Is the system of giving shots in Matchplay Wrong?

[Kiwi Player]

This is something I have thought about and wonder what everybody else's view is on the subject.

Let's take a simple example of a 9 handicap vs an 18 handicap.

In normal matchplay the 9 handicap has to give the 18 handicap a shot on the 9 toughest holes on the course. To me this doesn't really make sense. On those 9 holes both golfers are expected to bogie the holes if they play to their handicap. The 9 easiest holes on the course are where the 9 handicap is expected to make par whereas the 18 handicap is still expected to make bogie. So shouldn't those be the holes where the lower cap gives shots?

Sometimes during a normal medal round we will have a matchplay side bet and sometimes we play normal matchplay but other times we play it based on who gets the most stableford points on a hole. This is effectively giving shots on the easiest holes on the course as in the example above. To me this makes more sense.

I am curious to hear other golfers views on this?

[SoonerBS]

I don't know how to figure out using handicaps in match play. That is why Dave and I never messed with it in our matches.

[Pky6471]

This is something I have thought about and wonder what everybody else's view is on the subject.

Let's take a simple example of a 9 handicap vs an 18 handicap.

In normal matchplay the 9 handicap has to give the 18 handicap a shot on the 9 toughest holes on the course. To me this doesn't really make sense. On those 9 holes both golfers are expected to bogie the holes if they play to their handicap. The 9 easiest holes on the course are where the 9 handicap is expected to make par whereas the 18 handicap is still expected to make bogie. So shouldn't those be the holes where the lower cap gives shots?

Sometimes during a normal medal round we will have a matchplay side bet and sometimes we play normal matchplay but other times we play it based on who gets the most stableford points on a hole. This is effectively giving shots on the easiest holes on the course as in the example above. To me this makes more sense.

I am curious to hear other golfers views on this?

I remember when I played 9-hole in a league after work handicap was given but NOT at par 3... he could birdie a hole for a -1 and a point given then he would get -2 for that hole, No, that's not acceptable... on par 4 and 5, the 9 handicap is expected to do better, so that's where points should be given, even so, I am not sure what is fair

[poe4soul]

This is something I have thought about and wonder what everybody else's view is on the subject.

Let's take a simple example of a 9 handicap vs an 18 handicap.

In normal matchplay the 9 handicap has to give the 18 handicap a shot on the 9 toughest holes on the course. To me this doesn't really make sense. On those 9 holes both golfers are expected to bogie the holes if they play to their handicap. The 9 easiest holes on the course are where the 9 handicap is expected to make par whereas the 18 handicap is still expected to make bogie. So shouldn't those be the holes where the lower cap gives shots?

Sometimes during a normal medal round we will have a matchplay side bet and sometimes we play normal matchplay but other times we play it based on who gets the most stableford points on a hole. This is effectively giving shots on the easiest holes on the course as in the example above. To me this makes more sense.

I am curious to hear other golfers views on this?

The toughest holes are supposed to be harder for less skilled players. So it makes sense. The handicap system doesn't track a players ability on any hole and high cappers are more likely to have big blowup holes. Low cappers by definition have figured out to scramble/manage their way out of these big numbers. That's why I think taking 80% of the HC is better than straight HC in matchplay. Your 9 will become a 7 and the 18 will become a 14. That's 7 pops, 4 on the front and 3 on the back. That's usually pretty fair.

[mongrel]

I have never and will never play matches or skins unless the games are played at scratch, whether I am the low, high or whatever handicap. Medal play is different but being low gross is infinitely sweeter than low net.

[daveperkins]

I think you just follow the scorecard ratings... but sometimes they're not right, like if the easiest par 4 is a left dogleg but the player consistently hits left to right.. so difficulty rests as much with the player as with the anonymous raters on the scorecard.. in a case like that, the strokes are not going to be fairly given-- kind of like when Omen masturbates with his left hand...