The USGA is ruining golf (according to Scotland's old school)

ST. ANDREWS, SCOTLAND – It’s come to my attention on my second trip, more than once, that the old school Scots aren’t very keen on the USGA’s handicap system.

A local Gullane legend, Archie Baird (who is in his 80s and still plays quite often on Gullane’s courses), went as far as telling me it’s hurting the game in America. Those sentiments have been echoed by other Scots in the last eight days here.

From what I can gather, the main difference between the R & A handicap system and the USGA system is that over in the U.K., only medal rounds count. Medal rounds are staged, sanctioned club tournaments played off the medal tees, where everyone plays their own ball and every putt is holed out. This means your daily or weekend play with buddies is null and void. On the same token, there are no “dropped” scores like in the USGA.

I held a USGA handicap for about a year or so in Myrtle Beach before it became too much of a hassle, because the closest course I could find to join their USGA system was 20 minutes away. Frankly, I could never understand how it’s computed anyways. With the USGA system, you are supposed to enter in every score at your home club. But not everyone has a “home club". In fact, I would say most casual golfers in America don’t have a home club and will probably never want to keep a handicap. I don’t know a Scottish player who doesn’t keep a record of their handicap.

For Americans who don’t have a handicap, it’s a problem if they want to play courses abroad, as many clubs will ask for a handicap certificate (especially in continental Europe or some of the U.K.’s members clubs). Also, you can’t participate in any handicap tournaments like the World Amateur Handicap Championship.

I suppose my only rebuttal to the Scottish players, is that over in Scotland, almost every golfer has a home club, since most of the dues are usually only £400-800 a year. In America, memberships usually cost far more. Or, some offer yearly subscriptions for $500-1000, but they don’t stage medal tournaments like in Scotland. In Scotland, there are medal tournaments anywhere from twice a week to once a month. But they’re frequent.

So why should the Scots even care about the USGA system? It’s as simple as that they believe the fun is taken out of golf. American players play their own ball and keep score every round. It makes rounds longer, more stressful (because the 8 on No. 1 haunts you the rest of your round) and less enjoyable. Match plays and foursomes are seldom in America, while they’re daily fixtures here.

I think the Scots have a very, very legitimate argument about how the USGA handicap system can take a little fun out of the game, but I’m guessing the USGA handicap system is here to stay. Personally, I’m not planning on keeping a handicap again anytime soon.

It was a sunny Wednesday afternoon on the Old Course in St. Andrews.