Winter handicaps

[lindy72]

Some of my group (Outer Banks,NC) were talking about posting winter scores in the handicap..I've always done it, but many do not..They say it's because the weather, course conditions, winter, etc. during winter will move your handicap upwards...Mine may go up 1 to 2 points for a few months but it comes right back down in March and April....What's your opinion on this...Mine is record them all...

 

[KellyBo]

Good question. I've noticed many at our club whose handicaps go up substantially in the winter. The problem with that has been that we hold our club championship in early June and a lot of handicaps have not adjusted yet but by then they are playing really good golf. I personally will continue to turn in my scores because I don't see myself playing on a brutal day anyway.

 

[Fourputt]

It depends on how truly legitimate the scores are. If the course conditions are so different that the scores are exceptionally high then it could be construed as a form of sandbagging. If the course plays significantly easier, then it could actually give you more of a vanity handicap.

If you don't play in any competitions during that period when the course is playing differently then I'd say don't post them, because your handicap will be wrong when the competition season starts again (as KellyBo pointed out above). If you compete year round, then you need to to keep the handicap up to the current conditions. I'd guess that you have to make that evaluation for yourself.

Here in Colorado our handicap season ends in 2 weeks (Nov 14), and we can only return scores if we play someplace where the handicap season goes all year. Even if I return a legitimate score from a golf trip after the end of the season, there won't be any revisions posted here until next March.

Edit: I just looked up the GHIN revision schedule for Colorado and it says that the updates will continue even after the season ends. It just won't accept any scores from courses which are in an off season.

 

[Islander]

My handicap turns into GAA in the winter :act-up:

 

[Gus R]

Although I play year round, the Oregon Golf Association does not permit posting after the end of November. We start again in late March. Because of rain the conditions here can get pretty sloppy and posting would change a handicap quite a bit. I don't believe it is fair to post in winter conditions if they drastically change your scoring average. It gives you a false handicap when spring comes around.

 

[Sean]

The Massachusetts Golf Association won't allow posting (GHIN) after October 31. I can only post scores if I play courses in parts of the country that are still open for posting (lucky dogs).

 

[Ole Gray]

We had the worse winter last year in Georgia than I can remember in my 60 years in these parts. There were the faithful including yours truly who tried to sludge on through the cold, wind, and just down right nasty conditions. Our score cards were turned in and all of our handicaps soared up as a result. What has been said on here makes good sense about not posting through the harsh winter months. It takes a good while for the handicaps to come back down to the proper average. I will bring this up to our local golf associations next meeting to see if we can make a local ruling on this issue.

 

[dannyka]

Northern Utah (where I live) does not use scores for handicapping from 11/15 until 3/15, so I guess I don't have to worry about it in a few weeks unless I travel to Southern Utah which has no "off-season." However, even up here, as long as the temps aren't too low and there's no snow, a few courses are open for most of the winter and I can sneak in some rounds before Mother Nature figures it out. :good:

 

[WAM Golf]

Up in Philadelphia we can only post winter scores if they are played in states who allow year around posting. The closest here is Virginia but I planning playing Texas, Arizona or Florida this winter. I'll be posting my scores.