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The World Handicap System. Is it Good? (Moved from the BUDA thread)

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Jon Wiggett:
Well?

Ulrich Mayring:
Here's the apparently contentious part from the horse's mouth:

https://www.randa.org/en/worldhandicapsystem/inclusiveandaccessible

If you accept the premise of inclusivity and accessibility, then the system is certainly appropriate. But I find it interesting that these key objectives aren't discussed at all. They don't say WHY these key objectives were chosen.

Ulrich

Mark Pearce:
Even that article doesn't try to argue that the new system will be better than CONGU at identifying the correct allowance between two players in competitive play, which, surely, is the fundamental purpose of a handicap.  Basically this is yet another dumbing down of the game.

Sean_A:
The interesting thing in the UK is that the EGU used to offer a handicap service for golfers who didn't belong to clubs. The idea sounded grand in theory, but the scrutiny of score attesting wasn't possible to achieve. Plus, the EGU in part is meant to serve member clubs. It didn't make a lot of sense to give a reason not to join a club when memberships were trending downward.


Anyway, I think a world system is bad news because it attempts to jam several different golf cultures and histories into one no size fits all box.


The US experiment of inclusiveness clearly demonstrates that the concept is not necessary for handicapping because the vast majority of US golfers do their thing without a care in the world for an official handicap. In a very real sense the US is an outlier of major golf countries because the vast majority of golfers do not belong to a club.


Anyway, the new system is coming, its a done deal because the USGA and R&A know best. My question is how are the first 20 scores generated? For instance, in the UK are they going to use the last 20 posted scores or seek 20 new scores to issue a new handicap?


Ciao

Niall C:
"Accommodating Local Golfing Cultures

It is not our intention to try to force a change on the way that golf is played around the world or to try and remove the variations. The cultural diversity that exists within the game, including different formats of play and degrees of competitiveness, is what makes the sport so universally popular. Through collaboration with National Associations, the goal has been to try to accommodate those cultural differences within a single WHS."


They certainly don't seem to think they are going down the route of homogenization but I tend to think the law of unintended consequences could end up playing a part.

What's the use of a WHS anyway ? Surely only of any relevance to elite golfers who make up an infinitesimal percentage of world golf.

Niall

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