...no handicap yet...where can I play?...

Just to clarify some of the things about the "handicap test" ...

Firstly, it isn't really a test like a Driving test, whereby if you have too many demerit points you are going to fail. The actual term used is Courtesy Round, and the main purpose is to see if:

1) Your golfing ability is in line with the scorecards submitted
2) You are able to play the game at a decent pace
3) You exhibit the necessary level of safety awareness, both toward yourself as well as other golfers
4) Your are aware/and comply with basic golf etiquette
5) You have a basic knowledge of the rules of golf such that you can record your own score accurately (most of the time)

OK ... so how good a score do you need to play? If just using a single score, how you would calculate it would be as follows:

Max Male Handicap = 36.4 so using Marina Bay White Tee as an example (Course 69.8 Slope 129) and after going through the calculations, that will translate to a course handicap of 41 or a total score of 113 for 18 holes. Over 9 holes, that will translate to 57 strokes.

However, it does not mean that if you shoot 58 you will fail. That is because a single 9 hole score cannot be used to determine a handicap index. It can however be used as the basis to adjust or assign a handicap index when considered together with other 9 hole or 18 hole scores. The USGA system needs a minimum of 5 x 18 hole (or equivalent) on USGA rated courses. That is where the other score cards come in.

Also, if you submit 5 x 18 hole scores, only the best one is used to determine your handicap (the number slowly increases as you submit more cards until you reach 20 scores, in which your handicap will be based on the best 10 scores).

That means that you can shoot 4 games 120+ and one game 112 and you will still be assigned a handicap index if during the courtesy round you demonstrate that you know how to move around the golf course in a considerate, safe and timely manner.

In my time at MGK, there were many members who did not manage to shoot below 58 during their courtesy round, even though their scorecards submitted show scores (or at least 1) less than 113. Largely because during the first 1 or 2 holes, they were so nervous that they would really blow up the hole. Either with complete mishits (balls travels 20m or less), multiple shots in the bunker, or (most common) making a ton of mistakes in and around the green (chunking or going back and forth).

However, after they settled down, some because they thought they had already "failed" by scoring 11 over after just 2 holes, most of them were able to relax and actually play the game to the ability that was recorded in the scorecards submitted. All of them "passed" and walked away with a handicap index.

In all the courtesy rounds I have taken, I have only ever "failed" 2 golfers. One was because he really could not advance the ball and took about 7-8 shots to reach the green on a Par 4. There was no way he could complete a game even in 6 hours, let alone 4.5 hours. I remember asking the other 2 golfers who were taking their round as well to proceed with their game (it was obvious after 3 holes they could play) while I continued with him. It took slightly more than 3 hours to finish 9 holes, and that was with me asking him to pick up the ball on a few occasions. He simply was not ready.

The other golfer I "failed" was a young man who hit it pretty long but seldom straight. His primary issue was a complete disregard for the safety of others on the course. Aside from hitting his tee shots into adjacent holes repeatedly (without shouting fore), there were 3 instances where he hit the ball into the green before the flight in front had driven their buggies off (note: clearing the green does not mean getting in the buggy, they have to drive off). And not being very accurate, on 1 occasion he pulled the ball straight at them at hit the golf bag on one of the buggies. He also did not help his case by boasting at the 2nd tee about how he liked to hit "warning drives" at the flight in front if they were slow (coming from a guy who has to search for his ball on almost every hole even on a course as wide as MBGC, I find that attitude hilarious).

In any case, after the round, I informed him that I could not assign him a handicap as he had demonstrated he was a safety hazard on the course. Especially when I had briefed the flight before the round that my first priority was safety and him specifically on the 2nd Tee after his comment that this sort of attitude towards the safety of others is not tolerated.

So anyways, I can't speak for how other clubs do things. Or even MGK now that I have left, but in general, the point is that the courtesy round is not solely about how well you play.

In general, as long as you are playing below 120 50% of the time (men), and can comfortable complete a round in 4.5 hours on a weekday, or keep up with the flight in front on weekends, there is a good chance that you will go through the courtesy round with no issues.

Derek wrote:

Just to clarify some of the things about the "handicap test" ...

