| Golfers handicap advice 21:36 - Jul 10 with 1373 views | Bluefish |
Couple of things on golf handicaps. I am just getting into golf again after not being able to play for a few years and only being sociable player before that. I was always very inconsistent but having played 4 times in the past couple of months and getting measured for new irons I have already seen a big improvement in consistency.
My questions are
What is a good way to work out a handicap for me without joining a club? Any online recommendations?
What is your best advice to start pushing myself on? I am looking at joining a club but realistically I wouldn't get any value for another couple of years. I'm playing monthly in a local society that travels round and the odds games here and there but this will drop off in the football season.
FORE RIGHT! |  |
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| Golfers handicap advice on 21:41 - Jul 10 with 1355 views | hatch |
There may be a website that does it for you but I’d take your last 5 or 6 cards and average your handicap from them? |  | | |
| Golfers handicap advice on 21:44 - Jul 10 with 1340 views | Bluefish |
| Golfers handicap advice on 21:41 - Jul 10 by hatch |
There may be a website that does it for you but I’d take your last 5 or 6 cards and average your handicap from them? |
I thought the original handicap setting had more to it than that but I might be wrong. I thought it capped shots per hole based on the par and then worked out the handicap? I was sure that is how it worked, I remember my best mate starting on about 15 despite never hitting a round close to it at the time | |
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| Golfers handicap advice on 21:48 - Jul 10 with 1331 views | hatch |
| Golfers handicap advice on 21:44 - Jul 10 by Bluefish |
I thought the original handicap setting had more to it than that but I might be wrong. I thought it capped shots per hole based on the par and then worked out the handicap? I was sure that is how it worked, I remember my best mate starting on about 15 despite never hitting a round close to it at the time |
When I got my first handicap as a teen I had to hand in three cards, these were either competition cards or I had to play with a member and declare I was submitting a card before I went out to play. I managed at 20 which I then struggled to play to! Depends if you’re wanting an official handicap or just look for an indicator as to your standard? | | | |
| Golfers handicap advice on 21:53 - Jul 10 with 1317 views | Bluefish |
| Golfers handicap advice on 21:48 - Jul 10 by hatch |
When I got my first handicap as a teen I had to hand in three cards, these were either competition cards or I had to play with a member and declare I was submitting a card before I went out to play. I managed at 20 which I then struggled to play to! Depends if you’re wanting an official handicap or just look for an indicator as to your standard? |
Bit of both really I know roughly where I have started to play to but it is early days. If it is as simple as averaging my scores then I should be ok to work it out. | |
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| Golfers handicap advice on 21:55 - Jul 10 with 1310 views | xrayspecs |
To calculate a handicap, add up your scores for each round after capping the maximum on each hole at two over par. So the most you could score on a par 3 is 5, on a par 4 is 6 and a par 5 is 7, irrespective of how many shots you actually take. Add up your score for each round and subtract the SSS score, which will depend on which tees you played on and the par for the course. You now have a handicap score for each round.
Take an average of these scores and that would be a good guide for you handicap. Once you get to say 10 scores, discard the oldest when you play a new round and work out the average again. Is a lot easier than it may sound and once you have done it a couple of times, you will quickly be able to calculate the score.
Invest in golf lessons over new equipment to get a good basic swing and short game. Practice and play in roughly equal measures and the more you do of both, the better your game will get. Some clubs offer social membership where you can use their practice facilities and then pay extra if you want to play the course. This can work out a lot cheaper than full membership.
Google practice with purpose - how to get the maximum out of your practice sessions. A lot of golfers simply go to the range and just hit balls with no real purpose or thought. Golf Science Lab app is a good source of ideas on how to practice so that you give yourself the greatest chance of transferring what you do on the practice area onto the course. A bit geeky but some really good stuff on there.
Practising with purpose was a big part of my cricket coaching qualifications, so the concept it broader than golf but a lot of the lessons are the same. Make practice relevant to what you need to do in the game, make it fun and competitive (set yourself targets), once you get good make the practice more difficult than you would face on the course etc. So if practising your putting, go for slightly longer putts than you would face on the course, find sloping lies rather than flat lies.
Good luck. [Post edited 10 Jul 2019 22:25]
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| Golfers handicap advice on 21:55 - Jul 10 with 1311 views | itfcjoe |
| Golfers handicap advice on 21:44 - Jul 10 by Bluefish |
I thought the original handicap setting had more to it than that but I might be wrong. I thought it capped shots per hole based on the par and then worked out the handicap? I was sure that is how it worked, I remember my best mate starting on about 15 despite never hitting a round close to it at the time |
My Mum used to be a handicap secretary and I used to help before the days of automatic computer calculations! Think it was something like anything above a double or triple bogey is capped at that score on that hole and your score adjusted accordingly |  |
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| Golfers handicap advice on 21:58 - Jul 10 with 1297 views | hatch |
| Golfers handicap advice on 21:53 - Jul 10 by Bluefish |
Bit of both really I know roughly where I have started to play to but it is early days. If it is as simple as averaging my scores then I should be ok to work it out. |
I may be very wrong but that is how I do it now. I don’t have an official handicap as mine expired when I was at uni but going by my cards over recent months I average around 20-24, but then so do my mates really so we tend to just all play off the same handicap (defeats the point really, I know!).
