GolfSpy MPR Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 I'm a bit obsessive with my on-course data collection. I'd used Game Golf for about five years until switching to Arccos for this season. For what it's worth, these systems are my only handicap tracker. I don't have a USGA-approved handicap, nor do I have a pressing reason to acquire one. I don't use my handicap number for anything other than tracking my own progress. We're entered the part of the season here where the weather and course conditions are unquestionably contributing to declining play. Our course will likely be closed for the season in the next few weeks. It's already getting cold here (Friday's low is 30°F); it's rainy, the greens have been punched again, and the mowing schedule has clearly been cut back. So here's the question for the rest of you: do you continue to track rounds this time of year? I'm not trying to "game" my handicap, but it's a little frustrating (in honesty) to see it start creeping up in part because of weather and conditions. 2 Quote TS3 Mavrik Sub Zero 15°, Aldila Rogue White 130 MSI 70 S F6 5-6W, 18.5°, Fujikura Motore 6.3 XR Pro 20°, Project X 75 Black HYB S CBX Iron-Wood 22°, Project X HZRDUS Black 6.0 85g 699 Pro, Modus3 105, 6–PW Forged Black 50°, 54°, and 58° EAS 4.0 TP5x Full WITB with pictures Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Getoffmylawn Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 11 minutes ago, GolfSpy MPR said: I'm a bit obsessive with my on-course data collection. I'd used Game Golf for about five years until switching to Arccos for this season. For what it's worth, these systems are my only handicap tracker. I don't have a USGA-approved handicap, nor do I have a pressing reason to acquire one. I don't use my handicap number for anything other than tracking my own progress. We're entered the part of the season here where the weather and course conditions are unquestionably contributing to declining play. Our course will likely be closed for the season in the next few weeks. It's already getting cold here (Friday's low is 30°F); it's rainy, the greens have been punched again, and the mowing schedule has clearly been cut back. So here's the question for the rest of you: do you continue to track rounds this time of year? I'm not trying to "game" my handicap, but it's a little frustrating (in honesty) to see it start creeping up in part because of weather and conditions. The Grint has a "Practice Round" feature that I turn on when I'm playing alone, with my kids, or am outside of the approved timeframe for posting scores to my handicap. https://www.usga.org/handicapping-articles/handicap-active-and-inactive-season-schedule-25489.html Allows me to look back at my stats but doesn't impact my handicap. 1 Quote Driver: TSR2, Ventus Blue 6 S, 65g Stiff FW: TSR2 3w, 15, Ventus Blue 7 S, 70g Stiff Hybrids: Apex Pro 3H, Ventus Blue 8 S, 80g Stiff Stealth DHY 4H, Ventus Blue 8 S, 80g Stiff Irons: JPX 919 Forged 5-GW, Aerotech Steelfiber i95 Stiff Wedges: SM9 54 S Grind bent to 55, 60 M Grind bent to 59, Aerotech Steelfiber i110 Stiff Putter: White Hot OG Double Wide, Stroke Lab shaft Ball: Pro V1 Click here for my HONMA TR20 Official Review! Click here for my in progress Arccos Caddie Bundle test! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THEZIPR23 Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 22 minutes ago, GolfSpy MPR said: I'm a bit obsessive with my on-course data collection. I'd used Game Golf for about five years until switching to Arccos for this season. For what it's worth, these systems are my only handicap tracker. I don't have a USGA-approved handicap, nor do I have a pressing reason to acquire one. I don't use my handicap number for anything other than tracking my own progress. We're entered the part of the season here where the weather and course conditions are unquestionably contributing to declining play. Our course will likely be closed for the season in the next few weeks. It's already getting cold here (Friday's low is 30°F); it's rainy, the greens have been punched again, and the mowing schedule has clearly been cut back. So here's the question for the rest of you: do you continue to track rounds this time of year? I'm not trying to "game" my handicap, but it's a little frustrating (in honesty) to see it start creeping up in part because of weather and conditions. What are posting requirements from your association? I imagine they have a season for posting. 2 Quote SIM 9.5* (GD XC 6X) SIM 15* (GD DI 7X) 3 DHY (GD DI HY8X) ZX7 4-PW (KBS C Taper S) Vokey SM8 49 08 F ( KBS 610) Vokey SM8 55 08 M (KBS 610) Vokey SM8 59 04 L (KBS 610) Special Select SquareBack 2 33" ProV1 Twitter @THEZIPR23 "One thing Golf has taught me, is that my muscles have no memory." