Working out handicap.

Trankton

Sorry if this has been done before.

Just wondering how they work out your handicap at a club. I don't have a handicap at the moment as only just really getting into the golf. However, I'd like to know where abouts I'd stand, I reckon it would be about 27 but can't be sure.

Can't afford to join a club at the moment so planning on playing 3 rounds at one course and try to see what kind of level I'm at and improve from there, then hopefully next year will join a club.

I know at clubs you play 3 rounds and they work it out from there but does anyone know how they actually calculate it???

Thanks.

Squiggle

At my club they err on the cautious side and generally only give 16 to able bodied men. You might get 18 if you were a senior citizen.

PhilipMarlowe

I don't think there is an exact science but usually you hand in 3 cards. A club can look for more than 3 if they wish but 3 is the norm.
Your handicap is based on the best of these 3 cards, not an average. Any disaster holes will usually be reduced down to a double bogey so as not to skew the result.
Your handicap will not necessarily be an exact calculation of this card because your handicap is supposed to be something you are capable of playing to, but not every day!

Trankton

Thanks Licksy. Well, gonna play 2 more rounds in the next couple of weeks at same course and will see what I end up with. Cheers.

Trankton

One more thing. Lets say out of the 3 cards the best was 100, what kinda handicap would you be looking at from that??

Hobart

Trankton wrote: »

One more thing. Lets say out of the 3 cards the best was 100, what kinda handicap would you be looking at from that??

Again, it's not an exact science. It depends on what the card looks like. If, for example, you had 5-6 pars in that 100, you would be marked down more severely than, if you only had 1-2 pars. My club rarely give out starting handicaps above 20, as handicaps can go up aswell as down. The thinking being, that over the space of 1-2 years you will gradually settle to the level you should be playing at, based on ability, practice etc...

HonSec

It is an exact science see under heading " I am not happy with my Handicap"

charlieIRL

starting out you should give yourself 18 or 20..............but remember, you are starting out. No point in crucifying yourself with a handicap from the start and go around thinking "i'm only got 15 points this round" You'll give up before you get to enjoy it.

Get used to playing and then start worrying about a handicap.

DU.LLAHAN

Check this out http://todaysgolfer.golfscoretracker.co.uk