Full Handicap tournaments - Where do you use your USGA handicap

LargePhil

Tiny Golfer
Joined
May 29, 2012
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Location
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Handicap
GHIN 9.6
With the friction between the USGA, PGA of America and the PGA Tour, I thought I would ask how you use your USGA handicap or membership for that matter?

It is fairly difficult to find a full handicap tournament. I play in one or two per year. I use my handicap to negotiate on the first tee, but, that is pretty much the extent of my benefit for my $30 per year.

Have the recent rule changes and efforts of the USGA helped you or your game materially?
 
I use mine for league play and events where one is needed to get. We also use our handicaps for skins pairings. Great way also to track how well you are playing. I also get into some money games with others and we use handicaps to keep things somewhat fair.
 
Most of your state associations require you to have either a USGA handicap or a state association handicap. I know in Indiana we use a group called Blue Golf who handles the handicapping for all the courses in the state. If I was to play in Indiana Golf Assoc. tournaments I have to be a member of a course who is setup with them (which I think all are) and then I am able to play in any IGA event I am eligible for. If your not looking at tournament play, I really think having a handicap is fairly pointless as there are several free options out there that will get you an unofficial handicap for discussion purposes.
 
Our association events pay gross and net. GHIN is part of our membership. So, my handicap gets used for those events every 2 weeks.
 
GSWGA, GSGA, GWGA events

Local club tournaments such as Club Championship (gross and net winner)

Weekly golf - I have to give several ladies strokes based on the difference in our handicap when we play our weekly "Rabbit" game for $1 per side. :)

Scrambles and best ball - team handicap sometimes determines flight
 
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I am not aware of any specific USGA full net scored events but the NCGA here has tons of them and they all require a GHIN handicap.
 
We pay gross and net in our association also, but, that is not a full handicap tournament. That usually consists of subtracting our index from our gross score. That doesn't count the USGA course rating or slope into account. So I did not count it in my first post.
 
I used it once for a club scramble last year. Could have used it for a number of other tournies and leagues, but never felt like spending the money to enter.
 
We pay gross and net in our association also, but, that is not a full handicap tournament. That usually consists of subtracting our index from our gross score. That doesn't count the USGA course rating or slope into account. So I did not count it in my first post.

Our assoc. doesn't subtract your GHIN Index. It subtracts course handicap. So, while I am a 4.9. My course handicap on my home track is a 6. So, 6 is subtracted from my gross. For any ties, we use the USGA recommended back 9, back 6, back 3, etc.
 
Mine is through my club and we use them quite a bit during the year for multiple tournaments and formats. I find it well worth the money.
 
I use my USGA hdcp in golf league, flighted club championship, various tournaments at my home course through the year. Last year went to Mesquite Amateur abs used it there.

I also get a magazine from the GSGA with my annual fee.
 
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