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GolfSpy MPR Posted September 28, 2020 Author Share Posted September 28, 2020 3 minutes ago, THEZIPR23 said: What are posting requirements from your association? I imagine they have a season for posting. I belong to nothing. Our course belongs to nothing. Even if I wanted a USGA handicap, it's not available anywhere near me. So I'm not asking about anything official; just kinda rule of thumb for the casual golfers. Is there a point in the year when it stops making sense to "count" the rounds? Quote TS3 Mavrik Sub Zero 15°, Aldila Rogue White 130 MSI 70 S F6 5-6W, 18.5°, Fujikura Motore 6.3 XR Pro 20°, Project X 75 Black HYB S CBX Iron-Wood 22°, Project X HZRDUS Black 6.0 85g 699 Pro, Modus3 105, 6–PW Forged Black 50°, 54°, and 58° EAS 4.0 TP5x Full WITB with pictures Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarlH Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 I follow the OGA (Oregon Golf Association) guidelines thru my club. We stop posting in November and begin again in March. Sadly, our club initiates "winter rules" during the posting periods, much to my dismay. IMO, if you're bumping the ball, giving yourself preferred lies, or otherwise changing the rules of golf, you should not be posting the round. It does a disservice to your actual handicap (falsely improving). I do compete in events that require an official handicap, so I'm bound to post during posting seasons. On the other hand, if everyone else is playing winter rules, it makes little sense for me to play the ball as it lies. In any case, in answer to your original question, if I were to be keeping track of my handicap similar to how you are, I would quit posting as soon as I'm no longer playing by standard rules of golf (i.e. winter rules). As you said, you keep it only to monitor your progress. JMO. 1 Quote Driver: Rogue ST Max (10.5* set at -1 and neutral) -- Mitsubishi Tensai Blue 55g R shaft Fairway: Rogue ST Max 3 wood (16.5*) and Heaven Wood (20*)-- Tensai Blue 55g R shaft Hybrids: Rogue ST Max 5H (23*)--Tensai Blue 55g R shaft Irons: Apex CF19 6-9, PW, AW -- KBS Tour Graphite TGI 70 shafts R +1/2 inch 3* upright Wedges: Edison 53* and 57* KBS PGI 80 Graphite +1/2 inch 2* upright Putter: Stroke Lab 7S Ball: Maxfli TourX...Golf Bag: Pioneer...Shoes: Hyperflex... Glove: Red Rooster Feather My Photography can be seen at Smugmug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveP043 Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 8 minutes ago, GolfSpy MPR said: I belong to nothing. Our course belongs to nothing. Even if I wanted a USGA handicap, it's not available anywhere near me. So I'm not asking about anything official; just kinda rule of thumb for the casual golfers. Is there a point in the year when it stops making sense to "count" the rounds? Even if you're not posting for an official handicap, the policy of the Golf Association of Michigan would be one reasonable guideline, and that official season is April 1 to October 31. 2 minutes ago, CarlH said: I follow the OGA (Oregon Golf Association) guidelines thru my club. We stop posting in November and begin again in March. Sadly, our club initiates "winter rules" during the posting periods, much to my dismay. IMO, if you're bumping the ball, giving yourself preferred lies, or otherwise changing the rules of golf, you should not be posting the round. It does a disservice to your actual handicap (falsely improving). I do compete in events that require an official handicap, so I'm bound to post during posting seasons. On the other hand, if everyone else is playing winter rules, it makes little sense for me to play the ball as it lies. I understand your position, you don't want a handicap that is unreasonably low.. As long as you're not in a formal competition, where you want to score as good as you possibly can, you don't HAVE to take any kind of relief under the preferred lies rule. Would that amount to intentionally circumventing the Handicap Rules to gain an unfair advantage? I'm a bit on the fence with that. Does it mean you're NOT trying to make the best score possible on each hole? Again, I'm on the fence. Your club's committee can decide that scores on specific days should not be posted, but they're discouraged from doing that on a blanket basis. Personally, I'd play the ball down whenever reasonably possible, but take relief for mud-balls and a few other extreme seasonal issues, and do it with a clear conscience. 