A round that I expect from a sandbagger......

[Under2hours]

I am one of those mid-HC'ers (12-15) that is always posting scores in and around my HC.  Usually something is off in the game, but usually Pars & Bogeys, a double here & there and dreaded 3 putts.  Pretty boring stuff.

 

What always makes me raise an eyebrow is the golfer posting the same scores, but they are the result of wildly fluctuating scores hole to hole.  You know the golfer....  The one who looks like he should be shooting 75, but shoots 83, with 12 GIRs, but then 7's & 8's too on the scorecard and 3-putts (with misses from 3' that you gave him).....  

 

I finally had one of those rounds.  Generally I may hit 4 GIRs, an up and down here and there and errant shots too.

 

Well the other day I hit 10 GIRs (a personal best).  Interspersed was 3 triples, 3 doubles and a 3-putt.  I putted well and just missed some birdies (made one) and was thrilled with the game, not the score.

 

Interesting that my driving (short but usually very consistent) let me down (6 of 13 fairways).

 

So share your unusual rounds.    

[caeye0710]

Played in a member guest in May. A guy in another flight was an 18 handicap and shot 78. 

 

On the flip side, I'm a 1-handicap and shot an 83. Still have no idea how we won our flight.

[jvincent]

I typically hover around 5 or 6 index.

 

Posted an 87 earlier this year that had 9 pars on the card.

[trilerian]

This is exactly how I play golf most of the time.  I am capable of stringing together a handful of pars in a row then throw down a triple or two right after that. Super frustrating. 

[Pepperturbo]

Until a person gets their swing grooved, erratic holes are rather common.  For the most part, a person may have a section of their game that's on, or progressing downward, while other aspects may be on the fritz.  Which is which can depend.  That can also mean relatively similar finishing scores, too.

 

On the other hand, Sandbaggers that I've encountered normally card scores in the 80s, have an index that reflects those crazy higher scores, but shows up in an unverified index tournament carding +/- mid-70's.   People with honest 14-18 indexes very seldom card 76-77, least of all during a tournament.

Edited July 30, 2021 by Pepperturbo

[ND2005]

36 minutes ago, Under2hours said:

The one who looks like he should be shooting 75, but shoots 83, with 12 GIRs, but then 7's & 8's too on the scorecard and 3-putts (with misses from 3' that you gave him).....  

 

 

You've got it backwards. Gimmie putts are one of, if not the biggest contribution to vanity caps. 

 

I played in an outing recently and was paired with a guy who pretty clearly never putts it out on a regular basis. He finished middle of the pack gross and dead last net thanks to his vanity cap after having about 6 3 putts and one 4 putt. 

[PJE]

My handicap has crept up to 9. Occasionally, I will still get a good round in the mid 70s. If there is a new and creative way to make a bogey, I am your guy.  I call it an extended slump.  Ha ha. 

A few years ago, I played a net qualifier event for a tournament on my association's schedule. The winners were two 10s who shot 71 and 72.  Talk about sandbaggers. 

[vandyfan]

48 minutes ago, ND2005 said:

You've got it backwards. Gimmie putts are one of, if not the biggest contribution to vanity caps. 

 

100%. Many of my friends would be +2 shots higher on their caps if they putted everything out. Pretty much every competitive round I play I find that the 2-4 footers are the most stressful shots. They have become somewhat less stressful since I stopped accepting gimmies in the last few years. 

[MtlJeff]

I had a tournament round earlier this year where every hole i got either an incredibly lucky break, or an incredibly unlucky one. It was easily the weirdest round i've ever played

 

I hit great shots that would clip a lone tree branch and ricochet sideways into water. I got one of the worst lies in golf history that resulted in a whiff etc...

 

But this was always followed on the next hole by a great break.

 

I shot 80, didn't have a single normal hole. I felt like i could've shot 72 or 90 if a few bounces went the other way

 

[RmoorePE]

Agree on putting out, most of my friends do "gimmies" and it really does not help you in any appreciable way, other than speeding up the round. Further if you are cagey and playing with a group of people who like gimmies you can give a few, and then in a critical moment - not give it.  This always generates a little tension and sometimes can win you a hole.

 

I'm a 13.0 handicap and I can easily string together 9 holes near par and follow that up with 9 holes at 15 over  par to more or less stay in range of my current handicap. It is like clockwork.

