THE 2007 HANDICAP ANALYSIS

‘AFHEED AND TEFLON GO DOWN,
WHILE TOM AND MARK COME IN ONE’

So the 2007 handicap analysis is now complete in which we take the last handicap entry in 2006 and compare it with the last handicap entry in 2007. And what an interesting outcome it was:

Emile Proves The Worth of His Net: Top performance for the year was the 2007 nnomads Golf Club champion Emile, who reduced his handicap by a massive 4.3 strokes during 2007 (from 40.3 down to 36 strokes). Emile started to show form early in the 2007 year when he reduced his handicap by 1.5 strokes after a great game at Yarrambat in March 07. After a few months, he came back to form when he won the BIT in October 07, after which he came in two strokes. He then was runner up to Steve in the SHIT at the Growling Frog in mid November, and then cemented his position with a sensational game at the Bat in mid December.

“It just shows that practice pays off even if it is mainly in the back yard. I’d recommend everyone get a practice net, and it’s a lot cheaper than playing at a course” suggested Emile when asked how he did it. “He just wants a practice facility close to a fridge full of beer” suggested Steph when asked to comment. “Now I’m not belittling his performance, but it is a lot easier to reduce your handicap when you are starting at 40 strokes. Try and do that when your handicap is sub 20” moaned Brendan who has since initiated a significant change to the nnomads Golf Club handicapping system that only affects player handicaps over 36 strokes. “I just think its sour grapes because the high handicappers have done so well in 2007” chipped in Critey (HCP=41) during a recent teleconference from South Australia, but that is another story.

And the interesting thing is that Emile has since gone on from this fantastic performance in 2007 to further reduce his handicap in early 2008. At last check, the nnomads Golf Club champion had a handicap of 31.5, which is an 8.8 stroke improvement on his handicap at the end of 2006 (double that credited to him in this analysis). In addition, it is reported he has played to that handicap in 2008. The committee thus congratulates the Club Champion Emile, on his significant improvement during 2007 (and his great start to 2008). “Good to see him going down. There shouldn’t be any handicaps above 36 for men. If a bloke has a handicap above 36 he should squat when having a piss” suggested Shanksy subtly in a postcard from Malibu, CA.

Less Need to Squat With New Handicapping System: Just as an aside, and to ensure members are informed, a revised nnomads Golf Club handicapping system was introduced on the first of January 2008. The key change is the adoption of the Australian Woman’s Handicapping system for handicaps above 36 strokes. Under the old system, players with a handicap over 36 came in 0.5 of a stroke when they broke their handicap. Under the new handicapping system, players with a handicap over 36 will come in 1 stroke if they break their handicaps. It means that when these members play well, they will come down a little faster than they did in the past. “Look there has never been any allowance for handicaps over 36 strokes in the men’s game but there has been in the women’s game. So we have adopted the official line from the women’s game” explained Brendan trying to justify the change. “Yeah it means those high handicappers don’t have to do so much squatting when they want a piss. The old system was a grandma giveaway designed for geriatrics” suggested Shanksy by email from California. “Look I have always been embarrassed by my higher handicap so it suits me if we come down a little faster” conceded Mark F during a recent discussion at the Bat.

A Quorum Of Members: As members are unlikely to remember, a general meeting of nnomads Golf Club members on 30^th of April 2005 agreed that a club rule could be made or changed by a quorum of members where a majority of a seven member committee, agree on a particular matter (see 4/7/05 Outcomes of the AGM). “In other words if four members agree then the resolution is passed!” suggested Brendan, with a glint in his eye? “And from memory, there were Tom, Min, Harry, Brendan, Ryan, Pete and Brendan in agreement, so I don’t think it’s an issue” he mumbled trying to move the conversation on. So, Members should be aware of the new handicapping system for players with handicaps over 36 strokes! It is now in play! For the rest of us, it’s irrelevant!

