TGC Handicap - OUCH

[aja]

Would like to get some advice with regard to the handicap calculated in TGC and discuss some issues.

I am a high handicap golfer and was hoping to improve through the use of my own golf sim. Progress has been slow. I played the Q-School mini tourney and got a handicap to participate in the online tournaments. It probably was quite high, but I don't recall exactly what it was. (I am guessing 22). My 5 rounds were quite spotty and the scores were all over the lot which is unfortunately the way it is on the golf course.

Thing is, in order to improve my game I have been using TGC courses to practice. Some of these have been handicap courses. However, when I play the courses I frequently rewind or select auto-rewind to practice certain shots or to re-hit poor shots. The result of course is that the overall score for the round ends up being quite good, basically because of playing with unlimited mulligans.

I recall being somewhat perplexed as I saw my handicap decrease right before my eyes. Now I have put 2+2 together and realize why.

Somewhere I recall someone noting that they could add playing guests. I was not able to figure out how to do this, and in any case I think my Player ID has to participate in the round so I can't fool TGC and prevent my unlimited mulligan round from counting against my handicap.

In short, I just paticipated in the Hyundai tournament, played awfully and fully deserved the last place finish that shows up on the leaderboard. But, how can I get a more accurate handicap rating that doesn't get skewed by low scoring practice rounds where I am eliminating bad shots, taking unlimited mulligans and practicing, etc.

[goatbarn]

i believe the handicap used in the tournaments are separate from that which is reported within TGC software.

Using TGC courses to practice with mulligans is already taken into consider I believe, with a separate handicap used, derived from previous tournament scores, to compete separately from TGC handicap.

[aja]

I also thought that TGC would use the Q-School handicap, which is closer to reality. Unfortunately that was not the case as my other rounds, all of them practice and unlimited mulligans and thus low-scoring, have been taken into account and it appears there is only one HCP tied to my ID which is lower than it should be.

The gripe isn't about doing better in online tournaments, etc. The gripe is about not really having a handle on what my real handicap is or should be. Heck, I'd love to have progressed from a 25 handicap to a 16!

At this stage it's kind of like I have to purposely play badly (which I am very good at unfortunately) in order to get back to a real HCP.

[keither5150]

If my practice rounds are too good, I don't finish them. Just stop at 18. That way your handicap will not be affected. Also, you want to have a good mixture of easy, medium and hard courses to reflect your true handicap. I play long hard courses mostly. My handicap is actually lower than it should be. The game shows me as a 3 but I think that I am about a 8 or 9. The tour has me at a 10 I think.

[keither5150]

Aja, I believe they use your game handicap until you have a few tour rounds done. I am a 10 because in the past, I have not done well under pressure. Take the Santa challenge for example. I was near the bottom on that tournament. I am a 3 in the game because I tend to play longer harder courses. I average 7 or 8 over and they give me a 3 handicap. I am guessing that your tour HCP will be average over the tour rounds as soon as you have a few more.

[aja]

Then it kind of makes the Q-School rounds pointless. I played those to the best of my ability in order to get a reasonable HCP. No re-hits except for misreads.

Again, my issue has nothing to do with how well or poorly I score in tournament play. It has to do with having an accurate HCP with which I can gauge any progress or lack of progress in improving my game.

Kind of sounds like I have to register a new alter-ego or ID and establish a new, true HCP. Not sure that this can be done.

[ProTee United]

Q-school is not pointless. The idea is that new players start Q-school and get their handicaps as soon as they have TGC. You have been playing for a long time already... little different ;-)

[ProTee United]

aja we recalculated your handicap manually using all your played rounds from December. That will make you a 22.8. Scoring has been updated accordingly.

http://golfsimulatorforum.com/forum/protee-golf-simulator/online-play/49719-tgc-tour-scoring-2015/page2

[aja]

Thanks for doing this. Unfortunately 22.8 is much closer to reality!

[aja]

In terms of a feature request, much as in the ProTee you can choose <Practice> as an option or style of play, could TGC, in the future, not have a <Practice> option which would tell the system to ignore the score of a Practice round?

[keither5150]

I second that! I am currently ending my round short.

[Boerdoc]

I will third that and Also ask a question.

When "practicing" at one of the RANGE courses, are the shots there figured into the stats kept. For example, My kids could be practicing driving at the H2O range hitting lots of balls. Are their driver shots calculated in my driving distances? From what rounds do stats accumulate?? Only completed rounds? Or all shots taken? Sorry to piggy-back on this thread. I think it is related and not warranting a new thread.

[keither5150]

I am quite sure that you would have to finish the round. Most people just put it on autorewind and hit away. So while using autorewind, nothing is kept. Stats only accumulate for complete rounds. Also, when using autorewind on a regular course, stats are not kept for those rewind shots....... even if you finish the round. I had a hole in one while using AR that I wished showed up. I would also like to have a autorewind for the hole, not just the shot. There are certain holes that I would like to practice the complete hole.

[Bubba22]

I think it's just on finished rounds. Great idea on the practice feature Aja.