 

In a stroke play event, I am always worthless because I will shoot right around my course number, for no net gain. The good holes and bad holes do not typically coincide with the hole handicap, it has more to do with; do I lash my driver into some very unfortunate spot or OB, or do I get it fairway/fairway adjacent?

 

Because of the above, I am a great Ham and Egg teammate in team events. I will whip you out a birdie on the #1 handicap hole and then on some straight 325 yard par 4, card a triple , maybe 2 in a row.  I actually went though an accounting the other day of how many different courses I have "Money on the books" from some tournament and I could only think of one of them that was an individual event.

[Under2hours]

Again this isn't about the 3' or the single digits hc'er...  Way too many with single digits games claiming a 14 hc....  Not bad at our club, but finally had one of those rounds, which was a first for me either hitting greens or doubles/triples.....

Edited July 23, 2021 by Under2hours

[Pepperturbo]

44 minutes ago, RmoorePE said:

Agree on putting out, most of my friends do "gimmies" and it really does not help you in any appreciable way, other than speeding up the round. Further if you are cagey and playing with a group of people who like gimmies you can give a few, and then in a critical moment - not give it.  This always generates a little tension and sometimes can win you a hole.

Yep.  I've seen that, even used that technique during pvt interclub match play tournaments.  Give an opponent 4-5 putts, and hope he's unsettled when he faces a key putt; it works against a lot of opponents, too.  Match play is mostly tactics and mental.

 

In many of my casual rounds where no $$$ are involved, I seldom putt out flat 3 footers.  Mostly because they are regularly practiced in my office and not going to make a hill of difference to my score or index, but POP does matter.  When it matters, it's a different story. 

 

In and around the greens are where the greatest amount of time is squandered by most POP culprits; bunker shots, chipping and measuring up putts for a .50 skin.  Last weekend we watched four lard azz slow-pokes squatting down to measure putts from every which way, then watched them miss 1-3' footers.  They could have just as well picked up and moved on.  I can almost understand if it's a $20-$50 skin pot, but most are for piddly bucks...LOL

[MtlJeff]

On 7/23/2021 at 4:40 PM, Pepperturbo said:

Yep.  I've seen that, even used that technique during pvt interclub match play tournaments.  Give an opponent 4-5 putts, and hope he's unsettled when he faces a key putt; it works against a lot of opponents, too.  Match play is mostly tactics and mental.

 

In many of my casual rounds where no $$$ are involved, I seldom putt out flat 3 footers.  Mostly because they are regularly practiced in my office and not going to make a hill of difference to my score or index, but POP does matter.  When it matters, it's a different story. 

 

In and around the greens are where the greatest amount of time is squandered by most POP culprits; bunker shots, chipping and measuring up putts for a .50 skin.  Last weekend we watched four lard azz slow-pokes squatting down to measure putts from every which way, then watched them miss 1-3' footers.  They could have just as well picked up and moved on.  I can almost understand if it's a $20-$50 skin pot, but most are for piddly bucks...LOL

 

To each their own but i've never really agreed on the strategy of giving guys putts early in the match and then not giving them later. Holes won early in the match count the same as holes won later --So if a guy sucks at putting , make him putt everything all round. You only increase your chance at winning if you are a better putter than him. Why give him anything ever (5 inch putts notwithstanding)

 

I'm a fairly pleasant person to play with in that i'm nice, make small talk etc....even in matches or tournaments with strangers. I told my caddy recently that i've been lucky in that i've gotten groups with good guys most of the time --His response was "maybe it's just that you're nice, so it helps"

 

That being said, i don't give a lot of putts. And if i make a guy putt a 2-footer and he makes it, i'll literally tell him "hey i know that was a close one, but i just figure we'll putt those sorry".

 

Edited July 25, 2021 by MtlJeff

[TerpFangolfer]

Just yesterday on the back 9 of a tournament round I started:

 

#10 - a 9 (+5) including a 2 stroke pen for hitting a wrong ball...long story!

#11 - 5(+2)...my mind was still blank after hitting the wrong ball

 

Then 7 straight pars to finish out the round

[jordan2240]

My usual round is mostly bogies with a few pars and the occasional double or two, and the rare birdie.

 

As for gimmies, my playing partners all know I like to putt pretty much everything out during casual rounds.  In my league, I'll take gimmies when offered and give them as appropriate, but always warn my opponent beforehand that they'd be wise to not give me anything over a foot.

