# Handicap and how long?



## .x.Bethan.x. (Nov 21, 2006)

What is everybody's handicaps?
And how long have you all been playing?


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## srothfuss (Nov 17, 2006)

I played when I was younger, then quit for about 8 years but am starting to get back into the game now that life has settled down for the most part. 

My handi back then was 10... I played this summer but not enough to get an accurate reading on what it'll be now. I was pretty rusty but then things started to click near the end of the season for me. 

Next spring - I'll know for sure.


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## scaramanga (Dec 7, 2006)

Hi,

I have been playing for just over a year now, My handicap is down to 18.5 after starting with a 25:thumbsup:


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## Fore! (Oct 17, 2006)

well my handicap is now 25 after having played for about 3 months.

is that good i dont know?


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## srothfuss (Nov 17, 2006)

Even if it's not good, as long as you are having fun that is all that matters!


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## ghost (Nov 6, 2006)

srothfuss said:


> Even if it's not good, as long as you are having fun that is all that matters!


A quiet way of saying, NO.

lol, j/k.

I've only got 5 rounds calculated and right now it's a 22.2 

not cool, especially when i was pushing an 11 back in high school.... but that was also like 7 years ago.

Hopefully be down this summer to around a 15 or so.


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## Fore! (Oct 17, 2006)

srothfuss said:


> Even if it's not good, as long as you are having fun that is all that matters!


lol you dont have to say it like that.

i knew it wasnt that good anyway.


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## srothfuss (Nov 17, 2006)

Niceness is always overrated but never under appreciated.  

Besides, my biggest flaw on the golf course is water hazards - they're like a magnet to my golf balls.


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## .x.Bethan.x. (Nov 21, 2006)

25 isnt that bad....and after only playing for 3 months! i think thats pretty good to be honest!
Im off 18


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## scaramanga (Dec 7, 2006)

Fore! said:


> well my handicap is now 25 after having played for about 3 months.
> 
> is that good i dont know?


25 after 3 months is not bad at all. I started playing about a year ago and have gone from 25 to 18.5 in that time.

Do any of you target yourself to try and reach a certain H'cap by a certain time?
I do, I am trying to get down to 12 by end 2007, my original goal was to get to 20 in 6 months which I did but thought I should up the stakes!


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## Fore! (Oct 17, 2006)

srothfuss how come youve got so many post but so little points???


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## srothfuss (Nov 17, 2006)

I'm not to sure really... :dunno: I was going to make a thread about it, but with all of the other points threads out there I didn't want to add another one. 

Maybe I really don't contribute enough useful information :laugh:


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## Golfbum (Oct 14, 2006)

I finished the season with an index of 8, after 122 rounds played.
Too high for me. I have played golf for 25 years, longer than most of you have been alive :laugh: 
However back in May I suffered a heart attack and then I had a double by pass operation. I was back playing golf within 5 weeks of being released from the hospital. I played, but not well due to the fact my chest had been cut open. My swing was messed up for sometime after the operation. 
It took until the end of October before I started playing well again. In November I played 19 rounds, 15 of those rounds my scores were not worse than 78. 
The GOA has a cut off point of the end of October for entering scores for handicaps. Simply because by that time of the season in Ontario we might be playing winter rules due to course conditions.
If I had entered my November scores I am quite sure my index would have dropped to down around 7 or just below.
So I am happy with my handicap situation for this year considering what I went through. :thumbsup:


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## PowerPenguin (Dec 5, 2006)

My official CONGU handicap is 12, I have been playing for 2 years now. Started this season at 17, so was pleased with the drop. Need to do some work over the winter to get to 8 next year.  

Dave


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## Fourputt (Nov 18, 2006)

14.9 USGA index as of the end of the 2006 season. 

As for how long.... I first played an actual 9 holes when I was 15, so that makes it 45 years. But I've been playing regularly for only about 30. I've been playing in a competetive men's club for 17 years.