It’s interesting though as I’ve played with bandits who’ll put themselves on 30 and play to 20, and also guys that’ll say they’re a 15 then play to 36 time and time again. It’s frustrating both ways so I’d just make sure you’re as honest as possible with yourself so both you and those you are playing with get the most enjoyment out of the competitive side of the game. | | | |
| Golfers handicap advice on 22:04 - Jul 10 with 1277 views | xrayspecs |
| Golfers handicap advice on 21:58 - Jul 10 by hatch |
I may be very wrong but that is how I do it now. I don’t have an official handicap as mine expired when I was at uni but going by my cards over recent months I average around 20-24, but then so do my mates really so we tend to just all play off the same handicap (defeats the point really, I know!).
It’s interesting though as I’ve played with bandits who’ll put themselves on 30 and play to 20, and also guys that’ll say they’re a 15 then play to 36 time and time again. It’s frustrating both ways so I’d just make sure you’re as honest as possible with yourself so both you and those you are playing with get the most enjoyment out of the competitive side of the game. |
The higher the handicap, the more volatile your scores will be.
A 36 handicapper can have a really solid round and shoot 5 or 6 under par. They could also shoot 10 over.
Some of the folk I play who are off single figures are more consistent around their handicap (+/-4) so it would be quite uncommon to shoot 5 or 6 under par or 10 over. | | | |
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| Golfers handicap advice on 22:06 - Jul 10 with 1275 views | Bluefish |
| Golfers handicap advice on 21:58 - Jul 10 by hatch |
I may be very wrong but that is how I do it now. I don’t have an official handicap as mine expired when I was at uni but going by my cards over recent months I average around 20-24, but then so do my mates really so we tend to just all play off the same handicap (defeats the point really, I know!).
It’s interesting though as I’ve played with bandits who’ll put themselves on 30 and play to 20, and also guys that’ll say they’re a 15 then play to 36 time and time again. It’s frustrating both ways so I’d just make sure you’re as honest as possible with yourself so both you and those you are playing with get the most enjoyment out of the competitive side of the game. |
Just read into it some more and found what I meant. They will disregard over a double bogey so my handicap would be lower. I will put together multiple pars and last time out I had 2 birdies but I can easily score 3 or 4 over as well on a couple of holes. I would expect on your way to play off 20 - 22 but taking off the blow up holes I think I would be off 16- 18 probably. | |
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| Golfers handicap advice on 22:09 - Jul 10 with 1271 views | hatch |
| Golfers handicap advice on 22:06 - Jul 10 by Bluefish |
Just read into it some more and found what I meant. They will disregard over a double bogey so my handicap would be lower. I will put together multiple pars and last time out I had 2 birdies but I can easily score 3 or 4 over as well on a couple of holes. I would expect on your way to play off 20 - 22 but taking off the blow up holes I think I would be off 16- 18 probably. |
That does ring a bell now. If I was playing against mates with official handicaps created that way then I’d have to use the same method I suppose, but given we are all using the same method makes sense to be aligned. | | | |
| Golfers handicap advice on 22:44 - Jul 10 with 1228 views | Reuser_is_God |
Play 4 rounds, add up how many strokes over par you are combined then divide that number by 4 & that’s your handicap.
I’m at the same stage as you with golf, good luck. |  |
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| Golfers handicap advice on 22:48 - Jul 10 with 1205 views | Bluefish |
| Golfers handicap advice on 22:44 - Jul 10 by Reuser_is_God |
Play 4 rounds, add up how many strokes over par you are combined then divide that number by 4 & that’s your handicap.
I’m at the same stage as you with golf, good luck. |
It is a bit different to that as above but in suppose it depends what we do with the handicaps ie. Playing with mates vs competitions.
I always thought it was a good game but I'm in love with it at the moment. I want to get out every day. Work is really getting in the way.
Good luck to you | |
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| Golfers handicap advice on 22:57 - Jul 10 with 1177 views | The_Romford_Blue |
| Golfers handicap advice on 21:48 - Jul 10 by hatch |
When I got my first handicap as a teen I had to hand in three cards, these were either competition cards or I had to play with a member and declare I was submitting a card before I went out to play. I managed at 20 which I then struggled to play to! Depends if you’re wanting an official handicap or just look for an indicator as to your standard? |
That’s how I was too when I got my first handicap at 14. Think I was 28 if I remember correctly |  |
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| Golfers handicap advice on 23:15 - Jul 10 with 1151 views | Moriarty |
Post cards from links courses on wet and windy days!
I’ve a preference for links.
I think the advice I’d give is to try and play a good range of courses, challenging, more forgiving, parkland, links etc.
To push yourself on, short game is key. Try pace putting and practice a lot of 5 foot puts. You’ll know yourself what area of your game you need to work on after a few rounds. Maybe take a lesson on that part of your game. |  |
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| Golfers handicap advice on 07:10 - Jul 11 with 1018 views | ElephantintheRoom |
Getting measured for new irons when you only play monthly? That's your first mistake as you dont need such fanchiful tosh - just get used to an adequate set of clubs and practice a bit. Most shots are lost on the short game. Practice putting and chipping accuracy and you'll be a much better golfer. Take some lessons too as a second opinion on your efforts can make a huge difference. Dont got for power over accuracy and you'll be even better. Most jobbing golfers waste their time and money thrahing golf balls on a range when playing on an actual course is completely different. When I got my handicap it wasn't that complicated. I played four rounds with the course professional, divided by score by four and subtracted par. Having it verified by the course professional came in useful for playing other courses. | |
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