When Someone Asks You Your Handicap

[TundraToad]

Hello

 

When someone asks you your handicap do you give them your index or the handicap from the tees of the club you normally play at?

 

I always give my handicap of the tees I normally play.

 

You ?

[kgk]

"Bad breath and the curse of the Irish"

[cliche]

i just lie. when i play the local pitch and putt with some higher hcp'ers, i tell them i play a 20, if they ask. on the 18 i say that i have a 12, so that i can play of the back tee's

[bk52]

I typically tell them my index is around 8 or 9 unless we are setting up bets, in which case I am a solid 13-14.

[Bonneville85308]

I tell them the index rounded up to the next highest number (i. e. "I'm an 8 index") unless they ask about a specific set of tees.

[MidwestGolfBum]

I just tell them rounded up to the next whole number. Currently, I would tell them I'm a 1, for example.

[RRFireblade]

Neither.

I just say that I try to play to par.

[rufus mangler]

I say I don't have one, (which I don't at the moment). I say what I shoot "around town".

It doesn't matter because I don't bet with strangers.

[MadGolfer76]

[quote name='RRFireblade' timestamp='1441976895' post='12298584']
Neither.

I just say that I try to play to par.
[/quote]

I tell them if they can guess it correctly after four holes I will give them extra strokes.

[Shambles]

I just tell them I don't bet.



Shambles

[highergr0und]

Tequila!!!

You know I have far more people ask me what I shoot than what my cap is. Not that many people seem to keep official caps, especially outside of club golf where there aren't many stroke play tourneys.

[MichiganMan]

[quote name='rufus mangler' timestamp='1441977233' post='12298612']
I say I don't have one, (which I don't at the moment). I say what I shoot "around town".

It doesn't matter because I don't bet with strangers.
[/quote]

Agreed, technically I don't have an "official" handicap either, but I generally know what it is based on the myriad of stat tracking sites I use.

I usually dodge the question as much as possible. Usually for two reasons 1) I don't want the other person to feel bad/intimidated because they're not as good 2) I generally don't like talking about myself. Always been a "let your clubs do the talking" kind of a person.

[sevenfourate]

[quote name='RRFireblade' timestamp='1441976895' post='12298584']
Neither.

I just say that I try to play to par.
[/quote]

At +6.2 i'd be telling everyone my number clearly and loudly !

Hell: i think id have my balls monogrammed with it on, and my Polos embroidered too........

[Baitkiller]

LOFT

[cardoustie]

[quote name='sevenfourate' timestamp='1441980953' post='12298928']
[quote name='RRFireblade' timestamp='1441976895' post='12298584']
Neither.

I just say that I try to play to par.
[/quote]

At +6.2 i'd be telling everyone my number clearly and loudly !

Hell: i think id have my balls monogrammed with it on, and my Polos embroidered too........
[/quote]

don't forget the bedazzling on the bag

[cardoustie]

I start with "scotch and teenage daughters"

Then I say 3-6 depending on time of year

It's funny though I can play way under my cap and guys will say you must be a scratch. I wonder what strangers think when I drop an 85 bomb on them ... ":VANITY CAPPER" .. at 47 I don't car what people think any more.

Sugar coating is for the faint of heart

[cphrey]

I say, my index is 9.3, so I am getting X from these tees today.

[DTXgolfer12]

just give them my current index

[NJpatbee]

I just say what my current index is and if we are going to play a match we start from there based on the difficulty/slope of the agreed upon tees. I have also become particular about who I will play a handicapped match with and as a 17.7 I will not play a low single digit handicap having had a few bad experiences with winning the match and having the lower handicap angry that they lost since they are the better golfer.

[Qqq123xx]

I always tell them mine. And they always give me a blank stare afterwards.