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## 65nlovenit (Dec 8, 2006)

Because this was my first year of getting out on a regular basis (3+ times a week)and I really didn't understand the handicap system, I was reluctant to enter my scores. Then as the season was winding down the guys starting talking about weekend scrambles, where its important to know what your handicap really is. SO I entered 14 of my last rounds and it says I'm a 20 handicap. I'm still not sure how its measured, but I would be interested in finding out what average score I would have to shoot to become a 15 handicap. If someone could let me know I'd be much obliged. Here is the Rating and Slope of my home course. White Rating 67.0 Slope 115. Blue Rating 65.0 Slope 109.


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## fitz-uk (Apr 28, 2006)

14.2 but regularly in mid 70's and hitting 40 odd points at 3/4 handicap in stapleford comps. However, our handicap secretary is reluctant to alter handicaps due to winter rules.... go figure.


I have been playing for 2 years solid now, however I played as a junior until I was 18 or so and got down to 12 handicap. Then gave up golf for booze and women (not in that order)


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## jump15vc (Jul 30, 2006)

I'm a scratch, index +0.3, I've been playing consistantly in the summer for probably 7 or 8 years and i've been playing tournamnets for 4 or 5


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## pitch (Dec 12, 2006)

Current handicap is 6.2. Lowest it has ever been is +2.
I've been playing for 35 years.


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## Fore! (Oct 17, 2006)

what period in peoples lives do people find that their handicap is lowest?


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## Tiger-Whoops (Dec 23, 2006)

well i have been playing fro about 1.5 years now playing regular now and am dwn to a 6.5 handicap and getting lower and at only 15 years of age i believe its not a bad handicap please tell me if this isn't so good still don't really understand it


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## Fourputt (Nov 18, 2006)

Fore! said:


> what period in peoples lives do people find that their handicap is lowest?


I had my lowest index when I was playing the most golf. For the last 10 years I haven't played as much, plus I've had to take a couple of layoffs due to injuries, and my handicap reflects that. One week from today I retire, and I plan to change that trend significantly... :thumbsup:


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## Almo (May 25, 2006)

Hacked them around for 14 years up through high school and quit for 6 years. Last 5 years I have tried pulling myself back together and currently playing to a 3. 

Cheers,
Allen


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## tkessel (Dec 28, 2006)

I'm still a 33+ handicap, although I have been actually getting better: I just take fewer Mulligans, so my score stays about the same, even though I'm doing better. I've only been playing since August, 2006. I played a bit when I was in college, but not enough to build any skills: just great memories playing with my grandfather!

35 years in between lessons has made be more than a bit rusty!


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## Fourputt (Nov 18, 2006)

tkessel said:


> I'm still a 33+ handicap, although I have been actually getting better: I just take fewer Mulligans, so my score stays about the same, even though I'm doing better. I've only been playing since August, 2006. I played a bit when I was in college, but not enough to build any skills: just great memories playing with my grandfather!
> 
> 35 years in between lessons has made be more than a bit rusty!


You're one of the lucky ones.... with a little bit of effort, your handicap can drop quickly. Once you get below 15, improvement becomes far more difficult.:dunno:


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## OzGolfer (Oct 5, 2006)

I have been playing golf since 1999, I am 45 years of age and only wished I took the game up sooner. I am currently playing off 19. Like most people, work and family commitments take up time and it doesn't leave much time for playing or practicing golf. I love the game and enjoy the company and I am getting exercise (on some days too much exercise  ) so what more can you ask for???


