I was scrolling through social media the other day and my eyes fell on yet another story about the World Handicap System.
The thing itself was harmless enough, but we’re not allowed to mention handicapping without also trudging through a slew of carping comments.
People, it’s been four years! For God’s sake, can’t we find something new to moan about?
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a good old fashioned pile-on as much as anyone. Wailing on about the supposed ‘horrors’ of something that’s never claimed to be infallible would usually be right up my alley.
But this time even the comments did my head in. I can take the cheat’s charter stuff as nature intended, but this whine about high handicappers that never seems to end is getting too much to take.
It’s been this way ever since it was announced you could have a mark of 54.
“They win all the comps!”, “No point in entering now!”, “Might as well leave the clubs in the garage!”
Really? What a load of old cobblers. How many people sporting a 54 handicap have you seen winning club competitions?
Another high handicaps moan? Get back in your boxes!
I can tell you exactly how many it’s been for me. None. I like to think I play a few events too. The huge handicappers I’ve been around at the club are normally steering well clear of anything that involves a card and a signature.
It’s because they can barely hit the ball.
What I have seen is an altogether different category of player completely dominating.
Ladies and gentlemen, enter your real villain – the mid-handicapper. Recognise yourself here? I’m talking, specifically, about those men between 14 and 20ish.
You’ve been having quite a time of it, haven’t you? Honestly, your house must look like a Pirate’s treasure cave – bits of gold and silver everywhere.
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I can’t bring myself to look at a live leaderboard anymore, knowing that someone off 18 has shot 46 points and I’ve got to channel my inner Jordan Spieth just to wallow in the middle of the pack.
The average WHS index in England is 17.1 for men. You are the majority, you’re absolutely cleaning up, and you’re moaning on about anyone off bigger than 24 shooting a tidy round? I don’t know how you dare.
Listen, anyone can have a good day on the course. I don’t begrudge you that. But you’re like Monkeypox. Every week there’s another strain of you popping up and threatening to cause misery.
Get back in your boxes. You can console yourselves with all those lovely vouchers…
Now have your say
Is it those in the middle who are squeezing everyone in a comp, or has the Angry Club Golfer lost his mind (and not for the first time)? Let him know on X.
