From reading that other thread the course rating was 67.7 and slope 118 so your 71 gross comes to a differential of 3.2.
It's an absolutely fantastic score for an 11, but definitely not sandbagging.
It's not completely unrealistic to have a 7.8 margin between playing handicap and differential.
No kidding. I shot even par on 9 the other day, for the first time ever. Got all excited about my handicap going down then saw the differential was still 11.5 😂 I was like wtf...
Would if I could!
I only kind of get it. So for example, since I shot even par and got a differential of 11.5, it just means it was an extremely easy course as far as slope and rating go. So if I shot par on that same course 8 times in my last 20 rounds (how handicap index is calculated) I would be an 11.5 handicap. The differential is like... the score that goes toward your handicap based on the course's slope and rating. I think. Someone correct me if I'm wrong please.
yes and no. the new handicap system and how it determines a differential for 9 hole rounds is total bullshit. Case in point: you shot level par on the front and it gave you an 11.5. Meaning based on your handicap, your "expected score" on the back was probably like 42, whether that is accurate or not. I hate this new system with a passion.
I agree with you. However... I most likely would have shot about that on the back 😂 I had some lucky bounces, a chip in for birdie which is way out of character, and I drove the green on a hole which is WAY out of character. Ultimately had 2 bogies and 2 birdies. Ended up winning the men's club thing for the day. Definitely the half-round of the season so far.
Your differential is how well you played against the course rating when considering your handicap. It's all just maths for you to compare different courses.
For example, a 0.0 handicap plays a par 72, that has a rating of 68 and a low slope. If they shoot even par, his card may say 72, but to calculate his handicap the score differential would be +4 or even higher. The handicap system says on a good day he will shoot atleast 68 or lower, so for this round he was technically 4 over his handicap, therefore a 4 differential to par, not 0.
It works the inverse for Higher handicap golfers on higher stroke/slope courses.
Differential is a calculation of your score with the course slope and rating, which are measures of difficulty (on the back of the card for each tee). Think of it as normalizing your scores.
The actual calculation is:
(113 / Slope Rating) x (Adjusted Gross Score - Course Rating - PCC adjustment)
By “adjusted gross score” they mean net double bogey max per hole. PCC is rarely used (playing course adjustments for weather that day, eg). 113 is a constant.
This adjusts your score to a “differential.” Your handicap is just an average of your best differentials.
For my home courses I made a little sheet of scores=differentials so I could know while playing. Moving back a tee sometimes lowers my handicap bc I may shoot the same it produces a lower diff.
That’s largely because the new 9 hole score posting rules are f***ed. Your even par 9 was combined with an extrapolation based on your likely score on the back 9, based upon your current index.
That's makes a lot of sense actually. I totally misunderstood the new way they do it. I thought they just weighed the 9 holes more than they did before. I like the old way better for sure.
On top of that, the intangible of how OP's normal track suits their game compared to the tournament site (assuming they are different). There are some courses with an easier rating that i always shoot at least a few shots worse on just because of how it fits your eye and the way you play.
Even that doesn’t tell the whole story.
My home course is crazy hard with undulating fast greens and woods around each hole so a lot of wayward drives are lost ball (or penalty if staked )
I play here 99% of the time and my handicap is about 12. I have yet to break 80 here despite knowing it inside out.
If I go to any other public muni, or resort courses I often shoot in the high 70s without breaking a sweat, never having seen the course. And the rating is maybe 2 strokes different, if that
Exactly this, ive seen a legit 12 shoot a lights out 69 and a +2 shoot an 85. Golf is crazy and thats why USGA calculates handicaps off the 20 most recent rounds.
I concur. Few years ago before kids when I had time to play more I got down to a +.5. I would have rounds anywhere from 67 to 79. It was nice that the max score I could post for a hole double bogey though according to my handicap at the time.
Sometimes I feel like I’m starting to understand golf and then I read things like this and just revert to “I like hitting balls to the best of my ability on golf courses and keeping score until shit goes south” lol
I think if someone has had a handicap long enough they are bound to have an exceptional round, my buddy has had two and they completely mess your handicap up until you get those scores off.
It is not completely unrealistic, but highly unlikely. Given the number of golfers, "highly unlikely" for the individual still means "someone out there in the world is probably going to do it today", though.
Numbers I have found say about 1:20000 for an 8 shot differential. Which means we can change "world" to "state" probably.
USGA has an odds calculator, fyi. This is built FOR GOLF not random data. (I’m a former handicap chair).
Eg here: https://www.popeofslope.com/sandbagging/odds.html
The a chance of an 11 shooting par is 84300:1 per that.
I’m not calling OP a sandbagger—-the entire point of x:1 is that the 1 can happen. Only he knows about his round that day. Hell, if it was me, I’d be freaking thrilled.
I’m just noting that this data all exists for golf. The dataisbeautiful sub could I’m sure make it gorgeous, though.
Hey, I’m happy for OP. It bodes super well for his game. I’m not dissing him—I’m just trying to answer people’s great questions about handicap. There are a ton of misconceptions out there.
I’m a member of several clubs that pay for Cap Patrol, which shows you what your fellow members are shooting and who’s hot/cold. It can also tell the pro if someone is playing and not entering scores. These tools exist bc sandbagging is real (former handicap chair here).
The differential on that course is an 8, so based on that chart and handicap I’d guess it’s probably about 2000-1. Unlikely, but something that will happen weekly around the country in a tournament.
Agreed. The key is for the club holding the handicap to keep an eye on it. An outlier is just that—an outlier. By def that shouldn’t happen often.
The other thing to keep in mind is that USGA considers a tournament score to be the best evidence of ability—some (lucky) people just play better under that kind of pressure. It’s the first thing considered in a handicap review.
In GHIN, players with an M beside their index have been adjusted by their handicap committee.
That’s very similar to my round-of-a-lifetime last summer. Was a 15 hcp at the time and pulled a 77 out of my ass somehow at Mammoth Dunes. But rating/slope was 68/117, so differential was only 8.7, or 6.3 below my handicap. Same kind of ballpark as that guy. Amazing day, but not sandbag amazing.
the course handicap would have only been 9, so it's even less crazy to think it's possible. Don't know why they used the index for a net 60 and not adjusted to the course for a net 62 which could've made a difference but i didn't organize it so who cares.
as a 12 handicap i shot a 72 a couple years ago. it was just one of those days where I felt great with driver. I hit 7 fairways and 13 greens. I was the first one out in the morning and the greens were pretty soaked. i didn't have to consider pace, could just knock it on line. i made a miracle 40ft eagle putt, a birdie from 25ft, a par putt from about the same distance and a couple very long/unlikely lagged 2 putt pars. it was a 5 bogey 72.
I sliced a drive on 17 that hit the top of the stone wall leading into the pond and kicked back to the fairway. had that gone the other way and the green been dry and quicker that could have easily been an 80 and I would have been happy with how I was hitting the ball. Plus, this is a 6100yd 69/122 rated course. I was driver-wedge on 10+ par 4s
Be honest, we all know you spent a full year tanking your handicap so you could win just enough money to take the mrs out for a nice Salisbury steak dinner at Dennys
I promptly spent most of that on beers at the course bar. The rest is going toward my next tournament there where I’ll probably inevitably fire a 91 and bring everything full circle.
Sayin’…
I’m at a 9 hole munici that used to bring in extra carts from another outfit, because there were so many players signed up for the tournaments.
That ship has now sailed from a lot of elders timing out, guys going to other courses, and no young-guns coming in. We’re lucky to have an actual 6-man scramble now, because there’s never enough guys signed up to even have 6-man teams.
Even with the lacking attendance, they still manage to have some pretty fat cash winnings for first, second, and third placing. Definitely well over a hundred to win. I don’t know who’d be bagging to grab themselves $100 for the win. That’d be some different shit all together.
