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How to Fix the Broken Handicap System: Dynamic Handicapping

 
1. What's wrong with the handicap from my point of view is that it is keyed to distance. I play the same game that I did ten years ago - hit the ball straight, chip well, and putt well, but I have lost distance as I have aged and now with the same shot-making skills a handicap would make me look like I started playing last week.

2. Why do you even need a handicap? A handicap is something to have if you play in tournaments, but if you just go out to hit the ball around and have fun with friends, what purpose does a handicap serve?
 
RecGolfer said:
1. What's wrong with the handicap from my point of view is that it is keyed to distance. I play the same game that I did ten years ago - hit the ball straight, chip well, and putt well, but I have lost distance as I have aged and now with the same shot-making skills a handicap would make me look like I started playing last week.

2. Why do you even need a handicap? A handicap is something to have if you play in tournaments, but if you just go out to hit the ball around and have fun with friends, what purpose does a handicap serve?
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I only use the handicap system to keep track of my number rounds and as a flawed measure of how I’m playing recently. We do sometimes use handicaps for the casual team games we play and our men’s day is handicapped but that’s also for small money so it really doesn’t much matter if you win a skin or not.
 
tahoebum said:
I only use the handicap system to keep track of my number rounds and as a flawed measure of how I’m playing recently. We do sometimes use handicaps for the casual team games we play and our men’s day is handicapped but that’s also for small money so it really doesn’t much matter if you win a skin or not.
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Definitely use it to play casual, friendly games at my club and for club events. Definitely small money involved.
 
Wormkiller said:
What incentive is there to hit a green in reg?
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Statistically, it would be scoring improvement. Hitting the green in regulation correlates to lower score. I believe @xThor posted some info in this thread, somewhere.
 
Wormkiller said:
As much as having an extra shot on a hole?
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I don’t want to say read all 800 posts, but it’s been discussed throughly through here. I’ll try to give a brief summary.

My theory is that a high cap and a low cap are closer in skill with putting than most other shots, with the disparity growing the father away from the hole. When a higher cap hits a GIR, and gets a stroke (or two in some cases) it creates an outsized advantage for the higher cap.

I think this would balance competition. Some say it would create a scenario where people would miss the green on purpose, just to chip on close to the hole. The counterpoint was that if a player is skilled enough to do that consistently, then the player probably isn’t a high cap and then this really wouldn’t impact their play.

This concept is best applied to head to head play.

Some people think it’s a good idea. Others think it is a terrible, awful idea. They are both probably right.
 
BigDill said:
I don’t want to say read all 800 posts, but it’s been discussed throughly through here. I’ll try to give a brief summary.

My theory is that a high cap and a low cap are closer in skill with putting than most other shots, with the disparity growing the father away from the hole. When a higher cap hits a GIR, and gets a stroke (or two in some cases) it creates an outsized advantage for the higher cap.

I think this would balance competition. Some say it would create a scenario where people would miss the green on purpose, just to chip on close to the hole. The counterpoint was that if a player is skilled enough to do that consistently, then the player probably isn’t a high cap and then this really wouldn’t impact their play.

This concept is best applied to head to head play.

Some people think it’s a good idea. Others think it is a terrible, awful idea. They are both probably right.
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Nope 🤣
 
I think what really levels the field with players of greatly different abilities and consistencies is Stableford scoring with pops. Blow up holes will not take anyone out of the running. I hate seeing guys playing well to their cap, only to lose the whole round over one bad hole. Reward the good holes, don't punish the bad.
 
Now that my handicap is dynamic and accessible, I'd like to work towards a more inclusive handicap.
 
Really thought they had implemented @BigDill ideas IMG_3117.jpeg
 
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