What is an incredibly good, and hard to believe Stableford score?

I played a tournament in 22C cool breeze yesterday afternoon at the Arabian Ranches Golf Club. Was quite excited with my score of 34 until I see the winner's. Anyways, the entire dinner was shrouded in conversations over the overall winner of the tournament. He scored an impressive 45 points, full handicap stableford, playing off a 15 HCP.

Not everyone was convinced that the dude had had the best golfing day of his life. Although I tend to give him the benefit of the doubt.

We figured a dude playing off 18 probably has to hit 9 nett par and 9 nett birdies to score 45. And a 15 HCP'er has to score something like 12 gross pars and 6 gross bogeys to score the same. To put that into perspective - a player playing off 15 HCP scores a gross 78. Odds are low, but can happen. That wld be probably my best score to date with that nett figure.

My question: What is the highest score you have witnessed for a stableford competition? How hard is it to achieve a over-36 Stableford score or a 45 score?

What is the highest stableford score you had so far? Did you have your best game then?

52 would be the game of his life (and yours and mine) I guess. Either that or he mistakenly report his HCP as 28 instead of 8? That was the jokoe yesterday. haha

Which is the reason why I don't play in such events anymore

45 points!? I wonder why didnt they use double Peoria or System 36 to establish the player's tournament hcp before applying stableford points?

IMHO, anybody scores above 40 points is a little suspect... I've reached a point where I'm very skeptical about people's declared hcp these days...

Pocket ace: Read on the System 36 method of determining HCP and that looks viable. Might propose to  the organizer next time.

The "idea" behind a handicap is to submit your scores regardless of whether they are good or not to get a general idea of what you "should" shoot.  This handicap was derived to level the playing field for good and bad amateurs alike.

Problem is this.  Many am's don't submit all their scores and there is no repercussion for this action.  So when they enter an important event they can play a little better than their handicap and win.  I have seen many people over my days as a professional "manage" their handicap.

Really hard to police as the only time it really comes up is in semi-important events.  Not sure what the remedy is.  For me it was one of those things where if I kept losing to a specific guy constantly there had to be a reason and if it was because his handicap was inflated, I would just not bet with him.

However one thing I do know..when I was a pro and I would shoot 67 or 68 gross from the tippies and lose three ways to some member or friend of a member from the same tees or even one up...something usually was not right.   

End of the day most bets are won or lost on the first tee.....

The odds of 15hcap playing 9 differential under hcap in a tournament is 1 in over 3500 rounds. You tell me. 

TDO, no doubt your friend played 52 points if you witnessed it. However, its not abt cheating on the scorecard. The odds of a 10 under below hcap is 1 in 37 thousands or over 80 thousands rounds depending on his declared hcap. Thats why people jeer, and there is merit in that jeer. Your friend declared hcap should have been much lower.

https://www.usga.org/playing/handicaps/understanding_handicap/articles/deanstable.html

Sorry to assume..my bad.

The odds are not high, they are extremely, extremely low. As 18 hcap, sounds like a croczilla to me. Great form is possible, but once it goes beyond 5-6 under hcap, questions abound.

just ask yourself. how many times u play mid 80s when your hcp was 18 n above. answer is there.

poresia wrote:

just ask yourself. how many times u play mid 80s when your hcp was 18 n above. answer is there.

Mid 80s? High 80s also cannot.

TDO wrote:

pushslice wrote:

The odds of 15hcap playing 9 differential under hcap in a tournament is 1 in over 3500 rounds. You tell me. 

TDO, no doubt your friend played 52 points if you witnessed it. However, its not abt cheating on the scorecard. The odds of a 10 under below hcap is 1 in 37 thousands or over 80 thousands rounds depending on his declared hcap. Thats why people jeer, and there is merit in that jeer. Your friend declared hcap should have been much lower.

https://www.usga.org/playing/handicaps/understanding_handicap/articles/deanstable.html

PS, that guy who scored 52 points is not my friend, fortunately or unfortunately. If I recall correctly, his declared hcp was 18. But, yes, sometimes, such sudden increase in skills do happen. And like you said, the odds are very high. So only that guy or his friends knows his capability and ability to play that score.

TDO, think we re in the same tourney as I witnessed this 52pts guy went on stage to collect his trophy..
Yes, a 18hcper!  

TDO wrote:

pushslice wrote:

Sorry to assume..my bad.

The odds are not high, they are extremely, extremely low. As 18 hcap, sounds like a croczilla to me. Great form is possible, but once it goes beyond 5-6 under hcap, questions abound.

