4 Months and counting - I expect some trash talking between now and then.
OK, I began my participation on this thread following instructions from a leading candidate for the Captaincy of the American side. As my attempt at levity seems to have missed, and if I had anything to do with the length and seriousness of the debate on the handicap systems, I should add my apologies to Ulrich's as English is also my second language.
For the record, my current handicap index in 5.9 which translates to a handicap of 7 on the tees I normally play on my home course (calculated by this formula [5.9 * 134]/113). I was not kidding about the 2+ stroke differential between the two handicap systems for reasons noted on this thread, though I understand the hesitancy of those not wishing to extend the courtesy.
The handicap of an American golfer who follows the rules, plays a lot of golf, and mixes in a fair number of competitions is probably the least inaccurate measure of playing ability. A significant concession was made from this side by excluding scores from rounds played alone. I doubt that this improves accuracy as few social rounds are recorded by the exchanging of cards and close accounting of the strokes (even in competition rounds this can be a problem as players are often so preoccupied with their own games that they get behind on marking duties, sometimes having to fill the gaps at the scoring table). It is my understanding that the proposed system is virtual, providing an new index each day instead of the current 15th and 1st cycles.
It is true I think that our UK brothers take competitions more seriously. Though I play a lot of golf and care about how I score, I am a recreational golfer. Exercise, fresh air, and camaraderie more than anything else keep me in the game. My couple of forays each year into competitive golf don't usually end well. At my home club, the segment which plays our monthly competitions is relatively small (a recent 2-day member-member filled less than half of the available tee times). Perhaps part of the problem is the handicap system; maybe there are enough pressures in life here that golf is played more for R & R and not for another day of grinding.
I do think that the goals of a universal handicapping system have merit. At the same time, I doubt that handicapping is that relevant for most golfers. When I did play in small money games years ago, we all knew each other's playing ability, what trends we were on, and we paired accordingly. I suspect that many weekend games are organized similarly.