Firstly, it isn't really a test like a Driving test, whereby if you have too many demerit points you are going to fail. The actual term used is Courtesy Round, and the main purpose is to see if:

1) Your golfing ability is in line with the scorecards submitted
2) You are able to play the game at a decent pace
3) You exhibit the necessary level of safety awareness, both toward yourself as well as other golfers
4) Your are aware/and comply with basic golf etiquette
5) You have a basic knowledge of the rules of golf such that you can record your own score accurately (most of the time)

OK ... so how good a score do you need to play? If just using a single score, how you would calculate it would be as follows:

Max Male Handicap = 36.4 so using Marina Bay White Tee as an example (Course 69.8 Slope 129) and after going through the calculations, that will translate to a course handicap of 41 or a total score of 113 for 18 holes. Over 9 holes, that will translate to 57 strokes.

However, it does not mean that if you shoot 58 you will fail. That is because a single 9 hole score cannot be used to determine a handicap index. It can however be used as the basis to adjust or assign a handicap index when considered together with other 9 hole or 18 hole scores. The USGA system needs a minimum of 5 x 18 hole (or equivalent) on USGA rated courses. That is where the other score cards come in.

Also, if you submit 5 x 18 hole scores, only the best one is used to determine your handicap (the number slowly increases as you submit more cards until you reach 20 scores, in which your handicap will be based on the best 10 scores).

That means that you can shoot 4 games 120+ and one game 112 and you will still be assigned a handicap index if during the courtesy round you demonstrate that you know how to move around the golf course in a considerate, safe and timely manner.

In my time at MGK, there were many members who did not manage to shoot below 58 during their courtesy round, even though their scorecards submitted show scores (or at least 1) less than 113. Largely because during the first 1 or 2 holes, they were so nervous that they would really blow up the hole. Either with complete mishits (balls travels 20m or less), multiple shots in the bunker, or (most common) making a ton of mistakes in and around the green (chunking or going back and forth).

However, after they settled down, some because they thought they had already "failed" by scoring 11 over after just 2 holes, most of them were able to relax and actually play the game to the ability that was recorded in the scorecards submitted. All of them "passed" and walked away with a handicap index.

In all the courtesy rounds I have taken, I have only ever "failed" 2 golfers. One was because he really could not advance the ball and took about 7-8 shots to reach the green on a Par 4. There was no way he could complete a game even in 6 hours, let alone 4.5 hours. I remember asking the other 2 golfers who were taking their round as well to proceed with their game (it was obvious after 3 holes they could play) while I continued with him. It took slightly more than 3 hours to finish 9 holes, and that was with me asking him to pick up the ball on a few occasions. He simply was not ready.

The other golfer I "failed" was a young man who hit it pretty long but seldom straight. His primary issue was a complete disregard for the safety of others on the course. Aside from hitting his tee shots into adjacent holes repeatedly (without shouting fore), there were 3 instances where he hit the ball into the green before the flight in front had driven their buggies off (note: clearing the green does not mean getting in the buggy, they have to drive off). And not being very accurate, on 1 occasion he pulled the ball straight at them at hit the golf bag on one of the buggies. He also did not help his case by boasting at the 2nd tee about how he liked to hit "warning drives" at the flight in front if they were slow (coming from a guy who has to search for his ball on almost every hole even on a course as wide as MBGC, I find that attitude hilarious).

In any case, after the round, I informed him that I could not assign him a handicap as he had demonstrated he was a safety hazard on the course. Especially when I had briefed the flight before the round that my first priority was safety and him specifically on the 2nd Tee after his comment that this sort of attitude towards the safety of others is not tolerated.

So anyways, I can't speak for how other clubs do things. Or even MGK now that I have left, but in general, the point is that the courtesy round is not solely about how well you play.

In general, as long as you are playing below 120 50% of the time (men), and can comfortable complete a round in 4.5 hours on a weekday, or keep up with the flight in front on weekends, there is a good chance that you will go through the courtesy round with no issues.

Good explanation Derek, I took mine some times back in the old seletar base 9 holes. The so called tester is one of the committee members if the club. He told us, practically they were looking at whether you know the basic rules and also taking care of the course. They also knew that many wanna take the test because many wanna play locally. So as long as you don't play too badly you should be able to pass.

Derek wrote:

Just to clarify some of the things about the "handicap test" ...

