Hi

I have just moved to the UK, and would like to know how I can convert my Danish handicap to a UK handicap.

Thanks in advance.
Best
Steen

Your Danish handicap will have been earned under the auspices of the Danish Golf Union, which will have operated its handicap scheme under the same rules as the R & A and USGA.

This, in effect, means that your handicap is valid and accepted in any country in the world.

If, on the other hand, you are referring to changing the 28 shown on Golfshake to what you actually are, I believe that this can be set manually.

Welcome to the UK and I hope you enjoy many of our fine courses.

I'm not too sure thats quite as simple John. I think the Danes and the Danish Golf Union will fall under the umbrella of the E.G.A (European Golf Association) unlike the E.G.U. in this country which uses the CONGU method of Handicapping, in Europe they use some parts of the CONGU system and some parts of the USGA Slope System. basically a Hybrid of the two. I'm not sure you can easily convert the EGA handicap to an EGU one. Also because its a mixture of the two recognised systems its not as widely supported nor accepted in all parts of the world.

Think thats one reason why my club gets a lot of distance members from the continent. They come over and obtain a UK Handicap which seems to be more supported and recognised throughout the world then an EGA one.

You may be well right in your assumption that it is not that simple. Thank you for raising this issue.

I still say that his handicap would be acccepted in this country at any club as it has come from a recognised golf union. The differences between the two/three systems will no doubt have been discussed at some time or other and adjustments made either way to copensate.

My personal view is that the whole system of handicapping is intrinsically flawed, in many ways, and does not do what it was attempting to achieve in the first place, i.e everyone crossing the line together, so that this game could be enjoyed competitively by all standards of players.

Just look at your next competition and see the difference between the winner and the last man home.

This is why their is no kudos whatsoever in winning a match, be it single or team, under the handicapping system, as the winner, in most cases have played below the handicap they have offered up.

Hi Steen, welcome to the site.

I don't think there is a conversion due to differences in the EGA and UK golf handicap system.  Initially your EGA handicap will be used as your exact UK handicap.

Chris, you are right the EGA uses parts of the US and UK CONGU systems notably SSS, slope and stableford points.  Thus allowing handicaps to be taken from course to course and be a true reflection which the USGA also allows.   Unfortunately in the UK the official golf handicap system is affiliated more to courses and with the lack of slope we are stuck at present.

John, I entirely agree.  Why we can't look to modernise the UK system so it becomes more balanced like the US and Europe, from the stats I've seen, I don't know. We have the CONGU system and then the EGU introducing another system which is different to CONGU but very similar to the US and EGA.

Seems simple enough to  me. Play three rounds and get your shiny new handicap courtesy of Golfshake. Welcome to the UK

Col

Also just noticed that you broke 100 Darren and have a shiny new handicap of your own, well done. Lets hope this form is lost before the NvS.

Yep, started my NvS training.  100 sit ups and press ups a day, 20 minutes stretching, weigths, running and 2 hours down the range  

Remember the handicap drops as well.  Just got 11 more rounds to get it back to 28 think that's about 1 a week. 

Hi
Thanks for the warm welcome.
It's correct that we use another system in Denmark, more like the one in the US.

I have already played 4 rounds, and I have just joined a club today.
I have entered 4 rounds and have a shining new handicap of 15.2.

Now... one stupid question: Does that mean that I have 15 strokes on all courses ?

(in DK we use the hcp as an factor in the formula to calculate the number of strokes, base on the slope and course rating of the course) or simply lookup the number of strokes at the starters house :-)

Best
Steen

Here in the UK you will get 15 shots on every course, just that in most cases, the Standard scratch, which your handicap is based on, will be lower than the par, so in effect you have to shoot lower than par to play to your handicap.

The SS system in this country is stupid and does not reflect the difficulty of a course in my opinion. More weight is given to the total length than any other consideration. 

Congratulations on your new handicap.

Just out of interest Steen, how does your new handicao compare with your old one?

Yes John the SSS system based on course length as opposed to course difficulty is stupid. My course has an SSS of 63 but very rarely will you see anyone shooting less then 70 on the course. So we're never going to have any scratch Golfers or possibly even Category 1 Golfers, unless they perform on others courses with much higher SSS.

I think our Course Record is 65 shared by a Pro and 1 Handicap Golfer. Interesting note the 1 Handicap Golfer set the record, but obviously wasn't in the buffer zone for his category so went up 0.1

Agreed, Chris, I have argued against this for many years now.

If they made a course of 18 par fives, the SSS would be off the clock and the majority of players would be scratch or plus.

The idea of par is that so many shots are required to reach the green and two putts allowed, this is what the Pros play to, they do not have to play to SSS. Because of the superior length the par fives usually turn into par fours for them, so they have an excellent chance of breaking par without even having to putt that well.

I am finding that any par four over 390 yds becomes a four and a half/five as I just cannot reach that distance with two shots now. Par fives take me at least four to get on, so pars are rare and I just have to play bogey golf.

If I could play off the 300 yard drives that keep being mentioned, I would be a scratch golfer again.

Think thats one reason why my club gets a lot of distance members from the continent.

Chris, is your club near a port or Airport??? Have you noticed the increase strain on the local council for these members that are moving to your area to get a handicap???

Not really Wayne, we get maybe 7 or 8 signing up new each year. They contact us during the year and usually arrange to come over for a weeks vacation, sign up for a distance membership at £49 a year. They play three rounds in the week to get a CONGU handicap and they leave at the end of the week with a Handicap Certificate and Card. They then renew by Post or over the Phone then each year to keep their handicaps valid.

The majority of the continental golfers who come are from Germany. Not sure why that is or what problems the Germans have getting access to courses.

Hey everyone, really got the Golf Fever going on. 

I live in the UK now but have a lot of rounds from the US and was looking for a website or a conversion for the S.S.S. and slope rating but after doing some research and reading this message thread I don't think there is a way to do it. 

It seems like my best option is to enter my UK scores on a website like this one and my non-UK scores on a website that asks for things like slope and rating.

 Any advice or help would be great!

 Thanks everyone!  Tee 'em up!