[tacklingdummy]

A guy that looks like he should be shooting in 70s and is shooting in 80s might very well be valid. I think I fall in that boat. I am coming off a bad elbow injury and just started to play again. My elbow is still not great (70% recovered) and the golf course feels foreign compared to the range just because I haven't played much for the past couple of years. Been hitting the ball decent on the range, but horrible on the course. Mental block from protecting my arm and just comfort level.  I should be shooting easily in 70s but am shooting in 80s. Was scratch before, now about 10 handicap.  

 

FYI: No gimmes allowed in posting scores.

[Under2hours]

25 minutes ago, tacklingdummy said:

A guy that looks like he should be shooting in 70s and is shooting in 80s might very well be valid. I think I fall in that boat. I am coming off a bad elbow injury and just started to play again. My elbow is still not great (70% recovered) and the golf course feels foreign compared to the range just because I haven't played much for the past couple of years. Been hitting the ball decent on the range, but horrible on the course. Mental block from protecting my arm and just comfort level.  I should be shooting easily in 70s but am shooting in 80s. Was scratch before, now about 10 handicap.  

 

FYI: No gimmes allowed in posting scores.

Yea, yea, yea.....  Always coming from scratch players......😉

 

That's fodder for another thread.  You have an excuse and frankly shouldn't be playing matches or skins, where HC's are factored in as you are capable of stringing together pars & birdies. 

 

Here it is about the scorecard that doesn't seem right and my post was specific to the round where I hit a PB 10 GIR's, putted well (one three-putt), but then had very uncharacteristic Doubles & Triples on my scorecard, so a ho-hum score.  

[RCGA]

Try being a 2hcp'er 

 

Ball striking isn't there and you string off 3 bogies to start. You try to force birdies and all of a sudden you're 9 over through 9 and people are calling you a vanity handicaper. 

[tacklingdummy]

12 minutes ago, RCGA said:

Try being a 2hcp'er 

 

Ball striking isn't there and you string off 3 bogies to start. You try to force birdies and all of a sudden you're 9 over through 9 and people are calling you a vanity handicaper. 

 

People calling out players as sandbaggers or vanity handicappers. Nowadays, there seems to be no in between just like politics. 😂 Just got to decide which one you want to be. 😂🤣😂 

[Under2hours]

23 minutes ago, RCGA said:

Try being a 2hcp'er 

 

Ball striking isn't there and you string off 3 bogies to start. You try to force birdies and all of a sudden you're 9 over through 9 and people are calling you a vanity handicaper. 

I can spot a 2HC'er by their swing and demeaner very quickly.  A couple of bad holes (or a 9) won't have me calling you a Vanity Cap.....😆  

As said this is aimed at the 15, who easily can shoot in the 70's, but then also is putting up 95's..... 

[RayGorman]

Sandbaggers don't post those good rounds. Only post the rounds that keep them several strokes higher than they can normally shoot. 

 

the only time I came across a SB'er (pretty obvious) was him clunking along just a stroke or two more than me each hole until he asked to play for a few $$$ to "keep his interest in the game". Yeah... no.

[Pepperturbo]

20 hours ago, MtlJeff said:

 

To each their own but i've never really agreed on the strategy of giving guys putts early in the match and then not giving them later. Holes won early in the match count the same as holes won later --So if a guy sucks at putting , make him putt everything all round. You only increase your chance at winning if you are a better putter than him. Why give him anything ever (5 inch putts notwithstanding)

 

I'm a fairly pleasant person to play with in that i'm nice, make small talk etc....even in matches or tournaments with strangers. I told my caddy recently that i've been lucky in that i've gotten groups with good guys most of the time --His response was "maybe it's just that you're nice, so it helps"

 

That being said, i don't give a lot of putts. And if i make a guy putt a 2-footer and he makes it, i'll literally tell him "hey i know that was a close one, but i just figure we'll putt those sorry".

 

I've done it both ways. 

 

My impression is giving putts yearly can prove problematic later for anyone that isn't comfortable with their putting when pressure mounts in the match, and the outcome affects the team score.  Putts then have a double-whammy.  The other influence has been pvt's clubs in my area don't have many low digit or + indexes, so it was common to play against high single or 10-14 handi.  Some clubs are lucky to have 2-3 low single digit players.