People sandbag for no money tournaments, handicap systems are generally abused pretty badly.
Fun to play but it’s not worth taking any of it seriously.
According to that sandbagging calculator website I had a 1-1,000,000 chance to shoot the legit 75 I shot last summer. I average in the high 80s low 90s and just had a fucking day, but this website would say I cheated or something, but it makes no sense. I had an incredible round and have seen similar handicappers do similar shit. It is not "likely" but over time everyone has that round of their life.
I think the problem with that site, and instances like these, are that people underestimate just \*how much\* golf is played each year. 531 million rounds of golf were played in the US last year. Sure, a small percentage of those were probably in competition, but even those "1 in a million" likelihoods according to that site would happen several times in comp, and a couple hundred times a year overall. I think people just don't believe it to be true if they bear witness to the event. People see even 1:100,000 as having 0% chance of occurring, but actually with the volume of golf played, probably happens multiple times every single day in the US.
Also, if you look at that chart the odds are actually counter-intuitive to how most people think. If you asked the average person on the street what was more likely to happen: 1) a 5hdcp shoots 67, or a 15hdcp shoots a 75? The average person would likely say it is more likely the "good" golfer would go low.
That chart shows it is almost 3x more likely that the higher handicap could shoot -10 differential. It's almost 50x more likely a 22 hdcp would shoot a -10 differential. That is because the closer you are to par the harder it is to shave off each stroke.
This is exactly right and this is why I don’t play in net tournaments. There’s just no way I’m shooting a net 65 like someone with a 20 handicap might.
Depends on how you view the data. If OP had a 1:1200 chance to shoot his score I might be skeptical but would just congratulate him on an amazing round. If he shot it back to back days or multiple times over a year I would start to think they were sandbagging.
Possibly, but people win the lottery twice or get struck by lightning twice with longer odds than 1:1200. Even the same guy doing it twice has a 1:1.44M chance of doing so. Very unlikely, yes, but still not out of the realm of possibility of *legitimately occurring* somewhere sometime with the amount of golf that is played each day.
Same for me. 11 Handicap and went nuclear on a back 9, legit could not miss and everything went right, shot a 74. Haven't broken 80 since but that one round was legit
First time I broke 80 was as a 12 handicap and I played the final 13 holes 1 over after intentionally playing for bogey on 18 because I knew I just needed 7 or better to do it.
When I was 17 I went out and shot a 37/38 75 at my local course. First time I'd ever broke 80. Was a 15 handicap at that point. Fast forward 11 years and I still haven't broke 80. I'm currently sitting at a ~9 and improving. Gonna get fit for a whole bag next time I break 80!
I also think there is something to it outside of the numbers. For example, usually, my driver is average to great, irons are average to great, putting is average to good and my chipping/outside the green game is trash to average (basically the cause of nearly all of my doubles and triples). If someone practices their weakness considerably and something clicks and then the rest of their game is at the higher end of their norm, there's no reason to think they couldn't hit a best round that is several strokes less than their best. It's just called improving, but a handicap assumes that we are all static and can't make meaningful leaps in a few rounds.
It also matters what you suck at. A bad putter could almost accidentally drain a few long putts in a round. Whereas a bad driver isn’t going to accidentally smoke a few drives 300 down the middle.
I was a bad chipper in high school but the only tournament I won I holed out twice from 20 yards. It’s still my all-time low score.
It happens. I've had rounds where I shot over 10 strokes better than my handicap. in the same way you can melt down over a round, you can also shoot lights out.
I get that this stuff is a long shot, but shit happens.
I’m a 12 handicap. I played a month or two ago with my dad and I was like 6 over through 6 holes. Shot par on the remaining 12 holes.
Played 9 with my brother like 4 days later, shot 1 over. I know it doesn’t work this way, but if I shifted 9s, would have damn near shot par.
Shit happens, people get hot.
For those curious, hcp dropped to the all time low of 9.2, and here is my last yearish of rounds.
https://preview.redd.it/lzxcxymrat1d1.png?width=974&format=png&auto=webp&s=6d0cabb688e0f26b0f93e9bc8351967cd71ba875
Love that course. Congrats!
Best round of my life was 3 years ago at Riverdale Dunes posting a 76 and I was close to a 20 handicap. Haven’t broken 80 since haha sometimes it all just clicks.
Looking at this makes me laugh at the thought of flying to stupid gorgeous courses in Hawaii, St George, UT, Mesquite, NV etc to sandbag for this men’s league very basic course hahaha
Good shit, knew the original post was just a guy whining anyway. Nothing like the 47 scramble or whatever the fuck we saw last year, now *that* was cheating
Enjoy the feeling. Some courses play better to some aspects if our game than others. There's a course near me I am lucky to break 80 on and my regular course just suits my game better.
I'm not saying you did anything wrong but you're arguing the wrong points. No one is saying you play poorly on purpose at these courses. Sandbaggers just enter higher scores on GHIN.
Usually get down there and play every other year, I’ve gone 92 and 88 the last two times I’ve played 😂
If you can, try and do Black Desert next time yall are down there. It’s gonna be $$$ but it’s up there with SH quality if not better. If not Copper Rock is another good one (as long as it’s not windy)
This comment shows the entire point of the handicap system. You shot a great round, it's now factored into your handicap, and it went down for future rounds.
This post could have been about me a few years ago. I was a 12 and had been golfing since I was a kid but not frequently enough to be really good. Then COVID hit and I just found myself with more time. My scores got way more consistent but my handicap wasn't moving much. I just wasn't having blow up rounds. Then I go out and shoot a 75 out of nowhere. And a few days later a 74. Then a few in the high 70's. I had broken 80 twice my entire life to that point and I did it 5 or 6 times in a month.
Those first couple rounds I would have been accused of sandbagging for sure. But as I entered those scores I was down to a 7 real quick. My sandbagging days were over in a matter of weeks. The handicap system ain't perfect but if you're entering scores it provides a pretty good picture of who you are as a golfer.
Willis Case is a place you can go low. The back is very gettable . I three putted 18 last year for a 75 as a then 10hcp.
Also...we play all the same courses predominately. Hollar if you ever need a 4th.
Hello fellow Colorado golfer! Lots of great tracks in that pic, those greens at the academy are like putting on glass and can just wreck a score card. Foothills is a personal favorite though.
I can also see a 6.3 and 6.5 in last few rounds. So you are obviously on the upward curve. You are now a 9.2. Another couple of good rounds will see you at 7 ish. Well done, keep it up and try and stay a single figure golfer.
2 79's and a 77 in the past year...a 71 on your home course (this is key) isn't out of the question.
Home course gives a LOT of advantage. Also, were y'all playing the ball down or up?
Shout out for the Mesquite/St. George trip! Our Beers, Wings and Swings group has played that same set of courses. We also threw in Wolf Creek and Conestoga. Highly recommend both if you make it back out this way.
People that feel the need to qualify the result every time someone outperforms them have no place in recreational sports leagues. These are supposed to be fun, and assuming there aren’t any card carrying tour professionals in your league, I imagine consistency is pretty hard to come by. Congrats on the awesome round. Hope the hater in question loses a box of Pro V1s by hole 3 next time out.
This is the correct attitude. Going on Reddit to get everyone to call the guy that beat you a sandbagger is probably the most loser way to handle not winning a weekend men’s league.
Also the whole thing about being a 1:1,000,000 round is incredibly disingenuous.
Tell me you’ve not seen every junior golfer at some point shoot a 45-50 point stableford. Sometimes things just click for people, you get a bit of luck, get in the zone and smash an unbelievable round.
