Golf handicap question...?

Question

I just payed around $20 to keep an official handicap at my home course. I played 9 holes today and shot a 39 (par 35), and yesterday I shot a 40. I am new to the system, and had a little bit of trouble entering in my scores on the computer at the club. It asked for my 18 hole score, so I just put in 79 (39+40).

1) Is this alright to do? (combine two separate 9 hole scores)

2) On GHIN.COM, how do I create a profile so I can upload scores online?

3) Can I put scores up from earlier in the year if I still have the scorecards from the course?

4) Do I have to put in a score every time I play?

Answer 1

No worry. You can do that.  O.k., let me congratulate you for doing what you have done.  A lot of golfers never take

this step.  And, by doing this it well help you track your game based on your scores and turning each score card after you play.  If you have any questions on how to do your profile, I'll bet if you ask someone in your pro shop they will be glad to assist you.  And, at the course where I play and is my home course, this is where I set up my handicap. Some courses you can do it yourself and some you turn in your score card and they will enter it.  You should have a ghin number and a local number.  There are many reasons for all this..the different slope ratings on different golf courses, the course rating, etc.  All this factors in for a purpose.  Your true handicap!  So..make a few inquiries, even on the ghin website.  And, yes you can turn in your score cards from earlier play  with all the proper information you need when you enter your score. And, you don't have to put in a score every time you play, but there are golfers who play and do not put in their good rounds, so their handicap will remain higher than it really is. Then when tournament time comes and they put in..say their 13 handicap and play like a 5 handicap. It's called "sandbagging" and I've lost a number of times in a local tournament with this situation.  So, if you want to do it right and uphold the honor of this sport, I would turn them all in.

You can play 9 one day...another 9 another day.  There should be a place to enter just 9 holes...and then when you play another 9 and enter that score, it shows this as a combined score, but it is still accurate and acceptable. Again, check with around.  You'll find the answers.

Answer 2

First to answer your questions: Yes it is ok to enter a score if you only played 9 holes.  Most posting terminal/computers at golf courses has a field where you specify 9 or 18 holes and which color tee did you tee off from.  Don't combine 2 9-hole scores in to one posting, and don't X2 your 9 hole score.  The computer will automatically adjust your score to calculate your handicap.

As for GHIN.COM, you don't have to have a profile to post your scores.  There's a tab 'Post Scores'.  All you need is your GHIN number (which you should have from paying $20) and your last name or club number.  The rest of the screens are self-explanatory.

Yes, you can enter scores from earlier rounds in GHIN.COM under Post Scores

Yes, you should post your score every time you play 9 holes or 18.  No score posting if you played less than 9, post 9 hole score if you played more than 9 but less than 18.

Now there's an easy way and a complicated but correct USGA handicap scoring system for your round.  In order to post an accurate score, you need to adjust it if you had any high stroke holes.  It is called Equitable Score Control (ESC).  The details can be found at this link:

http://www.usga.org/questions/faqs/handi...

In order to calculate your course handicap (so you can use ESC), the formula is your handicap index * course slope rating/113, take the result and round it to nearest whole number.  course slop rating can be found on your score card and is different for each course and which tee-box you use.

Answer 3

1.  Well, technically no, because the course rating can change from day-to-day.  So your first 9 holes could've been rated higher or lower the next day, which would affect the differential you recieved for the 18 hole round.  But it's not that big of a deal.   The computer will let you post 9-hole scores, maybe ask someone if you are having trouble next time, sometimes the systems can be a little quirky.

2. sorry, not familiar with that site.

3. Yes.

4. If the course has a USGA rating, Absolutely, YES.  If you don't you'll be a sandbagger whether anyone knows or not.

Remember your equitable stroke control, on USGA.org if you are not familar with "ESC".  Sounds like you're probably around a 10-12 handicap, so the highest score you can post is a 7 for any individual hole (unless it's a tournament).

Answer 4

On average you should double your score on the 9 holes you played. If you are unable to play 18 holes

Answer 5

The GHIN system calls for recording all  scores which have been adjusted by the equitable stroke control. It also suggests that a nine hole score be recorded and a corresponding opposite nine score be combined to make one 18 hole score. When the handicap is established it will be based on the best 10 of the last 20 scores. The total of  10  times par is subtracted from the total of the 10 best scores. The remainder is divided by 10 and the resulting balance is multiplied by 96 % to arrive at the handicap index.The slope  which determines the difficulty of the course is already factored into the system. To answer your 3rd item you may record scores made earlier in the year provided the scores have been attested by a player other than a family member. You should record a score for every 18 hole round played and it should be attested.

Answer 6

YOUR ROUND MUST BE 18 HOLES OF GOLF--2 SEPRATE NINES---UN LESS UR ROUND IS SUPSPENED DUE TO WEATHER OR DARKNESS UR ROUND MUST BE COMPLETED AT SAME TIME--YES IF U MEET THE CRITIERIA--YES EVERY TIME U PLAY UR ROUND GOES IN--UR OFFICAIL SCORE KEPPER WILL TAKE OUT UR LOWEST ROUND AND UR HIGHWETS ROUND