How can we minimize sanbagging in our golf league?

Question

We have one point for beating handicap and we throw out highest score in rolling six round average.

Answer 1

A few suggestions:

1) Take all handicaps, and cut them in half.  

2) You have to look at how scores are being posted (specifically, I'm talking about Internet posting)- are the ESCing their cards?  They should have to have the card with them should there be a question about the legitimacy of the scorekeeping (you can see the rating/slope, if they ESC'd their scores, and generally...review the card).  

3) Switch up the format.  Make one round a best-ball (blind draw), make one round a modified Stableford (also two-person team w/ blind draw).  

4) You have to look at their league handicap and the overall handicap...take the lower of the two; in other words, if a guy is a 14.1 overall, but a 9.2 in the league...use the 9.2.

5) Retroactive adjustments.

While this isn't fun, the last thing is to frankly "have the conversation" with the baggers in question.  Of course, you'll need to have your ducks in a row (GHIN printouts, things you can prove, USGA position pieces...etc.).  Ask them why they seem to consistently beat their handicap in the league by "X" number of strokes.  Compare the rating/slope of the course you have league play on to the rating/slope of the other courses they play.  If a guy is beating his handicap on a course with a 135 slope, when he's getting smoked on a course with a 115 slope...there's your answer.

Answer 2

Eliminate any prize money and skins money. When there is nothing to cheat for, they won't cheat and they'll move on. It's sad because most golf leagues never play for much prize money anyway but some people just need to take advantage of certain circumstances.

Answer 3

Well just in most organized clubs you have to police the players with a handicap chairman and handicap committee.  If someone consistently only shoots low when there is cash on the line you need to lower their handicap regardless of the scores they have posted.  But no matter what you do certain people are more concerned with beating the system than anything else - those are the ones you don't invite back next year.

Answer 4

Sand bagging is part of league golf. However, every time a person wins the handicap score for the week, reduce the handicap by a stroke What you will have are more strict handicaps which should bring the sandbaggers back into the real world.

Answer 5

The fear of shame is the best deterent.  Our league uses an online league management website so everyone can view everyone's scores throughout the season.

I would also use USGA handicap calculations, which use at most the best 10 out of the last 20 rounds, so they'd have to throw half of the season just to get their handicap higher than it should be, and it would be pretty obvious when all of a sudden they get better.

Also use Equitable Stroke Control, which will further make it difficult to raise their handicap by throwing a few holes since it will limit their adjusted gross scores, which are what the handicap differentials are based on.

The site our league uses is http://www.IMAGolfer.com.  One great thing about it is that anyone can click on anyone else's handicap for any round and see all of that golfer's scores that made up the handicap.  It will be pretty obvious if any rounds were inflated, and it's there for everyone to see.  At that point, you use the fear of embarrassment and shame to minimize golfers from sandbagging, since it can be made more obvious to all golfers on the league.

Answer 6

That second answer is spot on.  Thats seriously the best idea I have heard in a while and I hate that stuff too.