 

 

[ZacR88]

2 hours ago, tacklingdummy said:

A guy that looks like he should be shooting in 70s and is shooting in 80s might very well be valid. I think I fall in that boat. I am coming off a bad elbow injury and just started to play again. My elbow is still not great (70% recovered) and the golf course feels foreign compared to the range just because I haven't played much for the past couple of years. Been hitting the ball decent on the range, but horrible on the course. Mental block from protecting my arm and just comfort level.  I should be shooting easily in 70s but am shooting in 80s. Was scratch before, now about 10 handicap.  

 

FYI: No gimmes allowed in posting scores.

 

It happens. I am a 1 HCP and have the odd 80 something round once in a while. Its a nice step in progression when you can play like complete trash and still scrape together a mid 70 though. 

 

Once every 10 rounds or so I seem to fall apart. I find it is usually after playing a bunch of golf consecutive days in a row that I just get mentally fatigued and need to take some time off. Easily frustrated on the course, forcing shots which lead to bad decision making, etc. 

 

I play with some guys on the Mackenzie tour and a few other pro's. Trust me, they all have bad rounds, go OB, cant hit driver some days, cant sink a putt. It is the same game for everyone. 

 

 

[physasst]

On 7/23/2021 at 12:28 PM, trilerian said:

This is exactly how I play golf most of the time.  I am capable of stringing together a handful of pars in a row then throw down a triple or two right after that. Super frustrating. 

 

Exactly, my round yesterday- triple, par, par, triple, triple, par, par, bogey( grrr-3 putted on par 5), bogey, bogey, par, double, par, triple, par, bogey, par, par....

 

Shot 88 (par 70)...with 4 triples??? 9 pars....sigh...

 

Such a weird game....

 

M

[Roody]

Most of my rounds this season consist of pretty solid golf for 15-16 holes, and then doubles or triples for the remainder. I've had several rounds where I'll shoot an 80 with two to three doubles on the card. And they're usually caused by dumb mental mistakes, or loss of focus. So the golfer you're describing sounds a lot like me. 

[HoosierHacker89]

I am fall into this category. I am a streaky golfer, and I can have days all over the place. Over the past 5 seasons I've shot from 73-109, so anything is possible. Had a few rounds with 0 pars in them.  

[betarhoalphadelta]

On 7/26/2021 at 10:27 AM, Under2hours said:

 

As said this is aimed at the 15, who easily can shoot in the 70's, but then also is putting up 95's..... 

 

I had a round like this... Prior to the round, I was a 24.3. This round all by itself dropped me to a 20.4. 

 

It was a par 60 course, and I walked away with 3 birdies, 6 pars, 6 bogeys, and 3 doubles, for a 69. Round of my life. Really happy that there were no blow up holes, and prior to that round I'd never carded more than one birdie in a single round. 

 

Anyone who saw me in this round knowing I came in as a 24 would think I was sandbagging. Luckily I was playing with my normal buddies who know how bad I can be, so they recognized that I was just on fire. 

 

My next round at that course I shot a 91, which would have been the equivalent of 103 on a par-72 course. 

[ShakeyT]

I had one of the crazier I've had last Sunday. I'm a 7 index, but shot a round in the mid 70s.

 

The 1st 8 holes, I missed every green, but 1 putted each of those holes.  I ended up with 25 putts total, with no hole outs. 

 

Without the crazy # of 1 putts, I would have scored like I normally do.

[MikeW2]

My rounds look like an EKG. My cap right now is a 7, up from a low of 6.1 last year. Last year I shot two rounds of 90 and two sub par rounds. I have days where I could not hit the ocean from the beach with my driver if my life depended on it. It’s awful especially mentally when I go off the rails and it gets worse and worse no matter what I try. I usually wind up with the zips by the turn. Then I will have a day where nothing goes wrong at all or days where I’m physically swinging putting well but just can’t get the score out of the round that I should. The former is bliss and produces really clean scorecards while the latter is a roller coaster ride that could see anything at all show up on the card that day. 

[larrybud]

On 7/26/2021 at 1:07 PM, tacklingdummy said:

 

People calling out players as sandbaggers or vanity handicappers. Nowadays, there seems to be no in between just like politics. 😂 Just got to decide which one you want to be. 😂🤣😂 

One round does not make either, but when Mr Net 65 shows up several times, you know something is going on.