I concur. I once, only once, came in 2nd playing 83 in NSRCC tournament while I was hcp 18. And that was one of my best game back then. After that, never smell such score again in a long while. But still hover between 85 to 90. 

wow that's a nett 7 under par score, and ironically, you only came in 2nd place! wonder what the first place score was like...

sometimes its partly also the difference playing off blue tee in your regular foursome vs playing off white tee during tournament - approach shots just seemed more manageable, and even a lose tee shot still allows you to leave the green with no worse than a bogey.

pocketace wrote:

TDO wrote:

pushslice wrote:

Sorry to assume..my bad.

The odds are not high, they are extremely, extremely low. As 18 hcap, sounds like a croczilla to me. Great form is possible, but once it goes beyond 5-6 under hcap, questions abound.

I concur. I once, only once, came in 2nd playing 83 in NSRCC tournament while I was hcp 18. And that was one of my best game back then. After that, never smell such score again in a long while. But still hover between 85 to 90. 

wow that's a nett 7 under par score, and ironically, you only came in 2nd place! wonder what the first place score was like...

sometimes its partly also the difference playing off blue tee in your regular foursome vs playing off white tee during tournament - approach shots just seemed more manageable, and even a lose tee shot still allows you to leave the green with no worse than a bogey.

yup, playing from shorter courses can contribute to a really good game. 

however, a golfer with 18 hcap index obtained from playing blues maybe assigned a lower course hcap from the white tees. Some courses off white have really low slope ratings e.g. Kranji. Therefore a really good game may come out as a not so low "differential" (EDITED) 

imo, the buayas need to learn finesse, learn the art of Win One Hole and not overkill. problem is when his peers are all putting up 49-50 points, he has no choice but to put up 52! 

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Imo he buayas need to learn finesse, learn the art of Win One Hole and not overkill. problem is when his peers are all putting up 49-50 points, he has no choice but to put up 52! 

Whahaha... 
Tats the art of a pencil.  
I like tat...gd one bro PS. 

*ahem* If I remember correctly, there was once I took part in an event organized by NTUC for the UNION members and one lady came up top at 54 points with a handicap of 36. Don't forget we also have Buayees out there.

In such tournament, organizer should not allow buddies in same flight, they should assign flight details and request for exchange of score cards to avoid such "sandbaggers". They should also check that hcp without submission for the past few months (not properly maintained) be playing at 60-80%.

However, I know many organizers will not do that as their interests is either to make $$$ or just to please their customers.

It boils down to the organizers how they want to run the tournament, I guess.

so by winning these touranmen/ trophies and cash voucher prizes , will they be proud or believe that they earn it. There are a couple of forumers here also doin it but just wonder will they continue doing it?
its up to the person character and dignity.

neutralgolfer wrote:

In such tournament, organizer should not allow buddies in same flight, they should assign flight details and request for exchange of score cards to avoid such "sandbaggers". They should also check that hcp without submission for the past few months (not properly maintained) be playing at 60-80%.

However, I know many organizers will not do that as their interests is either to make $$$ or just to please their customers.

It boils down to the organizers how they want to run the tournament, I guess.

its doesnt helps, there was once when i signed on a score of 86 for my buggy mate, he went to change to 79 and submitted. eventaully he got champion and $500 NTuC CASH VOUCHER. I went over and congrats him on his magic ttick.

This issue had been popping out now and then, if you guys suspected it the partners/flightmates doing this, one should raise out during event. Because I don't think it's fair for those who played well and loses out to such powerful pencil.

To those who are doing this, PLEASE STOP.

I have played in the SSG tournament around 2 years ago.
I came in first and there were some shouting of my HCP declaration from the floor.
I went over to the MC and told him that I didn't want the prize(boxes of golf balls) and trophy as I was replacing someone playing for the tournament.
However my HCP at that moment was higher than what was declared by the former participant.
The person who voices out loudly didn't even know me or play with me before but rebuke that I over declare my HCP. He is also a forumer here.

ChrisD wrote:

I have played in the SSG tournament around 2 years ago.
I came in first and there were some shouting of my HCP declaration from the floor.
I went over to the MC and told him that I didn't want the prize(boxes of golf balls) and trophy as I was replacing someone playing for the tournament.
However my HCP at that moment was higher than what was declared by the former participant.
The person who voices out loudly didn't even know me or play with me before but rebuke that I over declare my HCP. He is also a forumer here.

Perhaps it would have been better to indicate you are replacing someone to the organizer right before the tournament.

Anyway if your conscious is clear, then nothing to worry abt.  That someone who voices out loudly could be just joking with you.