4 Quote Irons Titleist AP2 714, KBS Tour S, 3 flat Rogue SubZero, GD YS-Six X 52, 56, and 60 wedges B60 G5i putter Right handed Reston, Virginia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GolfSpy MPR Posted September 28, 2020 Author Share Posted September 28, 2020 5 minutes ago, DaveP043 said: Even if you're not posting for an official handicap, the policy of the Golf Association of Michigan would be one reasonable guideline, and that official season is April 1 to October 31. I appreciate this answer. That said, being in the part of Michigan we're in, our course is most often closed by October 31. It isn't unusual that we're received significant snowfall by then. Quote TS3 Mavrik Sub Zero 15°, Aldila Rogue White 130 MSI 70 S F6 5-6W, 18.5°, Fujikura Motore 6.3 XR Pro 20°, Project X 75 Black HYB S CBX Iron-Wood 22°, Project X HZRDUS Black 6.0 85g 699 Pro, Modus3 105, 6–PW Forged Black 50°, 54°, and 58° EAS 4.0 TP5x Full WITB with pictures Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Getoffmylawn Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 10 minutes ago, DaveP043 said: Even if you're not posting for an official handicap, the policy of the Golf Association of Michigan would be one reasonable guideline, and that official season is April 1 to October 31. I understand your position, you don't want a handicap that is unreasonably low.. As long as you're not in a formal competition, where you want to score as good as you possibly can, you don't HAVE to take any kind of relief under the preferred lies rule. Would that amount to intentionally circumventing the Handicap Rules to gain an unfair advantage? I'm a bit on the fence with that. Does it mean you're NOT trying to make the best score possible on each hole? Again, I'm on the fence. Your club's committee can decide that scores on specific days should not be posted, but they're discouraged from doing that on a blanket basis. Personally, I'd play the ball down whenever reasonably possible, but take relief for mud-balls and a few other extreme seasonal issues, and do it with a clear conscience. In my experience here in Nebraska I think part of the issue is the courses begin to play very different. For example, you get a crazy amount of rollout once the grass goes dormant and the ground gets harder. It can be a significant difference, 2 clubs or more sometimes, and in that case it seems to me the course and slope ratings are no longer consistent or accurate. 1 Quote Driver: TSR2, Ventus Blue 6 S, 65g Stiff FW: TSR2 3w, 15, Ventus Blue 7 S, 70g Stiff Hybrids: Apex Pro 3H, Ventus Blue 8 S, 80g Stiff Stealth DHY 4H, Ventus Blue 8 S, 80g Stiff Irons: JPX 919 Forged 5-GW, Aerotech Steelfiber i95 Stiff Wedges: SM9 54 S Grind bent to 55, 60 M Grind bent to 59, Aerotech Steelfiber i110 Stiff Putter: White Hot OG Double Wide, Stroke Lab shaft Ball: Pro V1 Click here for my HONMA TR20 Official Review! Click here for my in progress Arccos Caddie Bundle test! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveP043 Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 49 minutes ago, GolfSpy MPR said: I appreciate this answer. That said, being in the part of Michigan we're in, our course is most often closed by October 31. It isn't unusual that we're received significant snowfall by then. I'm laughing, I didn't look to see where Wakefield is. I went to Michigan Tech, so now I understand completely. I think the closest I ever got to Wakefield was on a couple of excursions to Ontonogan. 1 Quote Irons Titleist AP2 714, KBS Tour S, 3 flat Rogue SubZero, GD YS-Six X 52, 56, and 60 wedges B60 G5i putter Right handed Reston, Virginia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarlH Posted September 28, 2020 Share Posted September 28, 2020 1 hour ago, DaveP043 said: Even if you're not posting for an official handicap, the policy of the Golf Association of Michigan would be one reasonable guideline, and that official season is April 1 to October 31. I understand your position, you don't want a handicap that is unreasonably low.. As long as you're not in a formal competition, where you want to score as good as you possibly can, you don't HAVE to take any kind of relief under the preferred lies rule. Would that amount to intentionally circumventing the Handicap Rules to gain an unfair advantage? I'm a bit on the fence with that. Does it mean you're NOT trying to make the best score possible on each hole? Again, I'm on the fence. Your club's committee can decide that scores on specific days should not be posted, but they're discouraged from doing that on a blanket basis. Personally, I'd play the ball down whenever reasonably possible, but take relief for mud-balls and a few other extreme seasonal issues, and do it with a clear conscience. Just a personal opinion