Bandits.

Just need to get this off my chest. I dont know if i've been a bit of a bandit in the past but i thought the handicap system was there to create a level playing feild.
thursday nights we play in the rabbits 14 hole stableford off the yellows for handicappers 16+ (full allowence for 14 holes). I'd been stuck on 27 handicap for ages but felt i was getting better anyways its all started to come together and the other week i scored 35 points (came second and got chopped 3 handicap) which i was happy about. The following week i scored 25 points. Then last week i shot 32 points expecting to come second again as the rest of the feild were strugling to get about 28 points. Then someone comes in with 39 points. 39!!!! over 14 holes how can people compeat with these people. I dont want to look like a sore loser but how is this possible, especially with so many sub 28 points cards in. The thing that cheered me up with this though is he got cut 8 shots *evil laugh*.

So my question is over 14 holes playing to par and handicap points should be 28?
Now i know people have good rounds and bad rounds and weather affects scoring to.
What would be like a score in the "buffer zone for this" type of event.

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"Now he plays 7 days a week being a retired ex-RAF person "

Bandits at 3 o'clock then.......

Nice one Robbie. Watch out from anything coming out of the sun Chris.

Matt, I am afraid I have to agree with Wayne that what you have described is someone shooting an unusually good round and you should have shaken his hand and congratulated him.

To be a bandit you have to deliberately mask your true handicap for profit or glory.  Entering a 14 hole evening Stableford rabbit competition, although important to the competitors, doesn't smack of too much of either and as you point out he got his handicap clipped by 8 shots.  You wouldn't enter such a low key comp and shoot such a good score if you were a real bandit.

Chris's descriptions sound much more worthy of the bandit label.

Matt, I play in a similar society although the penalties are not so harsh being two strokes docked for a win and one for second.  It occurred to me that in about 10 years time, if we are still going, we will all be playing off scratch.

This will mean any new members even if they play off their proper handicaps will be automatic bandits.  I think I will suggest that the three shots cut off the winner and second are redistributed equally to the other players playing that day.  This will stop the handicap drift towards 0 and will reward regular attendees who do not win.

We too cut handicaps sharply for wins in our Seniors Roll-up, always two shots for the winner up to 40 pts, 3 shots for 42 and 4 shots for 44, but if you have three rounds of 31 or below then you get one shot back.