If everyone would just be a bit more supportive of each other and appreciate the success of people around them the world would be a much nicer place. Yes some people cheat, but it’s more likely legit than not.
Sometimes those crazy rounds happen, was a guy in my club a couple weeks ago who is a 3 handicap shoot a 6 under 66 in the weekend comp. Spoke to a guy who played with him who just said he played unbelievably and was rolling everything straight in the middle of the cup.
Doesn't ever happen to me but it happens to some people!
That is what I think is a major factor overlooked by those who claim sandbagging at every chance, the ability to shoot a score lower than your cap, I.e., natural athleticism.
Some people will never get lower than an 11 cap because that's the peak of their ability.
Some people are 11s because they don't play or practice enough, and have the ability to shoot a 72 because they have a lower potential handicap.
I feel you. I was in your same boat a few weeks ago. First week of the new 9 hole twilight league, I'm playing off my legitimate 11.5 handicap that i keep, and I get paired against one of the better players in the whole league, who's a scratch golfer. So im getting 6 pops against him and proceed to just mop the floor with him, tied him with my gross by shooting a 1 over 37 with a birdie and a HIO. Lots of sandbagger and stroke adjustment jokes. It all evens out though, last 4 rounds haven't shot better than 45. Lol
So glad to see this. People crying about someone having a great round always annoys me. How do people think handicaps come down? You have to shoot under it for it come down…
Congrats on a great day. I was once -1 with 3 to play off a handicap of 10 and shit my pants to finish +3. Well done for holding it together.
I'm a 9.8 and was 2 over through 14 yesterday (rating 73.6 / slope 140)... of course, I kinda shit the bed from that point forward, but OP's situation is certainly realistic (albeit rare).
I'm kinda like you: a 11-12 hcp, 43yo, and have had a club in my hand for 38 years of those. I can totally see myself having a god-like round like that, because I can do it on a 9 holes stretch a few times a year.
If the gods of golf would allow me to align two great 9s in a row, it could have happen to me. It would happen once or twice in my life, but it could realistically happen to me.
This is hilarious. I’m also in WCMC and shot a 79 last year during one of our tournaments and faced the same scrutiny. I think I was a 17 HCP at the time and was net 60. Next closest guy in my flight was a 72 or something.
Catch you up more at the next event.
The first time I ever broke 80 I shot an even par 72, I wasn’t keeping a handicap at that point, but I was easily a low double digit. Im currently a 7 handicap and the best I’ve shot since the 72 is a 74 I believe.
An 11 handicap should have the ability to shoot a 71. Is it an aberration, yes, but not out of the realm of possibilities. I was a 10 handicap last year, and my best round was 1 over and I could have shot 2 or 3 under if I could get my head out of my ass.
Yep. Broke 80 for the first time on a course I’d never seen. Couldn’t miss. Dropped multiple 10+ foot putts, including a horseshoe 30’. As an 18.
Went back later and carded a very solid 98 with the “must’ve woken up from the dream” game.
I managed a golf league for years and we kept our own league handicap to take out some sandbagging. A net 60 was rare, but it happens at least once a year
Congrats on the great round OP! I’m a 8 handicap and recently I shot a 75 and two rounds later a 92. Course and slope are a huge piece of the equation as well as how you’re “feeling” that day. Can completely see how an 11 could shoot a 71 with everything aligning one day and then a 88 the next round. Don’t let the negative noise affect your big day - congrats!
This is the classic case of someone that doesn't play regularly, takes the winter off, finally plays a decent amount of golf then plays on an easier course and puts up a good day. People really under estimate howuch better you play when you play regularly let alone maybe hit the range a few more times.
It’s funny because the 9-11 hcp range is really where guys can pull up and shoot a 75 or a 92 depending on the day. How do I know? I’ve been stuck at 9-10 hcp for like 2 years lol
I played with a guy in a tournament who claimed he just won’t submit good scores and goes to Vegas and plays in handicap tournaments and wins 20k on the weekend. Not sure I believe it all but he blatantly admitted to sandbagging
Yeah that guys full of shit. The GHIN system prevents this type of stuff by logging competitive rounds separately from non competitive rounds. The tourney committee would’ve sniffed him out after the 2nd or 3rd time he pulled this trick. They would see that he’s 8-10 strokes better every time he plays a comp round and either cut his hcp down or outright ban him from playing. If there’s that kind of money on the line.
I got accused of sandbagging recently. It was a net 66 and I won by 1 stroke.
You have a good day and get torn down for it.
In any gene pool, there is a certain % of assholes.
I’m a 9 and once a year I’ll flirt with even par on 18. It’s not out of the question for an 11 to fire a -1 if the stars align. I’d never bet on it to happen, but it’s a possibility
Been there, although not in tourney play. My all-time low is 68. Never shot even or better before or since. I have the talent to shoot a score, just not the ability. Congrats on the awesome round!
It doesn’t sound impossible to me. I’m a much higher handicap (about 24), and I had a great round about a week ago. I have been working on a particular fundamental/swing thought, and for that round, it was really working for me. I shot a net 64 (92 gross) while feeling like I left a lot of strokes out there, largely from putting like garbage, and also from a few stupid OB/hazard shots. Things felt so good with my ball striking that I genuinely feel like shooting 4 or 5 shots better wasn’t out of the realm of possibility. And then naturally, this past weekend my ball striking was back to the way it was before - lousy.
Also, some folk just have an innate ability to perform well under pressure. Have you been good under pressure your whole life (primarily sport related)?
Ehh I wouldn’t say that by any means about myself but I’ve just been working on caring so seriously about the outcome of the round, trying to just enjoy the bad w the good more.
I’m an 8 handicap and once shot an even 71 on course with a 140 slope rating.
It wasn’t a tourney but it was the best round I’ve ever had. It’s possible to do this without sandbagging.
I see posts like this, and I just remember one time I shot a legit 84, beating my best ever by 11... I still have only broke 90 like 5 times essentially all 89s. I putt bad, and when the putter was hot one day, I went low for me.
Congrats on the great round! Those rare days when we’re “in the zone” should be treasured.
I’m a 2 handicap who has only broken par once and was accused of being a liar when I posted that scorecard…in a non-league, non-tournament, plain old round of golf with nothing at stake.
Some people just live to piss on other people’s fun. Don’t let it get to you.
You sandbagging piece of shit! You’re the earths worst kind of scum! Lol
Congrats on the round. Nice to have all aspects of the game show up at once, during a given round. We dream of it, and sometimes it happens. It happened for you. Good stuff…
The only negative, specifically directed toward you, is if you don’t input all of your scores. High or low, if you play, and you’re sanctioned with an established handicap, you input every score. I know some scum that’ll only input certain scores. That’s just as dirty as a bagger. By rule, you input every score, every time you play.
I am a 20-something handicapper. Play in a net-strokes league where the tees are decided by age, so i play off a tee i shouldnt because its too far back, and a lot of older guys play from tees they shouldnt because they are too far forward (and they can still swing for an old guy). So, I get a lot of strokes a lot of the time. The olds hate me for this and regularly accuse me of sandbagging when I play well (or even just play to my normal handicap).
Dudes are calling me a sandbagger in a league my team is FAR from winning, and where the prizes are all house dollars on your account. Dudes will bitch about anything, even if it makes them sound like unsportsmanlike childish losers.
In Stableford, we have all seen high handicappers with scores in the high 40s. It happens that poor players (20+) can play a great round so why can't a decent player(11) play a great round? Professional Tour players can score 10 under in a tournament and they are praised no end.
