There is no topic in the game - not even slow play - that causes more controversy at golf clubs everywhere than the subject of handicaps, specifically just how reflective they are of genuine ability and whether there are certain individuals who are consciously manipulating their indexes.
You will have heard terms like bandits and sandbaggers to describe these people, those who have engineered their handicaps to be higher than it should be in order to make themselves more likely to claim victory in club medals and competitions.
The allegation is that these golfers either submit falsely higher scores for handicap calculation or that they will deliberately miss putts or hit balls out of bounds just so they can maximise their competitiveness against others at a later date.
It may sound like a nonsensical mentality - surely the appeal of the sport is working tirelessly to improve and shoot lower scores - but some people just like winning at any cost, especially when there are attractive prizes and benefits on offer to those who are successful.
How Common Are Handicap Bandits at Golf Clubs?
Now, there is no question that a degree of bitterness can cloud views when golfers perceive that others have bettered their handicap dramatically in an event to romp away with the title, but just how common is this, does it really happen all the time, and can it make entering comps pointless for the honest among us?
(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)
It was a subject we presented to the Golfshake Community on Facebook and several of the responses were eye-opening to see just how widely this occurs. At least the perception of it happening, certainly.
Many Golfers Believe That Sandbaggers Are Everywhere
One golfer said: "At my old home club, we had two courses, one significantly easier than the other. If this individual was playing well they would lose a ball on 13, 14 and 15 and submit a non return in the competition as they didn't want their handicap reduced for when they played the other course."
Given how difficult a game this is - even the world's best hit their share of poor shots every day - it's impossible to prove whether someone is intentionally making a mistake, but enough golfers believe they have witnessed it.
"I have seen some handicap protection happening on run up to club champs. Some players who I knew under clubbing or pushing putts wide to keep a few shots on the card."
The ethics of this are clearly off and many out there would call it for what it blatantly is. Cheating.
"A guy I'd played with used to check before playing the 16th hole and if he couldn't win the comp would throw the last three holes to get his handicap up, which is blatantly cheating."
Related to that thought was this observation about the last few holes at golf courses.
"Look at most clubs and you’ll find that the three hardest playing holes will almost always be 16, 17 and 18 regardless of the index. This is where most do their sandbagging, especially when they know what scores are in! Don’t want cutting unless they win the comp!"
It's a long-standing problem that has some golfers questioning why they even bother participating: "Every comp I ever played in. Played in a members guest at Celtic Manor. The winners were 19 under. 17 birdies and an eagle. What a day for two high handicappers."
Likewise: "Always thought our club was well balanced and fair but the last four comps have been won with well north of 42 points. Something not quite right there."
Has The World Handicap System Made This Problem Worse?
Whether it's becoming more widespread - or is even as commonplace as many out there suspect - there is little way to prove definitively, but there is a growing sentiment that the World Handicap System, which allows general play scores to be submitted as part of its calculations, has made it easier for handicaps to be artificially manufactured.
"It's gone on since a handicapping system has been used. But with the WHS, it's totally gone off the scales and the R&A knew it was going to be this way but still accepted it."
And here's another related comment we received: "Members who get cut for winning a comp and then spend the next two weeks putting in general play cards to get back to where they started!"
There will always be suspicion and contention. That will never change. The handicap system, ensuring that players of all standards can be competitive against each other, is a unique and special part of the game, but only when that privilege is not abused.
Have you seen other golfers manipulate their handicaps? If so, it's clear that you are far from alone.
