Golf forum

So if the handicap is worked out in a scientific way say for example player A had a handicap of 14 so everytime he played golf he would average 14 shots over par. And player B had an handicap of 8 so again when he playes golf he averages 8 over par.
And if thats how the handicap is worked out then it works.
So why when you play comps do you have to use 3/4 7/8 of your handicap. If you have to do this then surly the way of getting the handicap is floored.
I thought the point of handicaps was to creat a leavel playing feild for different ability golfers.
But the 7/8 or 3/4 faviors the lower handicapper.  
In the example player A would lose 3 shots (10.5) and player b would lose 2 shots.

So your saying its still easier for the higer handicap to score a good round then the lower one.
leave out match play for the moment, but in other types what difference would it make playing of normal handicaps (no 3/4 just normal)

As a high handicapper I actually totally agree with John here.

We played matchplay on Saturday as a 4ball.  The 17th is a par 4, and for some reason I love it, always have.  For some reason it is marked as a difficult hole (I disagree) and so get two shots on it.  On Saturday I hit a clean drive, and then the sweetest 6 iron I think I've ever hit to land just on the green.  I two putted, giving me a par, without handicap.  2 shots off and I've played a net eagle.  Can't imagine there are many matchplay games played where an eagle is only good enough for a half.  As it happens, that was for the game as well.  It also means that if I were playing Tiger Woods on this hole, he'd have to hole his second shot, which would have to be, at best, a chip from a short distance off the green.

Fortunately the group, whilst competitive, is friendly competition only, and my general play and total score definitely reflects my handicap, and the fact that I've only played 6 times.  But it does highlight that it's much easier for me to get a net eagle than someone who is scratch, or just a low handicapper.

As do I Jamie for the same reason.

I birdied a par 4 hole with a SI of 8 a few weeks, largely thanks to a fortunate bounce on my second shot which though well struck ended up a matter of 3-4 inches from the hole thanks to the bounce. Knocking this in for a birdie gave me a net 1 for the hole.  To my mind this is simply unrealistic and doesn't create a level playing field - it skews the game in my favour. 

Even in a competition of 3/4 handicap I would have got one shot here so a net 2 but this is far from the norm and over the course of the round I think a 3/4 handicap would level the playing field.

So whats the point of the full handicap then? Surly we should all take a 3/4 of it and just use that.

Everyone should be off scratch for me.

Never really understood why a better player is penalised for being a better player.

If I wanted to beat a better player I would (a) practise more and (b) try harder.

Winning because I have more shots than someone just don't register with me.

I think handicapping has it's place.

Again, I haven't entered competitions, and so the only competition I have is friendly.  The handicap system means that I can have something to play for, and also people I'm playing do also. 

If I'm liable to take an extra shot than someone on every hole, there's not much fun in playing matchplay and coming in with a 15 or 16 hole loss, it just doesn't keep the interest.

I do understand though that it would be very frustrating in a proper competition for someone who is very very good, potentially even scratch, getting beaten by a beginner like me because I had a better than average round, or a couple of lucky breaks.

Handicapping is in place to allow people of all ages and all abilities to play golf together, and have a means of making any competition as fair as possible. It's not a perfect system, but it's the system we have.

A scratch golfer should never have to give an opponent more than 1 shot per hole, hence the 3/4 ruling, but that was based a max men's hcap of 24, not the 28 that it is today. In a matchplay scenario, your gross score is irrelevant, and taking a 12 on a par 4 (I know you'd concede before that point, but bear with me) means you still only lose the hole. So, as shots are allocated on a hole-by-hole basis, based on the Stroke Index of the hole (how difficult it is in relation to rest of the holes on the course), it makes the match a little more of a competition.

I hope this sheds a bit more light on the subject. 

The other way round the problem of high handicappers finding it easier to shoot good scores is to arrange competitions in divisions. Providing you can get enough people to enter in each division to make them competitive then everyone can play off their full handicap.

I do think the handicap system is good to make competitions tight.  It is useful to make friendly games between groups that have widely different abilities interesting.  However I am surprised how few scratch competitions seem to be arranged by clubs.

I thought there were already divisions in place for comps..?

Certainly opens in the North East have divisional comps - think I am division 3 this year ( a relegation certainty )...