[Ruddy]

I round up my index to the next whole number. I think the entire USGA hc system doesn't work. I know plenty of PGA club teachers and other pros who don't keep one anymore. I enter every score, like you're supposed to do. My hc has been between 11-15 for 15 years. Yet I could beat a 5-6 hc straight up gross score fairly regularly; h e would only give me 1 stroke a side. If I shoot 98 with ESC, it goes in. If I play the short tees and shoot 89, and the USGA says the differential is 20, that's the way the system is designed. Not representative of how you can really play. My long game is better than my short game, so short or long tees don't matter for gross score, but the USGA awards a lower differential from the back tees, and punishes the same score from the short tees.

[RRFireblade]

[quote name='sevenfourate' timestamp='1441980953' post='12298928']
[quote name='RRFireblade' timestamp='1441976895' post='12298584']
Neither.

I just say that I try to play to par.
[/quote]

At +6.2 i'd be telling everyone my number clearly and loudly !

Hell: i think id have my balls monogrammed with it on, and my Polos embroidered too........
[/quote]

It really just causes more problems if they know.

Either they don't believe it, don't understand it, require a full personal bio or expect a free four hour lesson....and/or all possible permutations.

Sometimes, I just like to play golf too.

[blink3665]

[quote name='RRFireblade' timestamp='1441976895' post='12298584']
Neither.

I just say that I try to play to par.
[/quote]

Hey, that's my goal too!!!! [i](but I don't actually ever get anywhere close.... )[/i]

[Dan Drake]

I always start off with "I'm currently a bad......" and then put in my index rounded up.

So, I'm currently a bad 4.

The sad thing is, I'm not. I'm just a 4. But the way the system works, we only feel like we play well about 25% of the time, so everyone out there feels like they are a "bad ____" most of the time. Maybe if I could turn around my mindset, I'd get down to scratch. Yeah, right.

[setter02]

[quote name='NJpatbee' timestamp='1441982082' post='12299008']
I will not play a low single digit handicap having had a few bad experiences with winning the match and having the lower handicap angry that they lost since they are the better golfer.
[/quote]

This is why any time there is going to be a competition, it has to be flighted. Seen it to many times where a high capper beats the low for no reason. I'm sorry, but we don;t handicap like this is the rest of the world, why bother here, to include those who just aren't as gifted at playing golf...

When a guy shoots 64 and loses to a guy who shoots 80 because he has to give up 17 strokes, the system is broken.

I'd rather play a + capper straight up knowing I'm a 5ish (getting status back) then play a high capper and give strokes. Its just not right.

[gioguy21]

"whatever yours is multiplied by 0"...

[hayzooos]

[quote name='RRFireblade' timestamp='1441976895' post='12298584']
Neither.

I just say that I try to play to par.
[/quote]

Why? You shooting par would probably cause a few clubs to fear their existence. Like when I'm out there slogging around to a crowd pleasing 90.

Just saw your post about why you don't say, and it makes sense. If we randomly got teed up (though I don't ever ask people their caps to begin with) and saw what I can imagine your game is like...I'm sure those same questions would go through my head, but I'd just be happy to be playing with someone that good, and hope to learn a few things in the process.

[quote name='gioguy21' timestamp='1441995920' post='12300252']
"whatever yours is multiplied by 0"...
[/quote]

That's actually pretty good, I like that.

[sheppy335]

I have been asked a couple times and i say golf. If i was in a tournament that is one thing but recreational golf lets just play.

I prefer to let what i do out there talk not me. I was always taught act like you have done it before, but i will cheer for my playing partners.

[sevenfourate]

[quote name='Qqq123xx' timestamp='1441984014' post='12299190']
I always tell them mine. And they always give me a blank stare afterwards.
[/quote]

Tell me.....see you if you get a blank stare from this direction.....................

[Qqq123xx]

[quote name='sevenfourate' timestamp='1442000899' post='12300682']
[quote name='Qqq123xx' timestamp='1441984014' post='12299190']
I always tell them mine. And they always give me a blank stare afterwards.
[/quote]

Tell me.....see you if you get a blank stare from this direction.....................
[/quote]Can't see that far to foggy.....