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Issues with using golf handicaps during a match (Play the same tee/ best man or women

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Mystery Meat

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Talking to a co worker who i will be playing golf with tomorrow. The conversation went to golf handicap and giving shots on certain holes. What benefit is the golf handicap really ? Golf was always the lowest score wins , not give me 35 shots . It's almost a slap in the face to guys that work hard on their games really. When was it created ? And why?

why not just play lowest score and forget the handicap ? Either you can play well or you can't. And if you can't, work hard on areas that need improvement or get lessons. Whenever I hear someone mention give me a shot a hole or 2 shots it becomes very disturbing .

Who would like to dump handicaps and just play the game with what you have


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I think just play the game ... Pictures added


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Once you add $ to the equation "playing even" goes out the window! Why would I play a scratch golfer even up for $, to simply increase his/her bankroll?
 
GenErr said:
Once you add $ to the equation "playing even" goes out the window! Why would I play a scratch golfer even up for $, to simply increase his/her bankroll?
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I think the scratch golfer could make the same argument back citing their hard work, but that is where a decent portion of the playing public falls away from each other.

You either accept the differences and utilize handicap to level the playing field for both players to have a fair shot, or you accept that the other player is better/worse than you and just play to have fun.
 
Why have weight classes in boxing? If you've worked hard on your body, why not just bring what you have to the fight?

Like Canadan said, it's about leveling the playing field. You have to do it somehow to have a fair competition, whether it's handicap or tournament flights, or whatever. Otherwise why bother competing, especially for money? Somebody will always be better than you and somebody will always be worse than you. It would turn golf from a sport into a hustle if you had no way of knowing how good someone is going into a match.
 
If I'm going to shoot 90 or 100 . Than that is what I have , don't feel like they owe you 25 shots ??!? This handicap thing is just a hackers dream really . Or more like sand baggers

We settled and he is getting 23 shots today. That is crazy in my book


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I think suggesting that a handicap is a slap in the face to those that work hard on their game is unfair in a number of ways, and honestly, a bit elitist - some people just don't have the time and money (for whatever reason, and there has been a conversation about this before) to be able to practice or get lessons. Other people have a limited amount of ability that prevents them from progressing beyond a certain level, so to suggest that they have to play someone who is a lot better than them is not fair at all

For me, I look at my handicap as a measure of my level of ability, but I also like the fact that I could compete on a level playing field with someone like Dan, Six4Three5, etc which makes the game more interesting

If you had to play someone who you knew you had no chance of beating (without having handicap strokes), would you honestly play your best?


Canadan said:
You either accept the differences and utilize handicap to level the playing field for both players to have a fair shot, or you accept that the other player is better/worse than you and just play to have fun.
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This sums it up perfectly for me Dan, playing against my usual friends it usually works out pretty close when handicaps are taken into account, although we always play to have fun first and foremost
 
I see your point. I liked that the Morgan Cup (it was an older THP tournament) wasn't indexed. I was on both the winning and losing side of matches, but it was just cleaner. Pretty much have to have it in organized leagues though. Otherwise nobody would bother.
 
Issues with using golf handicaps during a match (Play the same tee/ best man ...

Issues with using golf handicaps during a match (Play the same tee/ best man ...

Maybe I should carry him to the cart to . And clean his face with a napkin after he eats ... Than he wants to play skins.. Will take a math wizard to figure this out. When I used to play with good players I could see where u needed to improve on . Not honor them by 2 shots a hole

Not sure , but it would make me feel less as a golfer and more like I "suck "

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People give out points in one on one basketball games all the time. No point playing someone straight up that you know you're going to beat soundly unless you're just a sore winner. I would take no joy of trying to play some of my friends straight up that I know I am clearly better than.
 
Mystery Meat said:
Maybe I should carry him to the cart to . And clean his face with a napkin after he eats ... Than he wants to play skins.. Will take a math wizard to figure this out. When I used to play with good players good
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I have a simple solution for you. Don't play a match against him.

You obviously don't like handicaps. Why fight it?
 
I find it offensive to characterize poor players as guys that don't practice enough. That's crap. I also don't get this business of better players resenting the handicap system. I'm playing my next match play event Sunday and giving 12 strokes. My job is to take care of me, try to make pars then shake hands at the end. You know, all you scratch players might need to remember that you make up about .1% of the golf population. Without the handicap system you would play the same 3 or 4 guys at your club repeatedly and / or not have anyone to play against most of the time. Sound like fun?
 
