Your New WHS Index

No offence taken. Lowest was 9.5. For the record I never claimed I should have ever been single figures. Just said I have the ability to be one.

I know I have ability. I’m told often enough by good enough players. Plenty on here know me and my game and can either attest to that or not. You don’t. Haveing the Ability is one thing, making the most of that ability is another. As I say, I’ve shot plenty of single figure rounds of golf. I can hit the ball a long way, I can play draws, fades, knock down shots, spin my chips, putt well, etc. But golf is a game of skill and it’s one thing doing it a few times is all well and good but doing it regularly is where it’s hard. So why I have I never been a single figure golfer?????? Cause I never practice……..

There's nothing wrong with a lad shooting 50 points once every 5 years or so. But if he does it in the same comp every year or 2-3 times a year in major comps, that's a problem

Once every 5 years????? Are you taking the piss? I shot 50 points once. I was really just getting into golf and I think was off 19. Shot the round of my life, (still to this day) with 5 birdies but a double and a triple ruined my card 🤣. I was needlessly delighted at playing so I ell but I was equally mortified at telling people I had 50 points.

the only people who should ever get near 50 points is someone new to the game who is improving at speed, and even then……….🤔

50pts is ridiculous scoring

there will never be a perfect system. Different categories are the only way I can see it working.

there’s just too much between a 0 handicap and 21 handicap.

to be fair it’s only daft if you’re not following the conversation. Handicapping is an aside to this point.

Greebo’s point was that in-form players should stand a better chance of winning than players having a lucky day.

i agree with him. Sport should reward skill, consistent and dedication.

But even in the highest ranks of golf, players who have seemingly neither the form nor the ability to win a tournament, have weekends where they beat some of the best and most dedicated players of all time. Without cheating.

hence I think some (not all) Greebo’s annoyances with WHS are incorrect. The pursuit of a perfect handicapping system would destroy the game.

The only time I’d ever excuse 50 points is somebody 1) getting an initial handicap as a beginner, 2) not playing a scoring round for about a year 3) practice and lessons constantly for improvement, 4) playing a scoring round

No. I agree with what he determines to be the proper essence of sport (in form, competitive players standing the best chance to win)

But by referencing the oddball winners of 3 of the last 19 Open championships, I hope it helps everyone accept that when a club comp throws out an unexpected, out of form winner from the back of field, it’s not WHS that’s doing it. It’s just golf.

And you know what, if tour golf was played over 18 holes instead of 72, it would ram that point home even more.

I love the new system as a genuine golfer with a never ending desire to improve. I couldn't give a damn if I win any prizes. My competitiveness is against myself, shoot the lowest score possible.

Your best 8 scores don't stay the same for very long, regularly dropping off the last 20. So you better stay focussed on your off days, because it could come in handy if you lose a bit of form and limit the increase.

When in form it's great. Like I am now. 5 of my last 6 are counting and I have the next 5 rounds with no top scores to go. So I can play with total freedom probably for the rest of the season knowing handicap can only go down (I know you should think that way anyway).

You know what you need to shoot to lower the handicap, what the rest of the field does is irrelevant. Used to find old system frustrating when you could shoot over 36 points and not get cut.

I was off 16.2 in April, now off 12.2. Not convinced I would have dropped that low with same scores in congu system.

I'm of the same opinion. I think the new system is great for motivation and knowing that your H/C rising/dropping is in your hands. I started the season well, won a weekend competition in my Division (11-19) or however its divided. I dropped off during the summer and my H/C has gone up to 17. I have been putting in more practice as I'm challenging myself and out of the last 5 rounds I have had 4 of them are H/C counting.

Am I? Not sure where you are getting that from?

I dont understand the point you are making? If we have curtis, Hamilton & Clark a 5 shot handicap to make them more competitive, then yeah it would diminish it, just like many people think the Tour Championship is diminished by the handicap head starts.

50 points is 24 under par. That should never happen to anyone other than an incorrectly handicapped beginner.

I think its actually 14, not 24. Still a lot but stableford wouldn't take into consideration the scores greater than a nett double bogey a high handicapper would have so stableford is probably weighted more towards high handicappers anyway.

Another way of looking at it, two identical golfers, both playing off 12.

One loses a bit of form as he is playing less golf due to work, the other remains at the same level.

6 months later one is still off 12 and the other is now 14.

The 14 handicap guy changes jobs and is now back playing at the same rate as before, identical to the first guy.

Why should he have 2 more shots to play with than the original guy? They both have the same skill/talent and put in the same amount of effort?

I shot a 48 this year 2 weeks before qualifying off 18, 78 gross Round of my life didnt know my score just knew I was going well. Got cut 2 shots by handicap sec for general play which I was delighted with. I still get a buzz thinking about it 😁 Really taught I was going to burn this season up! Sadly I have'nt broke 90 since! 🙄 and to top it off the score isn't even on Golf Ireland because it was non qualifying.