What is the answer to stopping players manipulating their handicaps so that they play off inflated figures in Open Amateur tournaments?

A classic case appears to be that of a player who has won the Net Championship in a state organsied series event. He not only won last year, he also won the previous year as well!!!

How do you stop guys like this from ruining the fun for many honest players who aren’t good enough to compete in the Scratch section of these events, but who look forward to competing for the net trophy on a level playing field.

Don’t accept his entry?

That’s a fair call 2Putts, but the state body are the ones taking the entries for most of these events and despite them knowing what’s happening right under their noses, they continue to accept this guy.

They even reduced his mark for a while last season, but despite that action, he still won the Net Championship.

We’re talking about one very calculating dude here. When he was on the reduced mark, he rarely broke 80 net. The minute his club handicap was reinstated, he started shooting great scores again.

Then the correct answer is probably “nothing”.

If those in charge cannot grow a set of testicles then…..

......you know the rest : )

Hope he enjoys the notoriety.

Try a new system

Frame him for cheating.

What is the answer to stopping players manipulating their handicaps so that they play off inflated figures in Open Amateur tournaments?

A classic case appears to be that of a player who has won the Net Championship in a senior series event. He not only won last year, he also won the previous year as well!!!

How do you stop guys like this from ruining the fun for many honest players who aren’t good enough to compete in the Scratch section of these events, but who look forward to competing for the net trophy on a level playing field.

Practice doesn’t make perfect – it just ingrains bad habits.

What is the handicap variation, can only be maximum 4 because of the anchor.

Maybe he is just good at peaking at the right time.

Absolutely wrong. These guys are masters at their game. They will sacrifice rounds over extended periods to get in the 2 or 3 good rounds they need to win a major competition & under this new system they will probably only lose 2 or 3 shots for those good rounds. Therefore it is fairly simple for them to hold their handicaps up to 9 or 10 shots more than they should be in reality.
@ putts got it exactly right. Until those running the game get the Balls to deal with this blight on the game , Nothing will prevent these cheats from winning almost at will.

What’s his name? Or can you link me to the results page please.

An example….............
Player off 15….. Should be on 6/8 range
anchor point 11….

So he is anchored
So his plan then is to shot rounds that are played to 18 – 22 that is banking
He can bank all 20 rounds if he chooses
Along comes an event that takes his eye and suddenly he finds form and shots the lights
Strangely his handicap hardly changes because of all the prior banking…..

As to the OP I would arrange for this persons handicap to be dropped to a figure that all consider applicable and freeze it at that point for an extended period of time….
“That will flock him”

Very annoying.

I think our (UK) system is different, but we have a very technical software based system for 99% of the time.

But for 1%, there is Rule 19 (I think) based on “observation”. You can be cut an arbitary number of shots, I have seen people cut 4, simply based on the handicap committee believing that the person’s handicap is wrong.

It usually takes a while for the committee to get up the courage to do this, but for this chap I would say he would cross the threshold with ease. Net 64? Assuming a par of 70, that could easily justify a cut of 4 or more.

I suggest a polite letter to the organising committee from a few players. I would imagine that you have an equivalent to “Rule 19”.

I’d jam a 15th club in his bag when no one was looking and have him dqd

Net 64? Assuming a par of 70, that could easily justify a cut of 4 or more.
I do not hide my handicap or try and blow it out but I had a round 2 weeks ago in comp on a par 70 course playing off 18 at the time and scored a net 61, lost 2 strokes off my handicap but it does happen you can have a day out that blows your handicap mark out with out cheating or sand bagging.

Now you say this guy does it every year and that my need further investigation but it may be that in plays better at his time of the year when there is more run etc than in winter, There are a lot of circumstance that go into a round and saying he is cheat with out proof is wrong you can scoff and snigger but otherwise just shrug and accept it,

This thread is a disgrace. The OP has slandered a guy who may well have done nothing wrong other than have a good round.

And as for last years scores, he appears to have played more rounds than anyone else, where only his best 8 scores count. Hardly a shock that he won the year long event.

If I was him, I’d be suing the thread starter and demanding a public apology.

Name and shame as has been done above that will sort it out quick and will lay big bucks after he gets wind of all this he does not win next year or anytime soon anywhere.

He will probably never see the thread, or give a rats about it.

This thread is a disgrace. The OP has slandered a guy who may well have done nothing wrong other than have a good round.

And as for last years scores, he appears to have played more rounds than anyone else, where only his best 8 scores count. Hardly a shock that he won the year long event.

If I was him, I’d be suing the thread starter and demanding a public apology.

Wasn’t Chipshot the one who wanted a link or a name

If as JRG1166 suggested, this individual simply had a one off super day or even a few, I wouldn’t be concerned in the least. In fact I’d say good luck to him. But this is not a case of the occassional good round.

