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usga handicap season by state/region or association. interesting but also strange

rollin

rollin

"Just playin golf pally"
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http://www.usga.org/handicapping-articles/handicap-active-and-inactive-season-schedule-25489.html

Above ^^^^ is the usga link. I don't know if its up to date but is what I found as I was wondering when your season begin and end. Instead of asking everyone I found this link but found it a bit interesting or even a tad contradicting as far as how "I" thought it would be as for places I assume get colder faster yet seem to golf longer. Even if just a little bit but still not what I expected.

I do find it strange how some states have different seasons within the same state as per the different associations. I also find it strange that certain places which may be more north might have longer seasons than a bit more southern states. For example in (my) New Jersey we end on Oct-31. While in New Hampshire ends two weeks later on Nov-14. Yet main (even more north than New Hampshire) ends the same time as New jersey.

Interesting to see Utah goes year round in the south yet Nov-14 in the north and also starts in march. I think of Utah as skiing and a lot of snow. Same with Colorado but I guess a lot of this has to with mountains and higher altitude areas vs not.

But even again back here in the northeast Vermont for example or even upstate new York can get pretty darn cold much earlier and even get early snows sometimes. All that can and does happen just often enough vs say (N.J.) were I am yet the season is the same and again N.H. goes even longer?

Virginia goes year round? I new it would be longer and even by a couple months but never thought year round as Virginia does have 4 seasons and winter can indeed have snows and cold temps, no?.

Whatever, I just found it interesting and throwing it our there for some conversation, thoughts, etc... :)
 
In Indiana clubs us Blue Golf and I think our season for posting ended Nov. 1st.
 
Living is a year round state.....priceless
 
Doesn't the course have a say in it as well up to a point?
I played a round on 11/3 and when I went to enter my score it wouldn't let me because the course was "closed for the season" but played a different course on 11/5 and was able to enter that score.

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moosejaa said:
Doesn't the course have a say in it as well up to a point?
I played a round on 11/3 and when I went to enter my score it wouldn't let me because the course was "closed for the season" but played a different course on 11/5 and was able to enter that score.

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I'm not sure what any official rule of any association or the usga would dictate for any association but I assume a given course may be able to end earlier for a given reason like conditions, weather, etc...but it would make sense that playing longer is what probably cant happen. Of course I am just making assumptions here.
 
It's course dependent in the sense that I cannot enter scores from my home course as its last official day was October 31 but I can go to a warm weather course and enter scores. When I was in Scottsdale last Feb all scores were included in my handicap bit the revision was not updated until April when the season started again.

In other words my handicap was locked from Nov 15 until April despite entering rounds from courses that were open.


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wubears71 said:
It's course dependent in the sense that I cannot enter scores from my home course as its last official day was October 31 but I can go to a warm weather course and enter scores. When I was in Scottsdale last Feb all scores were included in my handicap bit the revision was not updated until April when the season started again.

In other words my handicap was locked from Nov 15 until April despite entering rounds from courses that were open.


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Not course dependent, but association dependent. The warmer area of play was part of a different association. As per the link page, both your MO associations end Nov-14, But the Arizona associations go year round. If one plays via an Arizona association yet played a round in MO in December that round would not count because its out of season there even though the players home AZ season is till open.
 
It's seasonal in PA and is annoying as all get out. I can only post for 8 months even though I golf year round, many times at courses that allow posting at that time. I enjoy belong to the Golf Association of Philadelphia a lot, but have some times contemplated belonging elsewhere that allows posting year round.
 
rollin said:
Not course dependent, but association dependent. The warmer area of play was part of a different association. As per the link page, both your MO associations end Nov-14, But the Arizona associations go year round. If one plays via an Arizona association yet played a round in MO in December that round would not count because its out of season there even though the players home AZ season is till open.
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I stand corrected. I can still post scores from Gateway National despite it's season being officially over. Last year, it just so happened it's season ended the same day as the GHIN season in our area. I just posted my 9 hole score from the other day.
 
Philly Golf Guy said:
It's seasonal in PA and is annoying as all get out. I can only post for 8 months even though I golf year round, many times at courses that allow posting at that time. I enjoy belong to the Golf Association of Philadelphia a lot, but have some times contemplated belonging elsewhere that allows posting year round.
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Its seasonal in most areas where we have colder temps. Courses alter tee boxes, some around here use two holes on each green so they get rotated between each passing group. Hard to allow scores in varying conditions or course closures.
 
Mine season closed Nov 1st so did my course (frost delays nowadays), I have to enter scores for warmer climate courses like Hawaii, now where's my westjet link?
 
emart2173 said:
Its seasonal in most areas where we have colder temps. Courses alter tee boxes, some around here use two holes on each green so they get rotated between each passing group. Hard to allow scores in varying conditions or course closures.
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I agree, but think November and March could be included for our area because there are several years those months are fine, like we're seeing this year.

And also, if I go play in Florida where the courses are fine, I'd like to be able to post. Some times it helps like when I was eaten alive at El Campeon, but it would have been nice to post my round from Waldorf on the same trip.
 
Philly Golf Guy said:
It's seasonal in PA and is annoying as all get out. I can only post for 8 months even though I golf year round, many times at courses that allow posting at that time. I enjoy belong to the Golf Association of Philadelphia a lot, but have some times contemplated belonging elsewhere that allows posting year round.
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But if your playing any rounds in places where it is in season then you can and in fact are suppose to post those scores so I am not following you. Obviously playing in Philly or near by where as the season is over, those scores cant count even if you play year round (weather permitting) it doesn't matter because the season is closed. Go play in S. Carolina where its still open and yes you can and should post those on your Philly GA association.