Firstly, it isn't really a test like a Driving test, whereby if you have too many demerit points you are going to fail. The actual term used is Courtesy Round, and the main purpose is to see if:

1) Your golfing ability is in line with the scorecards submitted
2) You are able to play the game at a decent pace
3) You exhibit the necessary level of safety awareness, both toward yourself as well as other golfers
4) Your are aware/and comply with basic golf etiquette
5) You have a basic knowledge of the rules of golf such that you can record your own score accurately (most of the time)

OK ... so how good a score do you need to play? If just using a single score, how you would calculate it would be as follows:

Max Male Handicap = 36.4 so using Marina Bay White Tee as an example (Course 69.8 Slope 129) and after going through the calculations, that will translate to a course handicap of 41 or a total score of 113 for 18 holes. Over 9 holes, that will translate to 57 strokes.

However, it does not mean that if you shoot 58 you will fail. That is because a single 9 hole score cannot be used to determine a handicap index. It can however be used as the basis to adjust or assign a handicap index when considered together with other 9 hole or 18 hole scores. The USGA system needs a minimum of 5 x 18 hole (or equivalent) on USGA rated courses. That is where the other score cards come in.

Also, if you submit 5 x 18 hole scores, only the best one is used to determine your handicap (the number slowly increases as you submit more cards until you reach 20 scores, in which your handicap will be based on the best 10 scores).

That means that you can shoot 4 games 120+ and one game 112 and you will still be assigned a handicap index if during the courtesy round you demonstrate that you know how to move around the golf course in a considerate, safe and timely manner.

.. ... ....

In general, as long as you are playing below 120 50% of the time (men), and can comfortable complete a round in 4.5 hours on a weekday, or keep up with the flight in front on weekends, there is a good chance that you will go through the courtesy round with no issues.

Hi Derek,

Thank you for such clear explaination..

Guys sorry to hijack a little bit..
Just wanna check with the seniors here.

Im a little concern over what I was being offered by my coach (not mentioning who)

A group of 5 of us took up the golf lesson, coming to an end of it, our coach told us there is no PC given. We were having question mark on our mind. And he told us, to get handicap we do not have to go through the 5x18holes or 10x 9 holes. Just have to fork out $300, we can get handicap under SGA.
I think I prefer to get recognise properly other than paying just to get the Handicap.
Can any senior advise?

Handicap is a licence for you to play at certain courses. But what important are safety, basic rule of the game and not too slow. You should go to the green with your coach and let him explain all these to you.

zenselv wrote:

Guys sorry to hijack a little bit..
Just wanna check with the seniors here.

Im a little concern over what I was being offered by my coach (not mentioning who)

A group of 5 of us took up the golf lesson, coming to an end of it, our coach told us there is no PC given. We were having question mark on our mind. And he told us, to get handicap we do not have to go through the 5x18holes or 10x 9 holes. Just have to fork out $300, we can get handicap under SGA.
I think I prefer to get recognise properly other than paying just to get the Handicap.
Can any senior advise?

where you took the lesson ? OCC

almag69 wrote:

zenselv wrote:

Guys sorry to hijack a little bit..
Just wanna check with the seniors here.

Im a little concern over what I was being offered by my coach (not mentioning who)

A group of 5 of us took up the golf lesson, coming to an end of it, our coach told us there is no PC given. We were having question mark on our mind. And he told us, to get handicap we do not have to go through the 5x18holes or 10x 9 holes. Just have to fork out $300, we can get handicap under SGA.
I think I prefer to get recognise properly other than paying just to get the Handicap.
Can any senior advise?

where you took the lesson ? OCC

No.. if i reveal where then it's obvious haha

TDO wrote:

Bro,

Not to worry too much about your score submission. 12 years ago, my nephew was given hcp 28. I wonder why though as I thought man's hcp is maximum 24. I might be wrong.

Anyway, many crocs will nurse theirs score cards and submit high scores so that they have a better chance of winning a tournament. Crocs out there should know who they are.

Hi TDO,

Thanks for your encouragement.
will work harder to play more often to get my 5x cards to go for test.
This year will be difficult. Mini CFO arriving mid year. May hav to vacuum pack my golf gear for awhile...