Just for the record, the course is a par 71 which means he shot 7 under his mark.

I agree with Chipshot that this person plays most of the 20+ tournaments. The insane system used by the state body of only counting your best 8 results for the year means he has an advantage over many of his fellow competitors. Nevertheless, he is too regularly at the pointy end of the field when the prizes are handed out.

Would it be “cheating / rorting” for a player to practice and have lessons and vastly improve their game.
BUT only play on a social level therefore not entering comps, thereby having no cards handed in that would contribute to their handicap.

Taking advantage of a loophole.

This thread is a disgrace. The OP has slandered a guy who may well have done nothing wrong other than have a good round.

And as for last years scores, he appears to have played more rounds than anyone else, where only his best 8 scores count. Hardly a shock that he won the year long event.

If I was him, I’d be suing the thread starter and demanding a public apology.

I agree with this – well not the suing part.

I always wonder actually how many people accused of being “handicap cheats” really are cheats, my guess is a very small minority of them. I just can’t imagine anyone that desperate to win 1 tournament sacrificing a years worth of golf just to exploit the handicap system…

Years ago when I was in C grade, guys would see me play and tell me I should be playing on a lower handicap… Jump to the present day – I play off 6 and guys are still telling me I should be playing on a lower handicap… go figure.

Crrack, I get that too with the comment that I should be playing off a lower handicap. My response “I’m trying!”

I also agree that those that are labelled “cheats” are most of the time probably not. If this guy plays more rounds than everyone else, then he has an advantage – same with the golf link cup last year – the people who did best from our club were those with heaps of rounds.

If you can’t beat them, join them?

There was a thread similar to this a couple of years age . The player in Question was obviously manipulating his handicap & just as obviously was being assisted by the club handicapper to do so.
I believe that after some discussion here there were a few questions asked & the powers that be decided to deal with said player.
There was also a case in England not long ago. That one was so blatant that the competition organizers were forced to deal with the player. It is unfortunate that this sort of cheating goes on.
Imagine playing the Monthly Medal final in B grade off a handicap of 14 ,Break is 11, Shooting 78 off the stick on a par 71 & being beaten by a 14 marker that shoots 69 off the stick.
Possible? Maybe.
Likely? Not really.
Cheating? You judge for yourself. In weekly comps he regularly shoots 2 or 3 above his handicap. only in major competitions does he ever shoot better than Nett Par.And he has been doing this for several years.
PS . Sorry, the last statement was not quite accurate. He tends to score rather well in 4 ball comps with a partner of like mind.

good luck to him id say
if he can get up for a special tourney he is doing well
i dont know of too many blokes wanting to play bad
have you not ever played against someone you really wanted to beat and put in an extra special round
remember we are playing amateur golf if you want a level playing field become a pro and join the tour

There was a thread similar to this a couple of years age . The player in Question was obviously manipulating his handicap & just as obviously was being assisted by the club handicapper to do so.
I believe that after some discussion here there were a few questions asked & the powers that be decided to deal with said player.
There was also a case in England not long ago. That one was so blatant that the competition organizers were forced to deal with the player. It is unfortunate that this sort of cheating goes on.
Imagine playing the Monthly Medal final in B grade off a handicap of 14 ,Break is 11, Shooting 78 off the stick on a par 71 & being beaten by a 14 marker that shoots 69 off the stick.
Possible? Maybe.
Likely? Not really.
Cheating? You judge for yourself. In weekly comps he regularly shoots 2 or 3 above his handicap. only in major competitions does he ever shoot better than Nett Par.And he has been doing this for several years.
PS . Sorry, the last statement was not quite accurate. He tends to score rather well in 4 ball comps with a partner of like mind.

http://www.golflink.com.au/...

I think shooting a 69 off the stick is questionable but not out of the question…. Probably the best round i’ve seen (from a reputable player) was a 71 (1 under) of an 11 handicap for net 48. So it can happen – which is what makes it hard to say someone is cheating…

I do have a story about handicap manipulation though – so bare with me. When I was a cadet playing with the old man we were partnered with a guy putting in his handicap cards. After we meet on the 1st, the guy tells us he’s actually a ex touring pro (at a guess he was probably mid 40’s this guy – but it was a long time ago so who knows – which is also why I have no recollection of what his name was).

Anyway, he tells us he played a recent game of skins with some old tour mates and they gave him a mock handicap of 3 to use. Needless to say, he got cleaned up.

So he warned us in advance that he was just putting in handicap cards for the sole purpose of playing another game with his mates now with a real handicap of around 9 or 10.

So we watched him strike some absolute pure shots in to the green and then just pick up his ball and go – yeah can’t score from here and puts down a 3 over for the hole.

blatant handicap manipulation – but he was upfront about it.