Came back to edit here - I just looked at the Philly GA website and it even says you must post all scores when played anywhere that it is in season.
 
rollin said:
But if your playing any rounds in places where it is in season then you can and in fact are suppose to post those scores so I am not following you. Obviously playing in Philly or near by where as the season is over, those scores cant count even if you play year round (weather permitting) it doesn't matter because the season is closed. Go play in S. Carolina where its still open and yes you can and should post those on your PA,GA association.
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It wouldn't let me last year post anything from rounds in FL.

As far as the season here, I think it should be extended a couple months.
 
I'm year around, 365 if I'd like
 
Philly Golf Guy said:
I agree, but think November and March could be included for our area because there are several years those months are fine, like we're seeing this year.

And also, if I go play in Florida where the courses are fine, I'd like to be able to post. Some times it helps like when I was eaten alive at El Campeon, but it would have been nice to post my round from Waldorf on the same trip.
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As said in my last post you can and are suppose to post any score from any "in season" place.
As for your desire for November to be considered in season? Sure we do get decent enough weather (me being next door to you in NJ) and even at times very good weather. But lets face it there are also plenty years where we can get very cold and also even early snow. But even in an average November in general, we have leaves everywhere, vegetation dying off, un-uniform grass growth via the rough and in general throughout the courses different areas, etc, etc,.... In general the courses are just not quite the same due to a number of factors. Even small factors do add up to collectively become a larger one and so the rating and slope is not quite the same. Even just cold weather by itself has affect on golf. So just not practical imo to go through November. That's why I was surprised to see NH go 2 weeks further than us.
 
Lots of States north of Ohio closing later than we do, which I've always found strange.

That said, I don't see why they bother closing anything. If I play during the winter with my summer handicap, it's not an accurate reflection of what I'll shoot. In fact I refuse to play anything competitive with friends or tournaments until probably early May as it takes quite some time to get back into the rhythm around the greens.

May as well let our handicaps change with our games year round.
 
Philly Golf Guy said:
It wouldn't let me last year post anything from rounds in FL.

As far as the season here, I think it should be extended a couple months.
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we are writing at the same times and our posts are sort of out of turn lol.
I looked at your association and they say you must post ay round from "in season" places. if they didn't do that last year it was imo wrong bt anyway you can do it now from what I seen on the website
 
usga handicap season by state/region or association. interesting but also str...

usga handicap season by state/region or association. interesting but also str...

rollin said:
As said in my last post you can and are suppose to post any score from any "in season" place.
As for your desire for November to be considered in season? Sure we do get decent enough weather (me being next door to you in NJ) and even at times very good weather. But lets face it there are also plenty years where we can get very cold and also even early snow. But even in an average November in general, we have leaves everywhere, vegetation dying off, un-uniform grass growth via the rough and in general throughout the courses different areas, etc, etc,.... In general the courses are just not quite the same due to a number of factors. Even small factors do add up to collectively become a larger one and so the rating and slope is not quite the same. Even just cold weather by itself has affect on golf. So just not practical imo to go through November. That's why I was surprised to see NH go 2 weeks further than us.
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Yeah I know what your post said and I told you I wasn't able to do it. Wish I could have. Edit, you posted as I was writing. It didn't even give me the chance to input the round was from a different area. It should be something I take up with them for sure.

I'm not going to go back and forth on the whole November thing. While the Novembers the last few years have been cold, we rarely get snow and it plays very similarly to October IMO.
 
Philly Golf Guy said:
I agree, but think November and March could be included for our area because there are several years those months are fine, like we're seeing this year.

And also, if I go play in Florida where the courses are fine, I'd like to be able to post. Some times it helps like when I was eaten alive at El Campeon, but it would have been nice to post my round from Waldorf on the same trip.
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ypu up should have been able to post. I know i would have been able to if I actually kept an accurate score from those rounds and I'm 99% sure Gregg posted his and they counted.
 
emart2173 said:
ypu up should have been able to post. I know i would have been able to if I actually kept an accurate score from those rounds and I'm 99% sure Gregg posted his and they counted.
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I should just use Gregg's scores anyways; we were hitting it to the same spots, his short game and putting was just infinitely better! I'll just pretend that was the same too.
 
Philly Golf Guy said:
I should just use Gregg's scores anyways; we were hitting it to the same spots, his short game and putting was just infinitely better! I'll just pretend that was the same too.
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funny..he might say his was off that day. That round was something I never saw before with you two being next to each other on pretty much very shot. You guys would have to flip a coin in a scramble for whose shots would be used
 
Canadan said:
Lots of States north of Ohio closing later than we do, which I've always found strange.

That said, I don't see why they bother closing anything. If I play during the winter with my summer handicap, it's not an accurate reflection of what I'll shoot. In fact I refuse to play anything competitive with friends or tournaments until probably early May as it takes quite some time to get back into the rhythm around the greens.

May as well let our handicaps change with our games year round.
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Not really following your thoughts here. If your winter play wouldn't really reflect your in-season play than why would you think they should count any round all year? I mean if the (or your) play is affected differently winter vs summer than isn't that really the purpose of closing a season? Just not sure I follow here or I am misunderstanding the post.

As for colder places closing later? yea , strange imo too.
 
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