Got "Reduced", not a Sandbagger

[Yuck]

I took some time off from the game last August and did not resume playing until late January. I knew the first couple months back would be painful, since my index was 1.9 and obviously did not change while I was gone. After posting twenty rounds since my return, my stroke average is 81.6, my best ten average 79.5 and my handicap was trending up to a 6. GHIN revised our indexes today and I had an unpleasant surprise. My index is now 2.4R! I know why the process exists and it goes back to my tournement play last July and August. When I was a 1.9 index, I had tournament scores of 69, 70, and 71 on courses with ratings of 72.9, slope 136 and 72.7 slope 129. Not way out of line for someone with a 1.9 index. Now that I am playing to a 6, the "R" has kicked in, essentially reducing my handicap by more then half. Since the Tournament scores used are from August, I will be handicap purgatory for 6 months. I have to either get better, or get used to losing. I think the intent behind the process is a good one, to prevent sandbagging, but innocents can also get restricted.

[mcmski]

That's unfortunate, but maybe you can use it as the motivation you need to get back down around a 2! could be a good thing in the long run.

[mark m]

How many 'T' scores do you have in your record from the last 12 months?

Keep playing in events where they post "T' scores. The more you have helps to offset the effect of the 2 best and it those scores could make it go away.
Look at the "handicap reduction table" in section 10:
[url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Handicap-System-Manual/Rule-10/"]http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Handicap-System-Manual/Rule-10/[/url]

So if you want it to go away before these scores drop off (which is one year), then either play in more Tournaments or play better in your other rounds.

What happened to you is common and many are right to claim that they are not baggers. In defense of the system I would just say that your handicap is your potential, not an average, and unless there is some physical reason why someone starts playing not as well, it is unlikely that a Committee would have it removed. (Just imagine removing it, and then you shoot 70 again - the reaction wouldn't be so good.)

The same thing happened to one of my best friends last year. He is the first guy I've seen with a restricted plus handicap. No kidding. He just laughed it off.

Can you imagine calling a plus handicapper a sandbagger?

[KevCarter]

Presumed guilty until proven innocent.

I don't care for that side of our handicap system, but it's probably the fairest to the majority. I feel for you!

Kevin

[Yuck]

[quote name='mark m' date='03 March 2010 - 06:45 PM' timestamp='1267667129' post='2291625']
How many 'T' scores do you have in your record from the last 12 months?

Keep playing in events where they post "T' scores. The more you have helps to offset the effect of the 2 best and it those scores could make it go away.
Look at the "handicap reduction table" in section 10:
[url="http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Handicap-System-Manual/Rule-10/"]http://www.usga.org/...Manual/Rule-10/[/url]

So if you want it to go away before these scores drop off (which is one year), then either play in more Tournaments or play better in your other rounds.

What happened to you is common and many are right to claim that they are not baggers. In defense of the system I would just say that your handicap is your potential, not an average, and unless there is some physical reason why someone starts playing not as well, it is unlikely that a Committee would have it removed. (Just imagine removing it, and then you shoot 70 again - the reaction wouldn't be so good.)

The same thing happened to one of my best friends last year. He is the first guy I've seen with a restricted plus handicap. No kidding. He just laughed it off.

Can you imagine calling a plus handicapper a sandbagger?
[/quote]


I looked at the table you referrenced. I have 14 eligible tournement scores and the differential for my two lowest are -1.6 and minus -2.4 so the second lowest -1.6 is 7.9 below my calculated index of 6.3 Looking at the table for 11-20 tournament scores, . The table says 3.9 gets subracted from my index, hence the 2.4R. If the number of tournement scores goes to 20 to 29, then only 3.1 is subtracted. Even with 40 plus scores, I would still have a restricted handicap. Ironically, the way the process works, if my golf improves and my index goes to 4.3, my handicap would be an unrestricted 4.3. so my handicap can go up by nearly two strokes if I improve by nearly two strokes. Very strange.

[mark m]

I see what you mean......14 is a lot.....(I was hoping you only had 3 or 4 'T' scores)....sorry about that....most I've ever had was 20 'T' scores in one 12 month period.....to hit 40 a guy would have to play in more than a few multi-round tournaments....anyway, the system definitely has some weak spots.....I'm sure your game will come around soon.....good luck

[atlanta golfer]

5 months off and the handicap index rises by 4 points..... seems about right, sounds similar to what happens to most people over the winter when they can't play much. although you would think after playing 20 rounds that the scores would be about to return to where they were. good luck getting back to where you were, sounds like you have a great game.

[teejaywhy]

FYI, "R" stand for "Reduced" (not restricted).

[Yuck]

Update: My play has gotten even worse, and my index was trending up to a 7! As of yesterdays revision, my index is now reduced to 1.2R! This is even lower then it was last August when I actually shot several low tourney scores. The way this is going, if I trend up to an 8, I will be soon be scratch. I have got to be the only person in America with a stroke average above 80, and a legit USGA handicap index that would allow me to enter the U.S. Open qualifier.