How do I aquire an official handicap?

[clint]

Pretty much what the title says. What are the steps in getting a handicap? Does it cost money? If so, how much?

 

[Slingblade61]

The BEST way (in my opinion) is to join a league.

I joined the men's league at a public course. I played 5 rounds and my handicap was then computed.

I play in tourney's every week and turn in my card to keep the 'cap updated.

 

[West Coast Duffer]

I did the same thing, i just joined a league. I do not have a handicap yet but hope to have it soon, I also turned in some signed scorecards that will help get your handicap started.

 

[bames]

I work too much in the summer to be counted on for a league. Is there another option that provides an official handicap that can be used for tournaments, etc?

 

[indacup]

I work too much in the summer to be counted on for a league. Is there another option that provides an official handicap that can be used for tournaments, etc?

Contact the USGA for a list of courses near you, go there, pay a small fee (usually $20-$25) and then everytime you play there or ANY other USGA course, you return the cards to them and they'll enter your scores.

Your actual hadicap doesn't actually take effect until you've played 20 rounds of golf, and then, your handicap is determined by your ten best rounds.

Lets say you average 82 on your ten best scores on a par 72 course, your handicap will not be 10, it will actually be lower...what so many people forget is a handicap is a way to gauge your POTENTIAL, not your current average.

 

[mddubya]

There is a website you can go to, I'll have to find it again, where you can enter in the course rating, par score and your scores and distance's of the courses you play and it will give you a rough estimate. My problem is my home course doesn't have a rating so it doesn't help me.

 

[rubber314chicken]

I use keepmygolfscore.com but there are many others if you search "golf score tracking" in google.

 

[ezra76]

I used some online one the year before last. I can't remember the name of it now. I'm going to probably use the Golfchannel one this year and might look into doing one of their "tournaments". The stat tracking on there is really good. You can keep track of misses, like short, right or left for greens and fairways. I think that will be very useful practice wise and also course management wise if there is a trend for the particular hole.

 

[bames]

Do the online handicaps qualify for entering local tournaments that require an "official handicap"?

 

[indacup]

Do the online handicaps qualify for entering local tournaments that require an "official handicap"?

No.

It has to be issued from a USGA approved golf course or committee.

 

[Eracer]

No.

It has to be issued from a USGA approved golf course or committee.

The service I use (golfonline.com) says that if I live within a reasonable distance from a USGA-certified "home course", and have a reasonable chance to play with other members, then posting my scores through them meets the requirements for "handicap-adjusted" tournament play.

 

[shankexpert]

Those online systems also track how many times you "have a meeting out of the office". I read a recently departed CEO was criticized for playing something like 200 rounds last year. The press found this by checking his handicap through one of these sites.

Big Brother is definitely watching.

 

[Eracer]

Those online systems also track how many times you "have a meeting out of the office". I read a recently departed CEO was criticized for playing something like 200 rounds last year. The press found this by checking his handicap through one of these sites.

Big Brother is definitely watching.

There's been some discussion in the USGA about making handicap records private - for the very reason you mentioned.:laugh:

 

[shankexpert]

There's been some discussion in the USGA about making handicap records private - for the very reason you mentioned.:laugh:

Makes sense - unless you are entering a tournament that requires verification of your handicap, it shouldn't be publicly available.