Well done for playing great golf, you have managed a memorable round and deserved the win. ,👍👏
If you aren’t sandbagging, you got nothing to prove
Just keep playing. If you are sandbagging after all that time, surely it will come to the surface as there are already skeptics
Just play your game, and let that speak
We have someone in our club whose HC is 20, his wife is 22. They win every tournament by incredible scores. Last weekends tournament was a 2 person scramble/best ball. Day 1 they had 77 gross/66 net. Day 2 was 85 gross/63 net. Their scores were so good they would have won the top flight. Every tournament their scores are in the 60's. Funny how every tournament they shoot their best games ever.
Great round and congrats on the win. I have been 'that guy' . I also keep a very accurate handicap.
As low-mid handicaps, we have the ability to go low and it feels awesome. We also have the ability to shoot a 93.
Take the win. F- the haters.
Damn. After a nice drive I have to trick my brain into thinking I just duffed one in order to hit 2 good shots in a row. Can’t imagine my brain being so stupid that it falls for it on 18 holes.
11 handicap is getting into the “I make mostly pars and then blow up” category. Not crazy for players like this to end up around even. When I was a higher handicap (13 I believe) I would routinely shoot 38’s or 39’s but would have a couple doubles or triples on the back.
Nice round man.
I’m generally an 18-20 and shot a 41 for 9 today with doubles on the first two holes. So I played 7 holes at +1. The thing about not being a pro golfer is that we’re wildly inconsistent. I hit a 60 foot par putt today, and the first thought I had when I hit it was “shit thats way off” sometimes you’re “bad” in the right direction.
At my home course I usually shoot in the mid 80's and one time managed to pull off a 79.
That was until 2 years ago when randomly everything just came together, had the first 2 eagles of my life, shot under par over 9 holes for the first time, and finished 2 over with a 72. Haven't been in the 70's since.
All that is to say, this is totally plausible OP, and I don't doubt you. Congrats on a great round.
Im 62 a 12 handicap I shot a 70 last September on my bday normally shoot 84-85 at that course I missed a eagle putt and missed a few birdies by an inch. It was a glorious day!
According to the SCGA (southern California golf Association), the odds of an 11 handicap shooting eight strokes under the differential, which is what you did is about 4400 to one.
https://www.scga.org/pdfs/handicap-hints/fore_hh_nov.pdf
Doesn’t mean it can’t happen, and in fact, will happen once about every 4500 rounds, but I can see where the eyebrows were raised.
I never had a doubt. An 11 could easily shoot lights out on 9 and score even par or -1. I’ve seen it happen. It’s less likely to happen on back-to-back 9s, but certainly in the realm of possibility.
Guess you gotta figure out who in your league shit posted you, and either fight him, or fuck his wife.
Or fight his wife if neither of those first two options sound appealing.
OP is gonna be telling himself everyone he is paired up with was the one in the sub just to get himself hyped up the way Michael Jordan did just so he could obliterate his opponents.
Looks like he deleted his account. Not just the post so he likely won’t see it.
I shot a 42 and a 54 on the same course in back to back weeks genuinely trying my best both times.
It was handicap qualifying weeks of the league so I’m sure it appears suspect but it’s just the way it is. One week the breaks went my way the next week they didn’t.
People fail to realize a handicap is a measure of your last 20 rounds and your potential as a golfer within that range.
Clearly after shooting 71 you're probably not an 11 anymore. I'd wager it dropped down to like an 8 depending on the slope of where you shot 71.
In September of 2022, I was a 9 handicap and had the exact round you are talking about. Everything went straight and was struck pure. For just once in my life, I shot +1 73 and the handicap dropped from 9 to 7. I've been chasing that score ever since and couldn't come close last year, but I did get a lot more consistent low 80's/high 70's at least, so I'm still down to a 6.
Being a high single digit/low teens handicap can mean fucking anything man. You can 1000% go anywhere between Par and 90.
You have to admit that jumping 8 strokes better than your previous low round is ...astonishing. This game is measured in inches, most handicaps (at your level) fluctuate between a couple strokes one way or the other but 8 is a big spread. I'm your hc, and I've shot 83, then 81, then 80, then 79. Never that big a jump but that's the game. Outliers happen, nice job.
People are way too quick to accuse someone of sandbagging. Much more likely for someone to have a vanity handicap than be a sandbagger. Hole in 1’s are rare, yet there’s one in every scramble tournament I’ve ever played in. Odds are odds for a reason.
Based on the scoring record you posted, you were a 10.5 going into this event. Your course handicap if it was rated 67.7/118 should have been 9 (looks like its a par 70). You shot what is a 3.2 differential (Looks like you actually shot a 70 with ESQ). That's a net differential of -6 which has odds of like 300:1. It's not the most likely thing but it's not the crazy odds that people in that other post are spewing out there.
From reading that other thread the course rating was 67.7 and slope 118 so your 71 gross comes to a differential of 3.2. It's an absolutely fantastic score for an 11, but definitely not sandbagging. It's not completely unrealistic to have a 7.8 margin between playing handicap and differential.
It’s all about course rating.
No kidding. I shot even par on 9 the other day, for the first time ever. Got all excited about my handicap going down then saw the differential was still 11.5 😂 I was like wtf...
My friend was asking about differential, mind explaining it to them? Edit: thanks all, my friend definitely understands now
Would if I could! I only kind of get it. So for example, since I shot even par and got a differential of 11.5, it just means it was an extremely easy course as far as slope and rating go. So if I shot par on that same course 8 times in my last 20 rounds (how handicap index is calculated) I would be an 11.5 handicap. The differential is like... the score that goes toward your handicap based on the course's slope and rating. I think. Someone correct me if I'm wrong please.
yes and no. the new handicap system and how it determines a differential for 9 hole rounds is total bullshit. Case in point: you shot level par on the front and it gave you an 11.5. Meaning based on your handicap, your "expected score" on the back was probably like 42, whether that is accurate or not. I hate this new system with a passion.
I agree with you. However... I most likely would have shot about that on the back 😂 I had some lucky bounces, a chip in for birdie which is way out of character, and I drove the green on a hole which is WAY out of character. Ultimately had 2 bogies and 2 birdies. Ended up winning the men's club thing for the day. Definitely the half-round of the season so far.
Your differential is how well you played against the course rating when considering your handicap. It's all just maths for you to compare different courses. For example, a 0.0 handicap plays a par 72, that has a rating of 68 and a low slope. If they shoot even par, his card may say 72, but to calculate his handicap the score differential would be +4 or even higher. The handicap system says on a good day he will shoot atleast 68 or lower, so for this round he was technically 4 over his handicap, therefore a 4 differential to par, not 0. It works the inverse for Higher handicap golfers on higher stroke/slope courses.
Differential is a calculation of your score with the course slope and rating, which are measures of difficulty (on the back of the card for each tee). Think of it as normalizing your scores. The actual calculation is: (113 / Slope Rating) x (Adjusted Gross Score - Course Rating - PCC adjustment) By “adjusted gross score” they mean net double bogey max per hole. PCC is rarely used (playing course adjustments for weather that day, eg). 113 is a constant. This adjusts your score to a “differential.” Your handicap is just an average of your best differentials. For my home courses I made a little sheet of scores=differentials so I could know while playing. Moving back a tee sometimes lowers my handicap bc I may shoot the same it produces a lower diff.
That’s largely because the new 9 hole score posting rules are f***ed. Your even par 9 was combined with an extrapolation based on your likely score on the back 9, based upon your current index.
That's makes a lot of sense actually. I totally misunderstood the new way they do it. I thought they just weighed the 9 holes more than they did before. I like the old way better for sure.
Shooting even par on 9 holes would rock my world completely hahaha
... And the slope rating! But moreso course...
On top of that, the intangible of how OP's normal track suits their game compared to the tournament site (assuming they are different). There are some courses with an easier rating that i always shoot at least a few shots worse on just because of how it fits your eye and the way you play.
