2009 Handicap Season

[Hacker]

Yup. However if you only play 20 rounds or less a year, it can have a more long term effect.

You point is well taken. However, having been one of those guys who played only 20 or less rounds a year for too many years in the past I can say from my experience that it doesn't really matter as I wasn't playing frequently or consistently enough to have a handicap that was truly representative of the state of my game at any given point in time.

[dH]

Sounds like a bunch of wimpy excuses for people who "haven't found their swing yet". I got my first birdie yesterday on the Metcalfe 9 on the temporary green which was basically just in the fairway. I sunk a bird from 10 feet because I hit it like a true gentlemen on the greens in the early 1800's.(re my avatar). All courses have quirks and at the present time it's sorta the greens.

That said if they were LIGHTENING fast I'm sure many of you would complain about that about greens not sticking etc...

Swing your best and write it down even if it's your worst.

[justsomeguy]

Sounds like a bunch of wimpy excuses for people who "haven't found their swing yet". I got my first birdie yesterday on the Metcalfe 9 on the temporary green which was basically just in the fairway. I sunk a bird from 10 feet because I hit it like a true gentlemen on the greens in the early 1800's.(re my avatar). All courses have quirks and at the present time it's sorta the greens.

That said if they were LIGHTENING fast I'm sure many of you would complain about that about greens not sticking etc...

Swing your best and write it down even if it's your worst.

It seems to me the discussion has centered on what is the appropriate handicap season for this area - not whether bad scores should be posted.

The handicap system is far more concerned about sandbagging than posting "good" scores - i.e., it is primarily designed to guard against posting scores that are HIGHER than your ability rather than low scores. By having a handicap season that begins when there is still snow on some courses but ends 2-4 weeks before the first snowfall, it is helping players who are sandbagging.

BTW, I got my first birdie three weeks ago. Of course I didn't post that score...

[quinner]

I don't see the big deal. If you are worried about your handicap going up with the bad conditions...just don't play.

[BC MIST]

Sounds like a bunch of wimpy excuses for people who "haven't found their swing yet". .....Swing your best and write it down even if it's your worst.

Perhaps some golfers think that their handicap is a reflection of the kind of golfer they are rather than what their potential is. Since they actually play to their handicap only 20% to 25% of the time, a better measure is to calculate a handicap based on the middle 10 of their last 20 games, or even the worst 10 of the last 20. My worst 10 happens to be 500% worse than my best 10.

Since we complete the season playing in conditions that are normally better than when we start, it is natural that our handicaps rise in the spring when course and wind conditions are less than ideal, but more influential, when the condition of our golf swings and short game touch, is also less than ideal. The active season of April 15 to October 31 represents somewhat of a provincial average time where conditions are reasonably good enough to post scores. Putting off the start of the AS to May 1 or even later would decrease the natural seasonal rise in handicaps, but the fact that the courses are playable now, makes this unnecessary.

A lousy 81 today (40 on rated 9) was solely a reflection of poor chipping and putting, not a too early active season, i.e., poor course conditions.

[gbower]

I really don't think my score from today should be put into the system as damn it was windy out there and with the cold temperature the ball wasn't flying quite as far. Darn I was even playing pretty lousy so maybe I should just call it a practice round. Oh shoot I'm thinking the wrong way, I'd better count this one as it will help get my handicap up.