Learn All About Golf Handicaps

Spending a day on the golf course in Cookeville, TN with your friends is always a good time, but missing a two-foot putt is the epitome of frustration. One of the big reasons for golf’s popularity is that someone who constantly misses two-foot putts can play in the same round with someone who sinks 20-foot putts on a regular basis. Over the past hundred years or so, golf has developed a handicapping system that helps less talented players stay competitive with better players on the course. Keep reading to learn more about handicapping, how it can benefit your game and why you should join Southern Hills Golf & Country Club today!

What is a Handicap?

The golf handicap was created in 1911 to level the playing field, so to speak, out on the course. It allows players of lesser ability to adjust their score at the end of the round and compare it to someone who’s better at the game. For example, someone with a handicap of 10 can subtract 10 strokes from their score at the end of the day. Those 10 strokes can be the difference between winning and losing. A handicap is calculated with a mathematical formula that involves your average stroke tally over the past five rounds, the course rating (the number of strokes it should take an average golfer to complete a round) and the course’s slope rating (its difficulty rating).

What are the Benefits of a Handicap?

You might think that playing with a handicap sounds like cheating. Well, it’s not! It’s designed to ensure that everyone out on the greens has more fun and players of all different skill levels can enjoy their time together. That’s one of the things that makes golf unique. Playing basketball with LeBron James wouldn’t be much fun; he’d dribble right past you every time and slam dunk the ball. But you can play on the same golf course in Cookeville, TN and possibly have a close score after you’ve adjusted your stroke tally with your handicap!

How can I Improve my Handicap?

If you’re looking for ways to improve your handicap, here are three good tips to put into practice in the months ahead:

Hit the range: Knowing how to properly drive the ball without slicing it off into the trees is key if you want to improve (or lower) your handicap. Get a bucket of balls and head out to the driving range for a few hours. You’ll be amazed at how much a few hours driving the ball on a regular basis can help straighten out your shot. Take a lesson: Sometimes, you need the advice of a pro to get your game headed in the right direction. Take a lesson with one of our course pros—it’s likely to help your game immensely! Practice makes perfect: The best way to lower your handicap is to just keep playing! Get out on the course every chance you get to practice driving, chipping and putting the ball. You won’t get great overnight, but you’ll eventually notice drastic improvements.

Join Southern Hills Today!

By signing up for a membership at Southern Hills Golf & Country Club, or by paying a $25 fee, you can receive a handicap from the Tennessee Golf Association. This is a limited time offer—make sure you’re ready to hit the links in 2018 by signing up for one of our memberships today!

Categorised in: Golf

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