that, during posting season, the ball should be played down and the club can begin (and end) winter rules when the posting season is suspended (in my case Dec1 thru Mar1). Our club tends to start playing winter rules a month or so before the posting season ends and continues for a month or so after the season begins. Yes, the conditions are tougher because of our wet season and I recognize that. It's just a personal nit and not really of significance in the grand scheme of things. When I'm not playing against others for money who are playing winter rules, I play the ball down. IMO, it makes one a better ball striker, particularly when the new season starts and you've been getting preferred lies and marveling how much your chipping has improved! Not at all suggesting any circumvention or manipulation of one's handicap. Quote Driver: Rogue ST Max (10.5* set at -1 and neutral) -- Mitsubishi Tensai Blue 55g R shaft Fairway: Rogue ST Max 3 wood (16.5*) and Heaven Wood (20*)-- Tensai Blue 55g R shaft Hybrids: Rogue ST Max 5H (23*)--Tensai Blue 55g R shaft Irons: Apex CF19 6-9, PW, AW -- KBS Tour Graphite TGI 70 shafts R +1/2 inch 3* upright Wedges: Edison 53* and 57* KBS PGI 80 Graphite +1/2 inch 2* upright Putter: Stroke Lab 7S Ball: Maxfli TourX...Golf Bag: Pioneer...Shoes: Hyperflex... Glove: Red Rooster Feather My Photography can be seen at Smugmug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMDoran Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 Official end of season for GAM is October 31st with possible allowance for unseasonal warm periods. Since you’re in the North Pole of MI I’d think it might be worth moving that up a little! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmikecpa Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 Start on April 1 and stop on November 14th of the year for the MET section. If I play a round in an area that still is active then I will post that round to GHIN even though my section is not active. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote WITB TSR3 10* Graphite Design AD VR 6x TSR2+ 13* Graphite Design AD HD 7x TS2 18* Graphite Design AD MT 7x TSI3 20* Graphite Design AD DI 95x 0311 ST 5 -PW KBS $Taper 130 Sugar Daddy 50* KBS $Taper 130 HLX 3.0 54* & 58* TTDG S400 Toulon Madison BGT Fire 34" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony@CIC Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 I belong to nothing. Our course belongs to nothing. Even if I wanted a USGA handicap, it's not available anywhere near me. So I'm not asking about anything official; just kinda rule of thumb for the casual golfers. Is there a point in the year when it stops making sense to "count" the rounds?I book everything from April 1st through October 1st (our recording "season") except practice rounds where I might be hitting 2 or 3 balls. Keep in mind that the handicap is based on the best 8 out of the last 20 rounds. Our cold and windy Midwest days do have an impact on the index but if you just using the data for information does it really matter? Additional note: if you're looking for year over year progress you could just log the rounds in excel and add conditions: surface, air temp, etc. That added info would give you a good understanding of progress under 'like' conditions. Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy 1 Quote Left Hand orientation SIM 2 D Max with Fujikura Air Speeder Shaft Cobra Radspeed 3W/RIptide Shaft 410 Hybrids 22*, 26* Cobra Speed Zone 6-GP/Recoil ESX 460 F3 Shafts SM7 54* Wedge Glide 3.0 60* Wedge O Works putter V3 NX9-HD - 4 Wheel EZGO TXT 48v cart - too many shoes to list and so many to buy And BAG Boy Golf Balls: Vice Pro Plus 2020 Official Tester Beginning Driver Speed - 78 2019 Official Tester 410 Driver 2018 Official Tester C300 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HardcoreLooper Posted September 30, 2020 Share Posted September 30, 2020 In Virginia, we post year-round and have done so for quite some time now. Are courses really in good enough shape? Many are not, especially as fewer and fewer overseed, and it can be a sloppy mess. But we play, and we post, and we watch our handicaps go up from November to February. It's an annual cycle. Quote What's in the bag: Driver - F8 - Aldila NV Blue 60 ( S ) 3 Wood (16*) - F8 - Aldila NV Blue 60 ( S ) 3 Hybrid (19*) - RBZ 4i - PW - D7 Forged - Recoil 760 ( S ) GW - LW - F8 - N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour105 ( S ) Putter - Craz-e Bag - 2.5 (Black) Ball - TP5X Pix Instagram - @hardcorelooper Twitter - @meovino Facebook - mike.eovino Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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