What is the average handicap of a Golf Club Atlas poster?

[scott anderson]

3.4 index

[John Keenan]

an enthusiastic  19.0

[scott anderson]

make that avid 3.4

[Bob Jenkins]

Avid - 8.7 index right now.

I'll get Jordan Wall's real 'cap for you or Sean Leary will!

[John Kirk]

Avid golfer, 1.2 handicap

[Powell Arms]

19.9 index, but can play to a 27

[JeffTodd]

Avid, 11.4.

[Mike Benham]

I'm going to check GHIN on each of you ...


Being an avid golfer doesn't mean we play a lot of golf or have the time to practice !!!


Currently, as of the October 1, 2007, I sport a 2.2 index.  My handicap is a wife and four children and I have moments of brilliance where I putt like a 36 hdcp.

[Tim Bert]

Golfer - 10.2

[Joe Bausch]

Avid golfer with an index of 5.9 (and a high variance).  

My guess is if you could sample all 1500 GCA members that the mean would be around 9.

[Roger Tufts]

Avid Golfer

Index 4.2, should be lower next revision.

Through I either play like a 1 or an 8. Its one or the other, never in between.

[Frank Pasquale]

Avid golfer (wannabe college golf coach) 1.6 index

[Paul Jones]

2.6 Index

[mike_malone]

Avid---12.3

[C. Squier]

Avid, when I get the hall pass.

0.9

CPS

[Brad Swanson]

I think the correlation here is the lower the post count, the lower the index.  These guys must be spending their time practicing and not posting.

FWIW, I don't have an official index either.  So Mr. Wagner, I'll take 2 a side.  

Cheers,
Brad

[Doug Ralston]

Shivas:

I think ill-thought out is a bit off.  Handicaps are there for a reason, and the one I referred to as being the "random tournament," it makes sense to have one.  I see too many sandbaggers without handicaps play in "net" tournaments and beat good players simply because the field wasn't level.

Hey - I'm all for playing straight up, especially with a group that is 5 and under - nothing worse than giving a (4) 2 strokes that can kick my ass on any given day.

Can you give me an example of an avid golfer (30+ rounds/year) who doesn't have a handicap AND considers themselves connected to the game?

Me! I will have played about 60-80 rounds this and never have competed with anyone, played in any tourney, or saw any reason for a handicap. I love golf and more I love golf courses. I will never conquer any course, so I will simply play them all [or as many as possible anyway].

Doug

[Tommy Williamsen]

I have been a 4 or 5 for years.  It is good enough to be a decent club player but stink in state competition.  When I was in the 30's and 40's I was a 2.  

[Andy Troeger]

Mike,
Count me in as another. I'll play about 50 rounds this year without a handicap. I moved and meant to get one set up somewhere and its October and never happened. Since I don't play in tournaments it hasn't made any difference. I'll probably sign up for next season anyway just to have it.

[Tom Jefferson]

Aging CGCS.....9.8, slowly floating up.

[Steve Kline]

John - you do know that the entire system is set up so that handicaps "travel" correctly, right?  You know about what slope is and how it is used, right?

Your 7.6 gives you probably a 7 or 8 handicap at your normal courses and gives you a 9 or 10 at VN, because VN's slope is higher.  It's rating is higher too.

I'm gonna assume you know all that and like Tony, are just frustrated with your own personal situation.

Because please believe me, the system works.

TH

Even though I'm from Kentucky, I've managed to grasp how the handicap system is intended to work.  My point is that the differential in course handicap is not always large enough to reflect the difference in challenge between courses.

For example, my home course has rough that is usually no more than two inches.  I can go out and hit 6 fairways and still shoot 80 or under.  If I play a course like VN and miss the fairway by 20 yards (something I do at home), I'm probably going to lose a ball or at best end up having to hit a wedge out.  My chances of making par are not going to be very good.  Multiply this difference by 8 or more holes and you come up with a huge difference in scoring on a day with similar ball striking.  

I have a feeling that there are a lot of golfers that have a similar "personal situation."  All I'm saying is that the system doesn't always work well, but I freely admit I don't have a better answer.

I've gotta agree here that the ratings and slopes of courses are too bunched together. Also, your handicap should take into account if you play most of your rounds at one course. If you do, you most likely won't play to that handicap at other courses. Being very familiar with a course makes it easier to score well on that course. And the fact Oakmont members are known to have good travelling handicaps tells you the system is askew.

[Wyatt Halliday]

Other Golfer

Index 1.8

...and found out last year it snows in Denver.

That heaping line of crap about year round play still gets to me.

[Walt_Cutshall]

Avid, 1.1

[Bill Brightly]

3.7 index, avid golfer, MacRaynorphile

[Mark Buzminski]

Once a week golfer at this point in my life, but it's an avid once a week!  6 handicap.