4 Ball handicap allowance

shaycl

What is the opinion on the 3/4 handicap allowance given on 4 ball betterball competitions. A long handicapper ( 16 + ) is at a disadvantage as he/she loses 4 shots or more as opposed to single figure player. Better players can handle 1 to 2 shot reductions due to their ability whereas long handicappers struggle

Woodgate

I think it's more a mental thing for higher handicappers, everyone loses 3/4 but obviously seems more if you have a high handicap. Say a guy off 20 who's used to having 2 shots on a hole suddenly loses that little cushion. However I think it's fair enough, I'm off 5 so go to 4, so lose 1 shot, but it's still the loss of 3/4.

Huntelaar

The fact that a high handicapper loses a couple of shots more is hardly a big deal considering all they have to do for a win on a hole is par it! Its a hell of a lot harder for a lower handicapper to birdie a hole than it is for a higher handicapper to par it! If anything they should be losing even more in my opinion. How often would you see 2 guys off 5 or less winning fourballs in your club?? Not very often would be my guess.

G1032

shaycl wrote: »

What is the opinion on the 3/4 handicap allowance given on 4 ball betterball competitions. A long handicapper ( 16 + ) is at a disadvantage as he/she loses 4 shots or more as opposed to single figure player. Better players can handle 1 to 2 shot reductions due to their ability whereas long handicappers struggle

I wouldn't agree with this at all. As has been pointed out on this forum during many a debate the higher handicapper has a high handicap due to his inconsistency. A 16 handicapper golfer is more than capable of going on a run of 5 or 6 pars which would be very difficult for a low handicapper to live with. Also the 16+ handicapper might have a couple of disastrous holes which would affect his stokeplay score but will only cost him one hole in matchplay.

BoardsMember

Huntelaar wrote: »

Its a hell of a lot harder for a lower handicapper to birdie a hole than it is for a higher handicapper to par it!

Talk us through that one. It makes no sense to me, surely that's completely at odds with the handicap/stableford system?

Huntelaar

BoardsMember wrote: »

Talk us through that one. It makes no sense to me, surely that's completely at odds with the handicap/stableford system?

Pretty sure most people would agree. Maybe I'm wrong.

Do you honestly think that it's just as easy for a low handicapper to stick a shot in close and get the putt as it is for say a 15 handicapper to knob 2 shots onto a green and 2 putt?

Russman

I think the reduction is fair enough, based on the fact that handicaps are for a full round, ie 18 holes. It's fairly unusual for one person to do all the scoring in a 4 ball, generally your bad holes don't count. It would be these bad holes that give rise to the higher handicap in the first place so I don't think you should get the benefit of the extra shots when they will (broadly speaking) be used on a) holes you play well and b) less than a full round.
I agree it's mostly a mental thing with high handicappers. In our place it seems they are often so annoyed about it before they go out they've no chance anyway. It's not unusual for, say, a 20 handicapper to win a singles with, say, at least 2 double bogeys on his card, but when the 4 or 5 shots come off at the start it's a different matter for some reason. These 2 or 3 double bogeys probably wouldn't count in a 4 ball anyway.

Tarbhdubh

Don't think its fair on an 80 year old playing off 28 losing 7 shots. As far as the concerns from the single handicapper that he would have to birdie 6 holes in a row to keep up wlth high handicapper who pars 6 in a row. Well the likely hood is that the high handicapper will have D/Bogey and scratches included not pars and bogeys. Just think there should be some age allowance. I'm not retired yet. 16 HC.

charlieIRL

4 year old thread!!