What’s the Big Deal About Having a Handicap?

For many golfers, they consider their handicap to be their identity.  Ask someone about how they play, or how their game is right now and they will probably say something along the lines of “Well, I am an 18 now but I was a 16 six months ago”.

The real reason to have a handicap is to level the playing field.  It is the way players of varying abilities can compete with one another on an equal basis.  Golf is one of the very few sports that offer this opportunity.

If you are new to the game, don’t worry about having a handicap right away.  For the moment, have fun and learn to hit a few good shots.  You have plenty of time to get a handicap.  However, having a handicap tells people that you are a knowledgeable golfer and want to track your progress. 

4 Reasons that you should have a Handicap

 

Status: A handicap lends credibility to your ability level and status as a golfer.

Tracking Improvement: It is an effective method for tracking your improvement and trends over time and across numerous courses.

Fairness of Competition: Handicap makes matches and friendly competition with fellow golfers fair and equitable. Elimination of any skill disparity makes for an increasingly entertaining round.

Entrance to Competition: A handicap is required to enter most local, regional, and national competitions. It is important to note that ICN’s Game Tracking handicaps are not official for most tournaments. A provincial golf association membership must be purchased in order for your handicap to be official for tournament play.  The ICN Game Tracker will, however, allow you to watch your golfing progress from a number of perspectives.

If you have decided that now is the time to establish a handicap, as a Privileged Play member, you have exclusive access to the user-friendly Game Tracker software at www.privplay.com.  This software:

• Monitors your handicap
• Tracks individual round statistics
• Helps you identify which part of your game needs work, so you know where to focus your efforts during practice 
  
  

How to Access the Privileged Play Game Tracker Program

1. Visit www.privplay.com.
2. Click on the Members Only link at the top of the page.
3. At the Members Only page, enter your membership number on your card and password and click Login.
4. Once in the Members Only section, click on Game Tracking and Handicap.
5. If it is your first time using Game Tracker, click "preferences" to set up the areas of your game that you would like to track.
6. Once you have done this, click "Enter a Round".
7. Select the golf course from the list and fill out the appropriate information fields.