Originally Posted by
BC MIST
The handicapping system that we use is excellent, but imperfect, and the match play scenario is one area that has a little grey in it, however, the logic in doing it this way, makes perfect sense and will have no negative affect on one's factor.
Perhaps like you, I abhor the use of handicaps, not because the system is flawed, it's not, but because there is such a high percentage of golfers who cheat, whether knowingly or not, making competitions where handicaps are used, a joke, and it takes only one sandbagger to ruin the competition for everyone.
I prefer that golfers tee it up, make the best score possible on that day and to the low scorer(s) goes the spoils, period. But, the reality that there is such a wide variance in scores makes it necessary to group golfers according to some predetermined criteria, and factors are what is almost always used. How else could it be done to ensure a fair competition?
In long distance running, we use age groups to determine winners as older guys don't have the physiological ability to run as fast as the young ones. In some curling competitions they use years of experience. Any other ideas?