I read with great interest your article abour "cheaters" that post an artificially high handicap. It was very interesting, but I really have to object to some of the things you stated in there. I have been accused of being a sandbagger in the past (having won several club invitationals). My handicap has been between 18 and 20 for most of my life (37-years-old now). I hit the ball a ton off the tee (more than 275 on most drives) but I don't know where it is going. During the year, I will post rounds anywhere between 83-105 depending on how my driving is going. If I am keeping the ball in play (not really caring if I am hitting fairways), I will be playing sand wedge up against my competitor's 7-iron. I am not your typical 18-20 handicap. I am probably a 12-14 that has on average 2 to 3 blow-up holes per round, and that drives up my cap up. It is not intentional, but has gotten me disqualified from tournaments. The last club invitational I played I shot 83-86-86 (with an even par on the first round). I post every round I play and play as well as I can every round. Please take note that there are people out there that don't fit into your statistical snap shot.
Brian Schumacher, Canton, MI
Brian, you are one of the reasons why I pray there is a gross division in any club tournament I play. A 17-handicap who hits it 275 yards and only has 2 or 3 blow-up holes is my worst nightmare. Good for you, but I think Contributing Editor Dean Knuth, who advised the Myrtle Beach authorities on their handicap reviews, would suggest that the odds of you shooting some of the rounds you have, especially back to back to back, are astronomical, and that you should have a lower number. I assume you are using Equitable Stroke Control when calculating those "blow-up" holes, meaning that at an 18-handicap, for example, you may not record more than a 7 on any hole. Those holes should not inflate your handicap as much as you suggest that they have.
It also really hurts to admit that the last round I entered was an 88. I'm a 5.
Bob Carney
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