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## Zorba (Jan 5, 2007)

how is a handicap calculated? ive only played 2.5 rounds (ie 2 full rounds and 1 9 hole round)


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## Fourputt (Nov 18, 2006)

Zorba said:


> how is a handicap calculated? ive only played 2.5 rounds (ie 2 full rounds and 1 9 hole round)


To maintain an official handicap requres participating in a club that subscribes to a handicapping service. Here in the US that is generally a USGA member club. When I first joined a club they required a minimum of five 18 hole rounds to give one a temporary handicap, but normally the USGA system uses the BEST 10 of your last 20 submitted 18 hole scores. The scores are plugged into a formula that also takes into consideration the course slope and rating. The formula spits out a number that is your Handicap Index, and that index is used with a chart for each course you play to determine your course handicap. My current index is 14.9, which converts to a 16 handicap on a course with a 123 slope.

There is a site that Ghost promotes that will track many aspects of your game... see the thread called "So, golf tracker so far...." I think it figures handicaps as well as keeping stats, scores, and trends. It seems to be a nice service, although I've only been able to submit 2 rounds prior to winter locking the local courses in its grip. :thumbsup:


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## Ryan (May 22, 2006)

I've played for about 3 months and I'm around 18-20, but it should go down once I start again next spring since I play almost every day. Perks of workin' at the course!

Take care,
Ryan


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## Zorba (Jan 5, 2007)

thanks for that

im not thinking of joining a registered club or whatever to get an official handicap at this stage just thought there might be a simple way to work it out.


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## MyGolfHQ (Jan 8, 2007)

I'm a 3.3 and have been playing for about 20 years. Up until last year, I had lowered my handicap each year a little bit (pretty much maintained it last year). I'm having trouble getting any lower than the 3, and I know that is going to go up because we are planning on having a 2nd child next year and I won't be able to play nearly as much!


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## U Grooves (Feb 13, 2007)

I am 16 at the moment, and have been playing golf for 3 years. My handicap is currently at 1.5 at NSW Golf Club.


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## jho786 (Jul 25, 2006)

Ive been playing since I was 9 years old and am now 20. My handicap is an 8.2 and I have a goal of getting it down to a 7 or a 6.5 by September


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## blueice (Feb 19, 2007)

Oh god i play off about 22 and you guys play like the pros with your low handicaps .....been playing for a2 years now but not to worry this year i will try and get my handicap down lower (perhaps 20..lol)


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## U Grooves (Feb 13, 2007)

Im just curious to know whether anyone else here has ever been off scratch or lower?


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## Dysfunctional (Jan 10, 2007)

I picked up the game in June last year. I'm currently at a 23 but it has been trending down after every round. My goal for this year is to get between 12-15.


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## 300Yards (Jan 23, 2007)

I play off of a 2 handicap presently. I have been playing for 12 years.


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## 300Yards (Jan 23, 2007)

Tiger-Whoops said:


> well i have been playing fro about 1.5 years now playing regular now and am dwn to a 6.5 handicap and getting lower and at only 15 years of age i believe its not a bad handicap please tell me if this isn't so good still don't really understand it


That is a fine handicap to have for anyone left alone someone who has been playing for only 1.5 years. Congrats, and keep it up!


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## Shawnr (Feb 21, 2007)

could anyone link me to a site that explains how i figure this kind of thing out?

or explain in general?

also, whats it mean?


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## jump15vc (Jul 30, 2006)

U Grooves said:


> Im just curious to know whether anyone else here has ever been off scratch or lower?


ijust turned 18 and i'm a +1 my low tournament score is a -5 67


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## cesc (Mar 3, 2007)

What exactly is a 3.3? I think +1 means one over par? Help me out...


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## jump15vc (Jul 30, 2006)

a 3.3 means that the average of the player best 10 of his last 20 scores is 3.3 strokes OVER par. +1 means that the best 10 of my last 20 average into 1 Under par. 
i hope this clears everything up


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## 373 (Jun 9, 2006)

I don't have an official handicap because I don't belong to a club or league right now. So, I could tell the truth and guess at about 8 because I've shot from 74 to around 85 lately, mostly right around 80... or I could be a legend in my own mind and tell you I'm scratch.

Anyone wanna humor me?


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