Posting scores in GHIN

dthogey

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Albatross 2024 Club
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What score's do you post for handicap purposes? The reason I ask this is over the last month I have played a lot of golf in either match-play format, a league with flexible rules, or weekend Skins game.

In the match-play With buddies if we are out of the hole we might just pick up and not finish, if somebody is in with a birdie they may give somebody a long putt for either par or bogey. In our league and weekend Skins game we are allowed to roll the ball in the Fairway, I know this isn't USGA rules but if everybody else is going to do it and I'm playing for points or money I'm going to do it also. Our league and Skins game allow for a lost ball drop to be on the line of flight. Nobody ever does the two-stroke penalty.

If I were only to post the rounds I play strictly by the rules of golf I would not have posted many rounds. In my opinion this would artificially keep my handicap higher than my ability. On the other hand I'm not sure how to post the rounds where I have not taken the appropriate drop, not finished a hole, or given putts that are outside of 3 ft. I'll never know what those rounds scores would have been.

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I don't take a long putt for a 5 because my opponent just holed out for 4 in a match. I will putt it and see what happens. That way the score is more accurate for my handicap later. I would however give my buddies as long of a putt as they want all day once I holed in to beat them. That way their handicap goes down. That's the way a smart golfer would play so I would think am I being smart or are my buddies being smart?

Also no one takes more than a triple for us bogey golfers.
 
I wouldn’t post any score that the shots weren’t played out completely. If you are playing match play you may have an artificially low handicap due to concedes putts, same with gimmes in skins games or just friendly golf.


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From the USGA. I always post match play scores.

If you begin play on the hole but do not complete the hole, record the number of strokes taken,
plus the number of strokes you most likely* would have taken to complete the hole; again, not exceeding your maximum allowable score on the Equitable Stroke Control Chart.
*most likely score:
A most likely score is the score a player must post for handicap purposes if a hole is started but not completed or if the player is conceded a stroke. The most likely score consists of the number of strokes already taken, plus, in the player's best judgment, the number of strokes the player would take to complete the hole from that position more than half the time. This number may not exceed the player's Equitable Stroke Control limit.
 
dthogey;n117075 said:
If I were only to post the rounds I play strictly by the rules of golf ...


That pretty much answers it for me right there. I wouldn't post any not played within the ROG. You can post match play scores like wubears said, but expected score is a pretty shady realm in my opinion. I was taught very young that the number one way a vanity handicap happens is someone giving themselves a lot of missable putts. That's a constant in match play (again, in my opinion), so I've always holed out. I mean, it doesn't take long, and it's usually fun banter if one lips out and it's already been conceded. lol
 
Thanks. These answers help. I just have to do the best I can to be as honest as possible. My concern was using scores where I continually improve My lie, take conceded putts, and don't finish a hole will artificially lower my handicap. On the other hand I am playing lots of golf and my game is getting better. If I don't post these scores my handicap will be artificially High.
I know some will comment that I should just simply play by the rules of golf. The trouble with that is we are playing for money and have agreed to Rolling the ball in the Fairway, moving the ball out of divots, and assessing lost ball penalty with a 1 stroke line of flight drop. This could all result in a significantly lower score. We just have to do the best we can to record the most likely score we would have gotten.
 
Ghins will be gone in 2020 I think. Being replace with universal scoring system.

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The original intent of the handicapping system was that the only time you touched the ball with your hand was when you teed it up and then pulled the ball out of the hole. Improving lies and taking gimmes will not give you a valid handicap and you’ll be more than welcome to come to my club with your handicap and play in a tournament because we’ll be happy to take your money.

I don’t post any scores not played strictly by the rules. Otherwise my vanity handicap kills me come tournament time where handicaps are used.


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