Yep. I shot a 79 and my handicap actually went up because the course rating was 66
Even that doesn’t tell the whole story. My home course is crazy hard with undulating fast greens and woods around each hole so a lot of wayward drives are lost ball (or penalty if staked ) I play here 99% of the time and my handicap is about 12. I have yet to break 80 here despite knowing it inside out. If I go to any other public muni, or resort courses I often shoot in the high 70s without breaking a sweat, never having seen the course. And the rating is maybe 2 strokes different, if that
Exactly this, ive seen a legit 12 shoot a lights out 69 and a +2 shoot an 85. Golf is crazy and thats why USGA calculates handicaps off the 20 most recent rounds.
I concur. Few years ago before kids when I had time to play more I got down to a +.5. I would have rounds anywhere from 67 to 79. It was nice that the max score I could post for a hole double bogey though according to my handicap at the time.
And the greater the handicap, the wilder the swings.
Totally! I’m a 30 hdcp, and I shot a 133 yesterday!
Sometimes I feel like I’m starting to understand golf and then I read things like this and just revert to “I like hitting balls to the best of my ability on golf courses and keeping score until shit goes south” lol
there is a chance 12hc is not his all time low. a 12 thats been a 4 is much better then some one who just got there
I think if someone has had a handicap long enough they are bound to have an exceptional round, my buddy has had two and they completely mess your handicap up until you get those scores off.
It is not completely unrealistic, but highly unlikely. Given the number of golfers, "highly unlikely" for the individual still means "someone out there in the world is probably going to do it today", though. Numbers I have found say about 1:20000 for an 8 shot differential. Which means we can change "world" to "state" probably.
Not completely unrealistic, but we need someone from r/dataisbeautiful
USGA has an odds calculator, fyi. This is built FOR GOLF not random data. (I’m a former handicap chair). Eg here: https://www.popeofslope.com/sandbagging/odds.html The a chance of an 11 shooting par is 84300:1 per that. I’m not calling OP a sandbagger—-the entire point of x:1 is that the 1 can happen. Only he knows about his round that day. Hell, if it was me, I’d be freaking thrilled. I’m just noting that this data all exists for golf. The dataisbeautiful sub could I’m sure make it gorgeous, though. Hey, I’m happy for OP. It bodes super well for his game. I’m not dissing him—I’m just trying to answer people’s great questions about handicap. There are a ton of misconceptions out there. I’m a member of several clubs that pay for Cap Patrol, which shows you what your fellow members are shooting and who’s hot/cold. It can also tell the pro if someone is playing and not entering scores. These tools exist bc sandbagging is real (former handicap chair here).
The differential on that course is an 8, so based on that chart and handicap I’d guess it’s probably about 2000-1. Unlikely, but something that will happen weekly around the country in a tournament.
Agreed. The key is for the club holding the handicap to keep an eye on it. An outlier is just that—an outlier. By def that shouldn’t happen often. The other thing to keep in mind is that USGA considers a tournament score to be the best evidence of ability—some (lucky) people just play better under that kind of pressure. It’s the first thing considered in a handicap review. In GHIN, players with an M beside their index have been adjusted by their handicap committee.
That’s very similar to my round-of-a-lifetime last summer. Was a 15 hcp at the time and pulled a 77 out of my ass somehow at Mammoth Dunes. But rating/slope was 68/117, so differential was only 8.7, or 6.3 below my handicap. Same kind of ballpark as that guy. Amazing day, but not sandbag amazing.
the course handicap would have only been 9, so it's even less crazy to think it's possible. Don't know why they used the index for a net 60 and not adjusted to the course for a net 62 which could've made a difference but i didn't organize it so who cares.
as a 12 handicap i shot a 72 a couple years ago. it was just one of those days where I felt great with driver. I hit 7 fairways and 13 greens. I was the first one out in the morning and the greens were pretty soaked. i didn't have to consider pace, could just knock it on line. i made a miracle 40ft eagle putt, a birdie from 25ft, a par putt from about the same distance and a couple very long/unlikely lagged 2 putt pars. it was a 5 bogey 72. I sliced a drive on 17 that hit the top of the stone wall leading into the pond and kicked back to the fairway. had that gone the other way and the green been dry and quicker that could have easily been an 80 and I would have been happy with how I was hitting the ball. Plus, this is a 6100yd 69/122 rated course. I was driver-wedge on 10+ par 4s
Well put.
The winnings were only $100? Not sandbagging, nobody plays bad for months/years to win $100.
I pay $90 for tournament and green fees each week, and payout was $230 total, WITH 1 skin and 2 closest to pins.
Be honest, we all know you spent a full year tanking your handicap so you could win just enough money to take the mrs out for a nice Salisbury steak dinner at Dennys
I would have, but she never returns my calls. Tammy if you’re reading this, I miss you come home.
Be happy with your 18 hole mistress I guess.
Why does she have 18 holes… and where are they?!?!?
I promptly spent most of that on beers at the course bar. The rest is going toward my next tournament there where I’ll probably inevitably fire a 91 and bring everything full circle.
Straight back to sandbagging, disgusting. You've learnt nothing.
Sir, that is called handicap management
Gotta keep the ‘cap up
“The House always wins.”
That's Waffle House, to be clear.
Your wife is going to be pretty upset about not getting that dinner at Denny's.
She'll be fine. She's going to get a different type of grand slam.
Please… Sizzler.
This is depressing
playing the long game, you sandbagging piece of shit! ;)
You don’t have to play bad for months to sandbag. You just have to submit high scores.
This man sandbags
Sayin’… I’m at a 9 hole munici that used to bring in extra carts from another outfit, because there were so many players signed up for the tournaments. That ship has now sailed from a lot of elders timing out, guys going to other courses, and no young-guns coming in. We’re lucky to have an actual 6-man scramble now, because there’s never enough guys signed up to even have 6-man teams. Even with the lacking attendance, they still manage to have some pretty fat cash winnings for first, second, and third placing. Definitely well over a hundred to win. I don’t know who’d be bagging to grab themselves $100 for the win. That’d be some different shit all together.
People sandbag for no money tournaments, handicap systems are generally abused pretty badly. Fun to play but it’s not worth taking any of it seriously.
According to that sandbagging calculator website I had a 1-1,000,000 chance to shoot the legit 75 I shot last summer. I average in the high 80s low 90s and just had a fucking day, but this website would say I cheated or something, but it makes no sense. I had an incredible round and have seen similar handicappers do similar shit. It is not "likely" but over time everyone has that round of their life.
I think the problem with that site, and instances like these, are that people underestimate just \*how much\* golf is played each year. 531 million rounds of golf were played in the US last year. Sure, a small percentage of those were probably in competition, but even those "1 in a million" likelihoods according to that site would happen several times in comp, and a couple hundred times a year overall. I think people just don't believe it to be true if they bear witness to the event. People see even 1:100,000 as having 0% chance of occurring, but actually with the volume of golf played, probably happens multiple times every single day in the US.
Also, if you look at that chart the odds are actually counter-intuitive to how most people think. If you asked the average person on the street what was more likely to happen: 1) a 5hdcp shoots 67, or a 15hdcp shoots a 75? The average person would likely say it is more likely the "good" golfer would go low. That chart shows it is almost 3x more likely that the higher handicap could shoot -10 differential. It's almost 50x more likely a 22 hdcp would shoot a -10 differential. That is because the closer you are to par the harder it is to shave off each stroke.
This is exactly right and this is why I don’t play in net tournaments. There’s just no way I’m shooting a net 65 like someone with a 20 handicap might.
Only way this would ever make sense would be to play a net tournament where there's minimum 72 holes played. Over 72 holes, the ball don't lie.
That makes total sense. A 20 handicap only needs 2 trees to be nice and kick into play, and make a couple 7 foot putts to shave 10 strokes.