Telfon Slips In Three: Returning to the handicap analysis, brings us to Harry, who dropped from a handicap of 28.8 strokes at the end of 2006 to a handicap of 26.2 strokes at the end of 2007, a 2.6 stroke reduction, and second highest reduction for the calendar year (after Emile). Harry started the year well, reducing his handicap by 0.5 strokes twice in February, once in March and once in April. He then had the best score of his life in May with a gross 90 strokes at Yarrambat (9 under the card), after which his handicap dived by 3.2 to 23.8 strokes. “Yeah but then I fell over. From then on I just went out 0.1 strokes each week for the rest of the year” commiserated Harry as he fondly remembered his short spurt of form in early 2007. “You are just trying to get your handicap up for the major competitions, aren’t you? You just want to win a major don’t you?” questioned Shanksy by carrier pigeon from the US, and who was blatantly trying to do the same thing. “Boys, boys, boys! It is all about getting your handicaps down not up. Get your priorities right!” reinforced Chief Handicapper Brendan after reading the previous line. The committee congratulates Harry on his continued improvement during 2007.

Tom Comes in One: Another notable performance in 2007 came from the 2006 nnomads Golf Club champion - Tom, who reduced his handicap by 0.9 strokes during 2007 (from 22.0 to 21.1 strokes). This followed on from a 3.8 stroke reduction in 2006. The 18 hole stats for 2007 show that Tom came in 0.4 of a stroke in May, August and October, each after a weekly game at Yarrambat. But his 2007 ‘piece de resistance’ was a gross 87 strokes at Flinders in November (2 under the card) after which his handicap dropped 1.6 strokes to 20.9 strokes. “Look it was a good consistent year and I was very happy with that. I now want to go on to a sub 20 handicap by the end of 2008” declared Tom, when interviewed for the article. The committee congratulates Tom on another great performance in 2007.

Mark V Comes in One: The only other player to reduce his handicap in 2007 was, Mark V who came in 0.6 strokes (from 26.9 to 26.3 strokes). However, the reduction had nothing to do with his performance in 2007. Rather, it was driven by an adjustment made by the handicapping committee at the BIT in October. “Yes well we reduced his handicap because of his threatening performance at the BIT the previous year. We didn’t know he wasn’t going to follow up this year and he was an unknown quantity back then” claimed Harry trying to justify the adjustment. “Look I’m happy with my handicap. I just didn’t perform well at the big events in 2007. That will change in 2008” predicted Mark V, who has since threatened to play more often during 2008.

No other member reduced his handicap in 2007: So Emile, Harry, Tom and Mark V were the only players in the nnomads handicapping system that reduced their handicaps during the 2007 calendar year. But there was a consistent group who’s handicaps didn’t move in 2007 including Gordon, Tim, Fang, Ricko, Fritz and JB. “Hold on. Those guys only played a couple of times or didn’t play at all. You can’t come down if you don’t play” observed Steph after reading the list of names. And of course he was right but you don’t admit that sort of thing in front of Steph at the best of times. So trying to avoid the issue, the committee congratulated these comrades, who held true in 2007, at a recent committee meeting under cover in a local pub. “What a load of cobblers. We wouldn’t mention people who didn’t go anywhere during the year” tapped a surprised Shanksy by Morse code from his base in Malibu CA.

Most went out one: The embarrassing thing in 2007 was the fact that the majority of remaining players went out by one or two strokes. Those who went out by one stroke included Shanksy, Steph, Brendan, Pete, Rodney, Jack and Min. Those players that went out by two strokes included Steve and Mark F. “It shows we have some work to do in 2008 doesn’t it? It means we all have to play golf more often doesn’t it?” suggested Steve to the group at a recent midweek training night again held in a local pub. “I can understand mentioning people who went out a stroke or two. At least their handicaps have changed” shouted Shanksy down a tin can and string phone from the US. The committee delicately suggests, in a way designed not to offend, that these players lift their game during 2008. The committee also suggests that Shanksy get another form of communication because it is difficult to get anyone to hold the other end of the tin can phone for any length of time on our side of the pacific. “I just can’t understand how Mark F and Steve get their pictures in the article when we don’t” complained a staggered Rodney when reading the previous paragraph. “And what sucky smiles they have” sniggered Jack and Steph who were both thinking in a similar way, but that’s another storey.

