Played in the comp at home last Saturday and had 28 points with 4
wipes. Do you remember that great horse Chief De Beers? He could
only ever win at his home track; well I'm the opposite.
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Handicap = Playing Ability
Forums → Golf Talk | 20 posts
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Most people equate someones handicap with their ability. Looking back through my golf link for the past two years, keeping in mind I have pretty much had a constant handicap and 90%+ of my rounds are at hte same course.
Last Calender Year
YTD This Year So I am over 2.5 shots better per round. If I only count rounds at my home course, and compare what handicap I played to, last year I averaged playing to 13.29, this year 10.57...yet my handicap remains unchanged. So, is handicap a true demonstration of playing ability?
down and out…did ya get that? |
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Toolish,
I will beat the 12 handicapper off the stick 3 times out of 4.
However on the 4th round, he will have a good day and score 40
points off 12. His bad rounds are as low as 22 points and often
less than 30. My average score off the stick would be lower and so on, but his handicap is lower and staying lower. I think my 15 is accurate and my scores fairly consistent, so I would say it is a true reflection of my ability. But 12 is not an accurate reflection of my playing partners ability due to his inconsistency. Doesn't answer the question, but I hope it makes sense. Perhaps a really bad round should be penalised more than .1, a sliding scale perhaps. i don't really know the answer.
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Only when compared to others - a lot of people think a handicap is what your average is, far from it. Most people are going to play roughly 70% of the time worse than their handicap. if it was any better than that then they will be improving.
For further information, send me a PM? |
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IMO ability and consistency are 2 different things. The guy who plays heaps of golf and is very consistent to his handicap is probably playing to the best of his ability and may very well beat a lower handicapped golfer that may not play as much more often than not. But if every 1 in 4 rounds the lower handicap golfer goes way lower then to me that's a sign that he has more ability and therefore derserves the lower handicap. If he were not handicapped lower then no doubt every one of his blinders would win the comp for the day.
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I'm in the category of my handicap fits my ability and not my average. I'm like your mate in that I'll shoot 5-10 rounds that are to my handicap or well over it, then I'll go out and play to my best ability and shoot 5 or more shots under my handicap. It works well for me as I win a lot of comps. My main problem is getting on to the course. Between work, family, travelling and things like fixing up and selling my house I only get out about twice a month if I am lucky, so consistency is not my specialty My handicap is 8, and got out to 11 a month or so ago, but I shot two good rounds that brought it back down. I've been a lot lower than that in the past so my handicap probably doesnt fit my true ability, but it fits my current situation fairly well.
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Complex game this one. It depends on what does it for you I guess. Consistency does not preclude having hot rounds, but having the odd hot round will not make you consistent. Handicaps are designed to make you have to play well to play to them, so as MTB suggested they are always usually a bit lower than your averages would show. Your handicap adjustment scale is the cause of this ( .1 back for ANY AMOUNT over, and .2 or more off for EVERY SHOT under).
People are more handicapped to their hot round (which is an
indicator of ability) but for mine, consistently playing to a
level is more meritorious or personally satisfying... although
the odd hot round is fun too
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I've beaten my handicap once in 18 months - after playing to 6 twice off 13, and dropping down to ten, its been a long barren stretch... I changed driver, irons, putter, ball, everything. I have now gone back to the old driver, irons and ball... For me, playing to my handicap is a dream - but I'm getting closer with 33 and 34 points the last two rounds! Handicaps are what you should score on your best (or most consistant) round, not something you should equal or beat regularly.
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I play off 11, lowest I've been is 10.2 and highest in the
last year or so is 11.4. If I play on a Thursday it's a lot easier to play to my handicap as the course is set up a lot easier but I normally only play Saturday arvo when the course is at it's hardest as the pins and tees are in the most difficult positions and the wind usually picks up around 2.30/3PM. If I play at easier courses than my home track, I usually never even get close to my handicap as I don't know where to, or more importantly, where not to hit the ball. If I have 36 points I've had a good day. I think handicaps are a sign of what you are capable of shooting and anything thing more that 3 shots better is a great day while 3 shots worse is just average.
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Handicap isn't meant to be a measure of your average or even really your ability. It is meant to be a measure of your POTENTIAL. Having looked at a number of peoples handicaps and comparing them with their rounds I have found that most handicaps are around 3 shots lower than the average round in the mid handicap range (5-15). I think that the gap might be higher in the higher handicaps and a bit lower in the lower handicaps.
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They are an indication of ability, but not a definition... How about the other end of the scale? I know a bloke who would easily play off +3 or +4, but he pulls the handbrake up after 14 or so holes most rounds and has an AGU handicap of 4.
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I forgot to add. if your handicap is high single figures or more, its an indication of your potential for lack of a better word. if your handicap is between Scratch and 4 then its a very accurate measure of you as a golfer. - becuase its only .1 down and .1 (or 2.) up if your handicap is +1 then it just means your off the scale :-) +1 is the lowest AGU handicap you can get (or is it scratch?)
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Scratch, but then you get a + club handicap... (Special)
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why don't they use - (minus) instead of + ?. would make more sense.
Former Top 10 on the PGA Tour ISG Money List. |
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Because you subtract a handicap, these guys add it hence +1...really my handicap is -9. Also, I think you can get +1 before going special, not scratch...sure of it actually, our club champ plays between +1 or scratch and never goes into the 'special' mode.
down and out…did ya get that? |
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Hi Guys I'm new to this lark. Hopefuly this is not too much off topic Do any of you know what happens to new AGU recruits that are just getting their cards together (like myself and some mates). Do the golflink folks (or whoever it is that calculates these things) put in a sort of buffer system for those whose first set of cards would mean that they are shooting 1,2 or 3 over?? (i,e give them a handicap of 4,5 or 6?) I'm real new to the whole handicap system so any advice would be greatly appreciated! Cheers
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I call this cheating.
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Cards to get handicap are going to give a lower handicap rather than a higher handicap. Anything over a double bogey on a hole becomes a double bogey, then handicaps are calculated in a standard way from there. If your 5 rounds average 3-4 over (assuming CCR matches par and no hole scores worse than double bogey) you will have a handicap of 3-4.
down and out…did ya get that? |
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Greatly appreciated
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That is because it is a club event. AGU minimum is Scratch (for AGU events). There is a hooplah to go down to an official +2, he would have his records put in front of AGU for a review. If they are satisfied he would go to official +2. +1 only gets reviewed by state golf body. Cant remember all the details really.
I do too, but it does show how the system is abused and not really a TRUE reflection of ability.
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Judge,
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