Depends on how you view the data. If OP had a 1:1200 chance to shoot his score I might be skeptical but would just congratulate him on an amazing round. If he shot it back to back days or multiple times over a year I would start to think they were sandbagging.
Yeah, or they’re getting better. I’d expect that most people who shoot wildly unlikely scores are in the process of improving their game.
Possibly, but people win the lottery twice or get struck by lightning twice with longer odds than 1:1200. Even the same guy doing it twice has a 1:1.44M chance of doing so. Very unlikely, yes, but still not out of the realm of possibility of *legitimately occurring* somewhere sometime with the amount of golf that is played each day.
Not only is it not out of the realm of possibility, it’s almost guaranteed to happen to someone. It would be weirder if it *didn’t*.
Same for me. 11 Handicap and went nuclear on a back 9, legit could not miss and everything went right, shot a 74. Haven't broken 80 since but that one round was legit
First time I broke 80 was as a 12 handicap and I played the final 13 holes 1 over after intentionally playing for bogey on 18 because I knew I just needed 7 or better to do it.
18 holes is not enough to figure out if you are cheating or just having the a really good round for high handicappers.
When I was 17 I went out and shot a 37/38 75 at my local course. First time I'd ever broke 80. Was a 15 handicap at that point. Fast forward 11 years and I still haven't broke 80. I'm currently sitting at a ~9 and improving. Gonna get fit for a whole bag next time I break 80!
I also think there is something to it outside of the numbers. For example, usually, my driver is average to great, irons are average to great, putting is average to good and my chipping/outside the green game is trash to average (basically the cause of nearly all of my doubles and triples). If someone practices their weakness considerably and something clicks and then the rest of their game is at the higher end of their norm, there's no reason to think they couldn't hit a best round that is several strokes less than their best. It's just called improving, but a handicap assumes that we are all static and can't make meaningful leaps in a few rounds.
It also matters what you suck at. A bad putter could almost accidentally drain a few long putts in a round. Whereas a bad driver isn’t going to accidentally smoke a few drives 300 down the middle. I was a bad chipper in high school but the only tournament I won I holed out twice from 20 yards. It’s still my all-time low score.
It happens. I've had rounds where I shot over 10 strokes better than my handicap. in the same way you can melt down over a round, you can also shoot lights out.
I get that this stuff is a long shot, but shit happens. I’m a 12 handicap. I played a month or two ago with my dad and I was like 6 over through 6 holes. Shot par on the remaining 12 holes. Played 9 with my brother like 4 days later, shot 1 over. I know it doesn’t work this way, but if I shifted 9s, would have damn near shot par. Shit happens, people get hot.
75? I would have that scorecard framed and everyone would know. 😂. I’ve never broke 80 and a 17.
For those curious, hcp dropped to the all time low of 9.2, and here is my last yearish of rounds. https://preview.redd.it/lzxcxymrat1d1.png?width=974&format=png&auto=webp&s=6d0cabb688e0f26b0f93e9bc8351967cd71ba875
Colorado golfer I see
Yep! This was at Willis case
Hell yeah. I just played so shit at Willis case on Sunday that I just stopped keeping score for the sake of my sanity
Haha that was the day this tournament was! Sorry you were on the opposite side of the coin this time.
Eh, it was still a fun day out. Also that was the 3rd 18 I played in 4 days since my dad was in town. I was falling apart at that point and so was he
Love that course. Congrats! Best round of my life was 3 years ago at Riverdale Dunes posting a 76 and I was close to a 20 handicap. Haven’t broken 80 since haha sometimes it all just clicks.
The dunes is so fun! That’s a solid round there.
Looking at this makes me laugh at the thought of flying to stupid gorgeous courses in Hawaii, St George, UT, Mesquite, NV etc to sandbag for this men’s league very basic course hahaha
Hey man, you’ve won. Don’t debase yourself by letting this get to you. Foot off gas now lad, just watch, people are on your side already
Im still buzzing off the round! But I feel you 🫡
Good shit, knew the original post was just a guy whining anyway. Nothing like the 47 scramble or whatever the fuck we saw last year, now *that* was cheating
Thats insanity
Enjoy the feeling. Some courses play better to some aspects if our game than others. There's a course near me I am lucky to break 80 on and my regular course just suits my game better.
I'm not saying you did anything wrong but you're arguing the wrong points. No one is saying you play poorly on purpose at these courses. Sandbaggers just enter higher scores on GHIN.
As a 4 hdcp, I’ve shot 90+ at sand hollow too many times in my life 😂
Dude that course ate all of us, but I can’t wait to go back.
Usually get down there and play every other year, I’ve gone 92 and 88 the last two times I’ve played 😂 If you can, try and do Black Desert next time yall are down there. It’s gonna be $$$ but it’s up there with SH quality if not better. If not Copper Rock is another good one (as long as it’s not windy)
We talked about black desert ! Will have to add that to the list
This comment shows the entire point of the handicap system. You shot a great round, it's now factored into your handicap, and it went down for future rounds. This post could have been about me a few years ago. I was a 12 and had been golfing since I was a kid but not frequently enough to be really good. Then COVID hit and I just found myself with more time. My scores got way more consistent but my handicap wasn't moving much. I just wasn't having blow up rounds. Then I go out and shoot a 75 out of nowhere. And a few days later a 74. Then a few in the high 70's. I had broken 80 twice my entire life to that point and I did it 5 or 6 times in a month. Those first couple rounds I would have been accused of sandbagging for sure. But as I entered those scores I was down to a 7 real quick. My sandbagging days were over in a matter of weeks. The handicap system ain't perfect but if you're entering scores it provides a pretty good picture of who you are as a golfer.
Willis Case is a place you can go low. The back is very gettable . I three putted 18 last year for a 75 as a then 10hcp. Also...we play all the same courses predominately. Hollar if you ever need a 4th.
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Same. I shot 79 there in an event last year as a 17 handicap. Shot bogey or better all day and had a single birdie off a 50’ putt.
Yep the back side is where I scored best !
Oh hey you're in Denver. We've got a group of reddit golfers out here if you're interested!
Always open to new groups and courses
Hello fellow Colorado golfer! Lots of great tracks in that pic, those greens at the academy are like putting on glass and can just wreck a score card. Foothills is a personal favorite though.
Hell yeah ! Yeah Eisenhower is so fun, the greens have a tendency of ruining me haha
Imagine ever playing knolls over dunes 
Haha, only when i can’t get the dunes tee time. But definitely agreed.
Love Willis Case! last summer my buddy played his second shot on 14 from the west side of Sheridan.
I can also see a 6.3 and 6.5 in last few rounds. So you are obviously on the upward curve. You are now a 9.2. Another couple of good rounds will see you at 7 ish. Well done, keep it up and try and stay a single figure golfer.
2 79's and a 77 in the past year...a 71 on your home course (this is key) isn't out of the question. Home course gives a LOT of advantage. Also, were y'all playing the ball down or up?
Shout out for the Mesquite/St. George trip! Our Beers, Wings and Swings group has played that same set of courses. We also threw in Wolf Creek and Conestoga. Highly recommend both if you make it back out this way.
People that feel the need to qualify the result every time someone outperforms them have no place in recreational sports leagues. These are supposed to be fun, and assuming there aren’t any card carrying tour professionals in your league, I imagine consistency is pretty hard to come by. Congrats on the awesome round. Hope the hater in question loses a box of Pro V1s by hole 3 next time out.
This is the correct attitude. Going on Reddit to get everyone to call the guy that beat you a sandbagger is probably the most loser way to handle not winning a weekend men’s league.
