Are we turning a “blind eye” to golf’s traditions to chase YouTube gamers? Are governing our bodies “in denial” about criticisms of the World Handicap System?
We marked the fifth anniversary of the WHS’s arrival in Nice Britain & Eire with a two-part interview with England Golf’s head of handicapping and course score Sarah Barter.
I additionally argued in the event you had been contemplating numbers alone – and the intention of handicap chiefs to open up the sport to extra gamers – than the system was making progress.
That motivated a lot of you to ship in additional messages about WHS and, with one other overflowing postbag, we’re once more printing a number of your views under…
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‘Golf scores matter to golfers’: Right here’s what you’re saying in regards to the World Handicap System
Colin wrote: “I don’t plan on writing conflict and peace on this handicap system apart from I discover it terrible and a cheat’s constitution.
“England Golf have deserted the standard golfer to get “bums on seats”. I keep away from enjoying in Handicap competitions and follow scratch occasions, staff opens are a joke.
“I additionally really feel since COVID the quantity of poor etiquette, bunker raking and rule braking has considerably elevated. The sport is in sluggish decline and I fear about its integrity going forwards.
“In abstract, a blind eye to the traditions of the sport is accepted to generate income for golf equipment – too many golf golf equipment chasing “YouTube golfers”.
“Golf must return to a distinct segment sport with some requirements, it sounds adverse however that’s how I really feel about it. I’ve been enjoying golf since 1980.”
It’s a view Jeff expanded upon. “The system, particularly getting into normal play scores which improve your handicap, merely invitations manipulation. Merely cease these scores which improve it,” he stated.
“As for 4BBB, the change the place a participant has a rating entered for the pair having 42 factors and is available in on 9 or extra holes was welcome however, once more, is flawed. Why can’t they hit each gamers?
“In match play, why is it full handicap distinction when it’s was 3/4?
“These are the three principal areas of the sport in aggressive golf and every one DOES NOT WORK.”
He later added: “The rulers of the sport should realise how a lot discontent there may be with the system and to not make amendments is conceitedness. For them to say it’s for the membership to use its personal guidelines is once more preposterous. It wants to come back from the highest so each membership applies the identical guidelines, each time.
“The drive to extend the numbers enjoying golf is commendable however what they miss out on are the numbers of golfers now not enjoying because the WHS system simply isn’t working.”
Peter was additionally to the purpose.
He stated: “Golf scores to golfers MATTER. You battle your method spherical towards your self, the course and the weather. Golf going a method, downhill. After 60 years of single figures play, I’m pondering of placing away my golf equipment endlessly.”
Philip opined: “A minority of golfers will all the time cheat as a way to manipulate their handicaps upwards however the elementary drawback is that the WHS has made it far simpler for them to take action.
“These golfers could solely be a small minority however they’re nonetheless having a huge impact on the end result of membership competitions.
“That is changing into more and more obvious to different golfers, posing an actual threat that the most cancers of manipulating handicaps will unfold.”
Phil, in the meantime, wrote in to say: “I’ve been enjoying golf for 50 years and the previous system was much better. It labored. This technique is garbage.
“I don’t know anyone that claims this method is nice. It’s open to dishonest. No disrespect to you or your committee however you’ve got it improper. You might be destroying good golfers.
“Now we have seen now after this has been applied at our membership, and plenty of others, rounds of 14-15 beneath par are being submitted. 5 years in the past this might by no means occur. You could have destroyed the sport.”
But it surely wasn’t all criticism of the World Handicap System. Will, for instance, is a giant fan.
“The WHS is great, most individuals adore it, it is rather well-liked,” he defined. “If there may be something the committee ought to give attention to it’s learn how to sort out bandits.
“Maybe golf membership competitors winners ought to be flagged to assist determine repeat winners that rating considerably higher than handicap.”
And in the event you assume the aim of golf is to get the ball into the opening, cowl your eyes. Stephen writes: “I’m a giant supporter of WHS and used what was nearly the identical system when residing within the US.
“The large distinction there was gimmes had been acceptable. I’d prefer to see this right here. It hastens tempo of play and I might enter extra scores.
“Importantly, this solely has the influence of bringing a handicap down slightly than sandbagging.”
Adrian urged one “small” change. “Handicaps ought to simply droop and even expire in the event you haven’t submitted a card of any type after (say) 3 years – 1 or 2 new playing cards might re-activate or 3 recent ones restart,” he defined.
“Now we have fairly a couple of numbers on my handicap checklist that are fairly meaningless, principally older members who nonetheless wish to present up in issues just like the Turkey Trot however will roll in a stable 22pts and simply be there for the mince pies!”
John additionally urged a tweak to the cap system. He wrote: “I hear many feedback from my {golfing} buddies about handicap manipulation in WHS, suggesting folks use normal play scores to decrease their handicap previous to competitors.
“There’s the arduous cap within the calculation, if it was decreased to three pictures slightly than 5, and the calculation for the rise in WHS rating for rounds above WHS was weighted so the discount occurred extra slowly a lot of the criticism can be much less warranted. Are you aware if it has it been thought-about?”
Now have your say
What do you assume? Do our readers have a degree? Will we simply must get used to WHS, or ought to or not it’s despatched out to pasture? Drop us a remark under, e-mail me at s.carroll@nationalclubgolfer.com or go away us a message on X.
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The submit ‘The World Handicap System merely invitations manipulation. Cease these scores that improve handicaps’ appeared first on Nationwide Membership Golfer.