Mystery Meat said:
Maybe I should carry him to the cart to . And clean his face with a napkin after he eats ... Than he wants to play skins.. Will take a math wizard to figure this out. When I used to play with good players I could see where u needed to improve on . Not honor them by 2 shots a hole

Not sure , but it would make me feel less as a golfer and more like I "suck "

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For a guy that said not giving someone a participation trophy "ruined your day", this post is hysterical.
 
tequila4kapp said:
I find it offensive to characterize poor players as guys that don't practice enough. That's crap. I also don't get this business of better players resenting the handicap system. I'm playing my next match play event Sunday and giving 12 strokes. My job is to take care of me, try to make pars then shake hands at the end. You know, all you scratch players might need to remember that you make up about .1% of the golf population. Without the handicap system you would play the same 3 or 4 guys at your club repeatedly and / or not have anyone to play against most of the time. Sound like fun?
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Technically without the handicap system, people would just play golf.... And yes that sounds like a LOT of fun!
 
Personally I think this is a pretty easy problem to solve. If you don't like handicaps, then don't play in events/money games that involve handicaps.

Handicaps are in other sports (weight classes in MMA/Boxing, vehicle restrictions in auto racing, etc.), not just golf, it's just a way to let everybody have a chance at competing.
 
Handicaps are used to foster an environment of competition. There are plenty of times to play straight up.

Hey Meat, we should play sometime from 7,000 yards. Straight up. Forget what tees were used for indexes. Why should I have to give up my length advantage? I worked on being able to poke a drive 300 yards. No reason why I have to allow you a chance by playing from 6,300.
 
Canadan said:
Technically without the handicap system, people would just play golf.... And yes that sounds like a LOT of fun!
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People can just go play golf whenever they want. In fact, that's the way it is nearly all the time. Nobody forces us to enter competitions. Usually the rules of competitions are posted in advance. If one doesn't like those rules there's a pretty easy solution.
 
Issues with using golf handicaps during a match (Play the same tee/ best man ...

Issues with using golf handicaps during a match (Play the same tee/ best man ...

JB said:
For a guy that said not giving someone a participation trophy "ruined your day", this post is hysterical.
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I will get you your trophy . Either you can play or you need to work on your game.
S
Maybe I need a whole box of trophies for peeps. This is comical really ... Revenge of the hacks .

This handicap is for the guys / gals that have a whole mantle of participation trophies


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Mystery Meat said:
I will get you your trophy . Either you can play or you need to work on your game.
S
Maybe I need a whole box of trophies for peeps. This is comical really ... Revenge of the hacks
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This is the Hackers Paradise, where all skill levels are welcomed. I don't really know why you think you're above people to the point of making a thread and mocking a person for wanting to utilize a handicap system, but it is about as predictable as it comes from how you've posted here.

It's kind of sad, really. Safe to assume you've never been awarded a sportsmanship trophy in your lifetime.
 
This is so misguided it's not even funny.

I can't wait for the live update thread edition.
 
Par for the course I'm afraid. Par for the course
 
Mystery Meat said:
I will get you your trophy . Either you can play or you need to work on your game.
S
Maybe I need a whole box of trophies for peeps. This is comical really ... Revenge of the hacks .

This handicap is for the guys / gals that have a whole mantle of participation trophies


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This makes absolutely no sense.. It is rambling babbling nonsense.

You said yesterday everyone should get a trophy, that it ruined your day.. and now you are calling people with high handicaps hacks.. It is comical
 
Mystery Meat said:
Was looking forward to being competitive next year and found a local amateur tour that i might be interested in . The events would fit in perfectly with my busy schedule ; However, the course stops are brutal . All the stops are courses that are well into the 7000 plus yardage range ( and some ) approaching mid 7000. With my current handicap , I would have to play the extreme back tees in these events . This brought a few questions that I would like to present here . Do you believe age should be considered in these events for what division you are assigned too? Their senior division is 50 , and I'm slightly short of that . The courses i play are what some would consider shorter than most , but I still find them enjoyable and challenging . Seems like low handicap golfers who have a home course that is long are at an advantage to many .

Literally I would be hitting utilities and fairway woods into the par4's and par3's at many of these jaunts . Tough thing to do on a consistent basis .

Should they consider age and home course difficulty when flighting? Besides handicap

suggestions ? Besides buying a rocket launcher to play these venues ?
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Interesting. Wanting a little bit of help because of a lack of distance sounds like somebody wants the long hitters to willfully give up an advantage they have worked hard to get.
 
I have to give this guy 23 shots ...:(

Why even work on the game . Seems like the worse you play the more you get rewarded
I can see in a flighted tourney ... But regular play ?? This is hysterical
 
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