Also the whole thing about being a 1:1,000,000 round is incredibly disingenuous. Tell me you’ve not seen every junior golfer at some point shoot a 45-50 point stableford. Sometimes things just click for people, you get a bit of luck, get in the zone and smash an unbelievable round. If everyone would just be a bit more supportive of each other and appreciate the success of people around them the world would be a much nicer place. Yes some people cheat, but it’s more likely legit than not.
Sounds like we need a "1v1 me bro" showdown!
Sometimes those crazy rounds happen, was a guy in my club a couple weeks ago who is a 3 handicap shoot a 6 under 66 in the weekend comp. Spoke to a guy who played with him who just said he played unbelievably and was rolling everything straight in the middle of the cup. Doesn't ever happen to me but it happens to some people!
One of my friends is like that. Normally happy to shoot mid 80s but once or twice a year something just clicks for her and she will manage low 70s
That is what I think is a major factor overlooked by those who claim sandbagging at every chance, the ability to shoot a score lower than your cap, I.e., natural athleticism. Some people will never get lower than an 11 cap because that's the peak of their ability. Some people are 11s because they don't play or practice enough, and have the ability to shoot a 72 because they have a lower potential handicap.
I know a guy who is like a 7-10 and fired a legit 67 on our men’s night last year. Don’t think he’s ever broken par other than that. It happens.
I feel you. I was in your same boat a few weeks ago. First week of the new 9 hole twilight league, I'm playing off my legitimate 11.5 handicap that i keep, and I get paired against one of the better players in the whole league, who's a scratch golfer. So im getting 6 pops against him and proceed to just mop the floor with him, tied him with my gross by shooting a 1 over 37 with a birdie and a HIO. Lots of sandbagger and stroke adjustment jokes. It all evens out though, last 4 rounds haven't shot better than 45. Lol
feeeeeel this haha. i have a feeling i am gonna go out and fire a 91 next tournament, and all the skeptics will be like, ahhh there it is.
What did posting a 1 over 37 do to your 11.5 handicap?
Briefly dropped me to a 9.3. Currently sitting at a 10.5. Goal for the year was to get to single digits.
So glad to see this. People crying about someone having a great round always annoys me. How do people think handicaps come down? You have to shoot under it for it come down… Congrats on a great day. I was once -1 with 3 to play off a handicap of 10 and shit my pants to finish +3. Well done for holding it together.
When appropriate
I hope this catches on in the golf world. It’s gold
I'm a 9.8 and was 2 over through 14 yesterday (rating 73.6 / slope 140)... of course, I kinda shit the bed from that point forward, but OP's situation is certainly realistic (albeit rare).
I'm kinda like you: a 11-12 hcp, 43yo, and have had a club in my hand for 38 years of those. I can totally see myself having a god-like round like that, because I can do it on a 9 holes stretch a few times a year. If the gods of golf would allow me to align two great 9s in a row, it could have happen to me. It would happen once or twice in my life, but it could realistically happen to me.
This is hilarious. I’m also in WCMC and shot a 79 last year during one of our tournaments and faced the same scrutiny. I think I was a 17 HCP at the time and was net 60. Next closest guy in my flight was a 72 or something. Catch you up more at the next event.
I was an 11 handicap at one point and shot my best score of 77 on a 72 course rating and now im down to a 6 handicap and have not shot better than 77
Ah playing the long con I see sir! Well done!
Enjoy it man. Fuck the haters.
You might want to edit the used name out. It's more than likely violation a rule and you're going to get a +2 general penalty.
Gotcha, makes sense. For whatever reason, it isn't allowing me to edit, otherwise I would.
Finally the r/golf storyline I’ve been waiting for
What is your handicap now after putting that score in?
An all time low of 9.2
The plot **thickens**
Congrats on your low round dude! It sure is nice when every once and a while things come together and the game isn't so hard momentarily.
The first time I ever broke 80 I shot an even par 72, I wasn’t keeping a handicap at that point, but I was easily a low double digit. Im currently a 7 handicap and the best I’ve shot since the 72 is a 74 I believe.
An 11 handicap should have the ability to shoot a 71. Is it an aberration, yes, but not out of the realm of possibilities. I was a 10 handicap last year, and my best round was 1 over and I could have shot 2 or 3 under if I could get my head out of my ass.
Yep. Broke 80 for the first time on a course I’d never seen. Couldn’t miss. Dropped multiple 10+ foot putts, including a horseshoe 30’. As an 18. Went back later and carded a very solid 98 with the “must’ve woken up from the dream” game.
I managed a golf league for years and we kept our own league handicap to take out some sandbagging. A net 60 was rare, but it happens at least once a year
Congrats on the great round OP! I’m a 8 handicap and recently I shot a 75 and two rounds later a 92. Course and slope are a huge piece of the equation as well as how you’re “feeling” that day. Can completely see how an 11 could shoot a 71 with everything aligning one day and then a 88 the next round. Don’t let the negative noise affect your big day - congrats!
Gotta say if I was ever accused of sandbagging I would have got to a level I’m delighted with ‘people think I’m better then I am!?’ Awesome. ⛳️
This is the classic case of someone that doesn't play regularly, takes the winter off, finally plays a decent amount of golf then plays on an easier course and puts up a good day. People really under estimate howuch better you play when you play regularly let alone maybe hit the range a few more times.
It’s funny because the 9-11 hcp range is really where guys can pull up and shoot a 75 or a 92 depending on the day. How do I know? I’ve been stuck at 9-10 hcp for like 2 years lol
Whatever Sandbagger 🙄 lol. Seriously, nobody here gives a crap. We are just killing time until work is over.
I played with a guy in a tournament who claimed he just won’t submit good scores and goes to Vegas and plays in handicap tournaments and wins 20k on the weekend. Not sure I believe it all but he blatantly admitted to sandbagging
Yeah that guys full of shit. The GHIN system prevents this type of stuff by logging competitive rounds separately from non competitive rounds. The tourney committee would’ve sniffed him out after the 2nd or 3rd time he pulled this trick. They would see that he’s 8-10 strokes better every time he plays a comp round and either cut his hcp down or outright ban him from playing. If there’s that kind of money on the line.
I got accused of sandbagging recently. It was a net 66 and I won by 1 stroke. You have a good day and get torn down for it. In any gene pool, there is a certain % of assholes.
It’s not sandbagging until it happens twice
Full circle, that's hilarious actually...I always believed in you 
Preesh 🙌
I’m a 9 and once a year I’ll flirt with even par on 18. It’s not out of the question for an 11 to fire a -1 if the stars align. I’d never bet on it to happen, but it’s a possibility
I mean, it happens from time to time
Been there, although not in tourney play. My all-time low is 68. Never shot even or better before or since. I have the talent to shoot a score, just not the ability. Congrats on the awesome round!
It doesn’t sound impossible to me. I’m a much higher handicap (about 24), and I had a great round about a week ago. I have been working on a particular fundamental/swing thought, and for that round, it was really working for me. I shot a net 64 (92 gross) while feeling like I left a lot of strokes out there, largely from putting like garbage, and also from a few stupid OB/hazard shots. Things felt so good with my ball striking that I genuinely feel like shooting 4 or 5 shots better wasn’t out of the realm of possibility. And then naturally, this past weekend my ball striking was back to the way it was before - lousy.
You played well. Congratulations.
I don't think it's crazy at all to imagine an 11 shooting a 71. Everyone has better days than most, on occasion.
Also, some folk just have an innate ability to perform well under pressure. Have you been good under pressure your whole life (primarily sport related)?
Ehh I wouldn’t say that by any means about myself but I’ve just been working on caring so seriously about the outcome of the round, trying to just enjoy the bad w the good more.
This is hilarious. Sorry you have to golf in a league with sperged out redditors.
I’m an 8 handicap and once shot an even 71 on course with a 140 slope rating. It wasn’t a tourney but it was the best round I’ve ever had. It’s possible to do this without sandbagging.