PIS-SA Performances: Just to be entirely fair, there was another group of players that deserve mention in 2007, and they were the South Australian associates who reduced their handicaps over the calendar year. Those that successfully reduced their handicaps in 2007 included Normie (-8 strokes), Nicko (-5 strokes), Boz (-4 strokes), Critey (-2 strokes) and Jacko (-1 stroke). See exclusive photos of the South Australian involved. Note: These reductions were calculated on the PIS handicapping system rather than the nnomads Golf Club handicapping system. “Yes, well, we use a fairly arbitrary approach to handicapping over here. We just make adjustments as required. For example, after Normie won the PIS last year I slashed his handicap by eight strokes because we can’t have him winning again can we” reinforced Chief PIS artist Nicko from South Australia by satellite phone. The committee congratulates the South Australians on their achievements in 2007 whether warranted or not.

Handicap Reviews Are Available: As usual, any player who didn’t play to his handicap in the 12 month 2007 calendar year, may request a review of his or her handicap. The review would recalculate the handicap based on recent score cards submitted (in an ideal world the last 5 cards or more). Thus, if any member or associate would like the Club to review of their handicap, then they need to contact the nnomads Golf Club Chief Handicapper via nnomadsgc@nnomadsgolfclub.com before April 30^th 2008. “I just cannot understand how guys who went out by one stroke didn’t get their photos in the article” uttered a stunned Brendan after reading a draft. “What about we guys that didn’t move? Our photos should have been there too and we should be in front of you” suggested Gordon, as he dropped Shanksy’s tin can and string phone for the last time. “They just don’t know how to be politically correct do they” chipped in Shanksy using someone else’s international phone card. “Gentlemen, gentlemen and I use the term loosely. Let us focus on the game of golf and the spirit of the game” suggested Harry as he slid in some photos of those that didn’t change handicap during 2007 and some photos of those whose handicap went out by one stroke during 2007. “A masterful stroke if I don’t say so myself” observed Emile, who after the mass of publicity associated with his winning of the 2007 nnomads Club championship, didn’t care if his photo was included again or not, which it wasn’t, although we considered it, or at least some of us did and some of us didn’t, depending on which side of the fence you were sitting on at the time. “I’m not sure where this conversation is going. Please move on quickly McNamara Group” announced one of the boys from the pro shop over the loudspeaker at Yarrambat (who have since lost their jobs but that’s another storey).

The Challenge for 2008: So members and associates, the 2007 nnomads Club Champion Emile has set the standard once again. And the clear challenge for us all is to beat Emil’s mark in 2008 (if you want to get your photo in next years analysis because we are not going to include a photo of almost everyone who played in the 2008 analysis article. But then again we might). And, as some of you might have observed (but most wouldn’t have), Emile has already laid down a significant challenge with his sensational start in 2008. He has already come in more than he did last year! So there you have it. The committee strongly urges all members to step up to the mark in 2008 (or send in a note from your parent or guardian before May 2008 to be exempt).

Change In Player 18 Hole Handicaps During 2007

(Difference between end 2006 and end 2007)

nnomads Hcp System	Handicap at End of 2006	Handicap at End of 2007	Difference
Emile	40.3	36	-4.3
Harry	28.8	26.2	-2.6
Tom	22	21.1	-0.9
Mark V	26.9	26.3	-0.6
Gordon	25.2	25.2	0
Tim B	30.1	30.3	0.2
Fang	21.9	22.1	0.2
Ricko (SA)	36	36.2	0.2
Fritz	28	28.4	0.4
Pitte Man (SA)	37.5	37.9	0.4
Shanksy (US)	15.5	16.1	0.6
Steph	19.2	19.8	0.6
Brendan	12.3	13.1	0.8
Pete S	18.8	19.6	0.8
Rodney (NSW)	21.2	22.1	0.9
Jack	18	19.1	1.1
Min	29.9	31	1.1
Mark F	34.9	36.5	1.6
Steve S	18	19.6	1.6
PIS HCP System	Handicap at End of 2006	Handicap at End of 2007	Difference
Normie (SA)	38	30	-8
Nicko (SA)	24	19	-5
Boz (SA)	45	41	-4
Critey (SA)	43	41	-2
Jacko (SA)	27	26	-1
Boog (SA)	22	28	6

Players Who’s handicaps didn’t change in 2007

Players who handicaps came in one stroke in 2007

Players who were not mentioned in 2007 analysis