What is the highest allowable handicap in golf?

Question

I am a new golfer (golfed three times), but am signing up for a golf tournament and want to give the highest possible handicap, since I will probably shoot in the 180s.

Answer 1

36 is the maximum.

Answer 2

Three times and in a tournament. Geez, good luck to your partners and the group behind you.

Answer 3

36 is the highest handicap. I'll also offer you this advice because you've only golfed 3 times.

In the tournament don't be the slowest golfer in your four-some. If any of them are experienced ask them for pointers on etiquette. Your score is secondary and how you do doesn't matter in the long run.

If you want anyone in the four some to ask you to golf again, you don't want to annoy them with poor etiquette. Here are somethings you should NEVER do:

Step in the path between the ball and the cup of another player.

Look for a ball for more than 2-3 minutes. Even experienced golfers spend too much time looking for a ball. Bring a lot of balls, a ton. You'll use them eventually.

Find out what the maximum number of strokes are per hole. Some tournaments lower it to 8, some lower it to 10. Once you reach the maximum, just pick up your ball and walk along. If you do have to pick up, tend the flag and put it back in the cup when the last guy makes his putt.

Don't record your score near the green, do it on the next tee. People behind you are waiting to hit.

When someone is learning to golf, it's more important that people will want to golf with them again than their score is. Also, learning the basics in golf should happen at a driving range and practice green, not on the actual course.

Clearly you have to start playing on the course some time, but you will enjoy the game more if you consitently practice chipping, putting, using your irons and lastly driving the ball.

Your drive is the least important stroke. In fact most beginners would do well to leave their driver at home and use an iron or rescue club. Even a 5 iron would be fine because when you drive the ball in the woods and can't find it you're down two strokes. One for not finding your ball and another for dropping one on the edge of the course. Tack on the actual drive and you are sitting with a 3 and you haven't taken a second swing at the ball.

Golf does not reward distance as much as it rewards accuracy. It's not even close. I we drive the ball 230 yards into the woods and can't find it we're supposed to drop the ball where the ball entered "out of bounds, not where we thing it would have rolled to. So now we're sitting in the rough where we dropped a ball with 3 strokes about 190 yards.

Simple math tells us that three 70 yard shots would put you in the fairway 210 yards out and in the fairway instead of a little shorter and with the ball in the rough.

Answer 4

i dont think there is one.  Make yours 1,000,000

Answer 5

In the UK the Max. handicap for a Woman is 36 and 28 for Men.  To enter a tournament you need to have an official handicap and that is awarded through a Golf Club after you return 3 -18 hole scores.  If the competition is just among a group of friends, I would be happy to give you 28.

Answer 6

over 9000!