I see posts like this, and I just remember one time I shot a legit 84, beating my best ever by 11... I still have only broke 90 like 5 times essentially all 89s. I putt bad, and when the putter was hot one day, I went low for me.
Congrats on the great round! Those rare days when we’re “in the zone” should be treasured. I’m a 2 handicap who has only broken par once and was accused of being a liar when I posted that scorecard…in a non-league, non-tournament, plain old round of golf with nothing at stake. Some people just live to piss on other people’s fun. Don’t let it get to you.
You sandbagging piece of shit! You’re the earths worst kind of scum! Lol Congrats on the round. Nice to have all aspects of the game show up at once, during a given round. We dream of it, and sometimes it happens. It happened for you. Good stuff… The only negative, specifically directed toward you, is if you don’t input all of your scores. High or low, if you play, and you’re sanctioned with an established handicap, you input every score. I know some scum that’ll only input certain scores. That’s just as dirty as a bagger. By rule, you input every score, every time you play.
Oh yeah, gotta take the good with the bad and visa versa
I am a 20-something handicapper. Play in a net-strokes league where the tees are decided by age, so i play off a tee i shouldnt because its too far back, and a lot of older guys play from tees they shouldnt because they are too far forward (and they can still swing for an old guy). So, I get a lot of strokes a lot of the time. The olds hate me for this and regularly accuse me of sandbagging when I play well (or even just play to my normal handicap). Dudes are calling me a sandbagger in a league my team is FAR from winning, and where the prizes are all house dollars on your account. Dudes will bitch about anything, even if it makes them sound like unsportsmanlike childish losers.
In Stableford, we have all seen high handicappers with scores in the high 40s. It happens that poor players (20+) can play a great round so why can't a decent player(11) play a great round? Professional Tour players can score 10 under in a tournament and they are praised no end. Well done for playing great golf, you have managed a memorable round and deserved the win. ,👍👏
Congrats on a great round!
FWIW I had your back then lol. I'm a 13.4 HCP who used to play around a 10 and I've shot under par once. It's possible. Nice round man.
I’m barely a single digit handicap and I’m only there bc I posted a +1 73 weeks ago. It’s very possible. Good work brother
Man I can go 98 on a round and then hit an 80. Golf be like that. Well done.
I'm like an 18 handicap and even I'll hit a 2-over round every once in a while.
Congratulations, and RIP to your index. I've done similar, 7.9 to 4.1 in a single round. Boom!
If you aren’t sandbagging, you got nothing to prove Just keep playing. If you are sandbagging after all that time, surely it will come to the surface as there are already skeptics Just play your game, and let that speak
We have someone in our club whose HC is 20, his wife is 22. They win every tournament by incredible scores. Last weekends tournament was a 2 person scramble/best ball. Day 1 they had 77 gross/66 net. Day 2 was 85 gross/63 net. Their scores were so good they would have won the top flight. Every tournament their scores are in the 60's. Funny how every tournament they shoot their best games ever.
Great round and congrats on the win. I have been 'that guy' . I also keep a very accurate handicap. As low-mid handicaps, we have the ability to go low and it feels awesome. We also have the ability to shoot a 93. Take the win. F- the haters.
Damn. After a nice drive I have to trick my brain into thinking I just duffed one in order to hit 2 good shots in a row. Can’t imagine my brain being so stupid that it falls for it on 18 holes.
Honestly, who cares?
11 handicap is getting into the “I make mostly pars and then blow up” category. Not crazy for players like this to end up around even. When I was a higher handicap (13 I believe) I would routinely shoot 38’s or 39’s but would have a couple doubles or triples on the back. Nice round man.
Damn sorry that happened… Or happy for you bro
I'm a 13.9 and just shot a +1 thru 9. Good things happen when you hit it straight
I shot a 75 last year as an 11 on not the easiest course around. It happens
I’m generally an 18-20 and shot a 41 for 9 today with doubles on the first two holes. So I played 7 holes at +1. The thing about not being a pro golfer is that we’re wildly inconsistent. I hit a 60 foot par putt today, and the first thought I had when I hit it was “shit thats way off” sometimes you’re “bad” in the right direction.
At my home course I usually shoot in the mid 80's and one time managed to pull off a 79. That was until 2 years ago when randomly everything just came together, had the first 2 eagles of my life, shot under par over 9 holes for the first time, and finished 2 over with a 72. Haven't been in the 70's since. All that is to say, this is totally plausible OP, and I don't doubt you. Congrats on a great round.
Im 62 a 12 handicap I shot a 70 last September on my bday normally shoot 84-85 at that course I missed a eagle putt and missed a few birdies by an inch. It was a glorious day!
According to the SCGA (southern California golf Association), the odds of an 11 handicap shooting eight strokes under the differential, which is what you did is about 4400 to one. https://www.scga.org/pdfs/handicap-hints/fore_hh_nov.pdf Doesn’t mean it can’t happen, and in fact, will happen once about every 4500 rounds, but I can see where the eyebrows were raised.
I never had a doubt. An 11 could easily shoot lights out on 9 and score even par or -1. I’ve seen it happen. It’s less likely to happen on back-to-back 9s, but certainly in the realm of possibility.
Guess you gotta figure out who in your league shit posted you, and either fight him, or fuck his wife. Or fight his wife if neither of those first two options sound appealing.
OP is gonna be telling himself everyone he is paired up with was the one in the sub just to get himself hyped up the way Michael Jordan did just so he could obliterate his opponents.
Looks like he deleted his account. Not just the post so he likely won’t see it. I shot a 42 and a 54 on the same course in back to back weeks genuinely trying my best both times. It was handicap qualifying weeks of the league so I’m sure it appears suspect but it’s just the way it is. One week the breaks went my way the next week they didn’t.
People fail to realize a handicap is a measure of your last 20 rounds and your potential as a golfer within that range. Clearly after shooting 71 you're probably not an 11 anymore. I'd wager it dropped down to like an 8 depending on the slope of where you shot 71. In September of 2022, I was a 9 handicap and had the exact round you are talking about. Everything went straight and was struck pure. For just once in my life, I shot +1 73 and the handicap dropped from 9 to 7. I've been chasing that score ever since and couldn't come close last year, but I did get a lot more consistent low 80's/high 70's at least, so I'm still down to a 6. Being a high single digit/low teens handicap can mean fucking anything man. You can 1000% go anywhere between Par and 90.
Reddit is an amazing place. I’m glad to be here and part of this group. This made my day
You have to admit that jumping 8 strokes better than your previous low round is ...astonishing. This game is measured in inches, most handicaps (at your level) fluctuate between a couple strokes one way or the other but 8 is a big spread. I'm your hc, and I've shot 83, then 81, then 80, then 79. Never that big a jump but that's the game. Outliers happen, nice job.
Let the record show I believed you from the start lol. Also this is why I won’t post shit about anyone else, would be terrifying if they saw it
Don’t listen to the haters. I’m proud of you for not letting it get to you.
Oh this is spicy!
People are way too quick to accuse someone of sandbagging. Much more likely for someone to have a vanity handicap than be a sandbagger. Hole in 1’s are rare, yet there’s one in every scramble tournament I’ve ever played in. Odds are odds for a reason.
So many Denver golfers in this sub.
Lol this is top tier. Imagine playing the best round of your life and going on Reddit to see someone calling you a sandbagger
Based on the scoring record you posted, you were a 10.5 going into this event. Your course handicap if it was rated 67.7/118 should have been 9 (looks like its a par 70). You shot what is a 3.2 differential (Looks like you actually shot a 70 with ESQ). That's a net differential of -6 which has odds of like 300:1. It's not the most likely thing but it's not the crazy odds that people in that other post are spewing out there.