There are many kinds of people who hold a handicap – there’s the addicted poster, the once every blue moon poster, or even the golfer who wanted to join a club with their friends and don’t know (or care) about posting. Either way, there is always something to learn about the GHIN system. We’d be here all day if we told you about it cover to cover, so here are our top five things you should know as an SCGA member.
Your total score is NOT your score
The ESC sets a maximum number a player can post, depending on their handicap. For example, if you are a 20 handicap, the maximum score you can have on any hole is an eight. Single handicaps can only post double bogeys. Thanks to ESC, those blow-up-hole moments don’t define you!
You can only stink so bad
The maximum handicap indexes for men and women are 36.4 and 40.4, respectively. If you think you’re in that ball park, think again. You’re a much better player than you think! According to the USGA, 10 percent of women are between a 39 and 40.4 and only one percent of men are between a 35 and 36.4.
Most golfers are just like you
Also, according to the USGA, 59 percent of men have an index of 14 or lower, with 58 percent of women playing at a 27 or lower. That means the average golfer breaks 100, which is a win in our books. Where do you stack up? Are you considered an average Joe (or Jane)?
You played, but you really didn’t
Yea, we know, we play some of the best rounds when we’re alone. No incessant banter from your partner or pressure from the eyeballs staring behind you on the tee-box. Nothing against you, but GHIN is just trying to keep it fair in not allowing solo rounds. You can blame that one buddy at the club who screams and hollers about his “under par round while you were out of town,” even though he’s a 15.
Your handicap is a SCAM
The internet is a black hole of scammers and frauds – all kinds of people trying to make a buck. While “register for a golf handicap FREE” sounds enticing, it’s not quite like the real thing. Becoming a member through your local club who is registered through the SCGA or any other USGA affiliate is the most reliable way to go. (Did we mention an index through us gets you free stuff?)