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by
Judy Carls, LPGA Top 50 Teacher
You’ve probably heard other golfers joke about having
“handicaps” out on the course (my swing, my putter...), but
the truth is, golf handicaps make the game fair for
everyone.
No
matter how bad the golfer, a handicap can be established to
equalize level of play against better golfers. Even if you
are new to the game, once you play a few rounds of golf,
your handicap can easily be calculated by your golf pro or
in the
LPGA Golf Clinics for Women Scorecard Clubhouse. Every
time you play after that, you should enter your score(s) so
your handicap is adjusted accordingly going forward.
Don’t be intimidated by golfers who have handicaps. It just
means they take the game seriously enough to play by the
rules. There are “low” handicappers who play pretty well and
“high” handicappers just learning the ropes. Either way,
both are doing the right thing by the game of golf.
Here
are 6 very good reasons to establish a handicap:
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1. |
Handicaps help even
the field of play between low/high scoring golfers. When
a “30” plays a “20”, for example, the 30 handicapper
gets an extra stroke on each of the 10 most difficult
holes on the golf course. |
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2. |
Handicaps are
recognized around the world and updated monthly. You can
post your scores at any golf course with a computer.
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3. |
Handicaps help
determine player tee selection at many courses. In other
words, higher handicappers should play from the forward
tees, while lower handicappers should hit from the
deeper tees. |
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4. |
Handicaps are used at
some golf courses in order to make a tee time. For
example, Old St. Andrews in Scotland. No handicap? No
tee time. |
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5. |
Establishing a
handicap will help the player challenge the course for a
personal best. When you know what you typically shoot,
you know when you’re getting better. |
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6. |
If you want to be
competitive in tournaments or a golf league, handicaps
are required. Many outings, even if they are for
charity, also require a handicap in fairness to other
competitors. |
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