionships, I play more rounds matchplay and strokeplay then most people in these countries. So I think the answer is no.

[Rulesman]

19 hours ago, iacas said:

In the U.S., the handicap system "encourages" (i.e. requires) that we play against the course and post every score.

Currently, in the UK and most of Europe, they don't post to GHIN (obviously, or an equivalent, which is what I am saying here), and so they play against each other. If they're out of a hole, they pick up, because they don't need to post a score.

 

This is not strictly accurate.

Although every score is not posted, many more competitions (tournaments) are played in addition to 'declared' rounds played under 'competition conditions'. Both contribute to handicap calculations. Although all the rounds are played as medal or stableford a form of ESC is used. Individual hole scores are reduced to a nett double bogey.

All scores hole by hole gross scores are returned. A pick-up in stableford is returned as 0 but the system assigns the nett double bogey

 

An additional factor is that the 'quality' of play resulting from course and weather conditions on the day has an effect on handicap calculations. Incidentally, Australia has a similar feature although the system in general has USGA undertones.

Although match play is far more common here, strokeplay (medal or stableford) dominates.

In social play, 4BBB is probably the favoured form in members clubs.

Edited November 28, 2017 by Rulesman

[Dave Saari]

I think it will only make a small difference, if any. The people I know who are slow players don't even realize (or care) that they are slow players and aren't aware of fine points like picking up when they reach the ESC. And it only takes a few to bog down the whole course. But I'm a muni player, so don't know how it might change at a club.

[Rulesman]

to trigger notify

[colin007]

I played with a lady visiting from Scotland, she was grumbling about pace of play here, she said at the courses she plays in Scotland, if you play in more than 3.5 hrs you lose your next tee time.

[Rulesman]

8 hours ago, colin007 said:

I played with a lady visiting from Scotland, she was grumbling about pace of play here, she said at the courses she plays in Scotland, if you play in more than 3.5 hrs you lose your next tee time.

Many of the older courses in Scotland are not very long and green to tee are short walks. But does she play in a pair or in fours? It all makes a difference.

I would challenge her to get round Carnoustie in under 4.