Right then, i played in a medal competition on saturday played poorly on the front 9 holes (shot42!) and played a blinder on the back 9 (shot 32!) So in total i shot 74, minus handicap of 11 (74-11=63) So i finished 5 under par and came second in the comp. So i was looking forward to having my handicap cut. I Later found out today that this won't happen because we played off WINTER MAT'S!!!!!, the course is the same yardage off the mat's as it is off the grass tee's. I'm really annoyed about this, any ideas as what the winter mat's has got anything todo with it?

that's a joke

If anything they should give you more credit for playing in the cold weather, like I know I've played golf in the snow and it definitely is a few strokes harder!

just the way it is ...simply..any adjustment (winter conditions) and you wont get cut...

adjustments should be only for the whites.

yupp, adjustments made from the whites generally. Our club runs a summer league off the yellows during the season, if a player is consistently under the gents standard scratch(66 iirc) you get cut, but its purely at the handicap secretary's discretion.

As an above poster and Bruce Hornsby said: 'That's just the way it is..'

Good back nine though. Take some of that form through the season for when the proper weather arrives and I'm sure the handicap will be dropping.

For all the faults with the UK system, it tends to produce a pretty accurate representation of a player's ability in my experience.

So as i was playing off the mat's with the white tees either side, I should have been cut?

Under USGA and local state rules, rounds during the winter ("inactive season") do not count toward your handicap and should not be posted.

Pretty much the same thing, no?

Was there placing anywhwere? Regardless, if you have another good score within the next couple weeks you'll probably get cut on general play

It works both ways if you go out next week and shoot 101 your handicap wont go up either.

But with a back 9 of 32 dont go thinking the handicap secretary wont of made a note of it somewhere

I hope he does take note, i'm trying so hard to get down to single figure's you wont believe it lol

I gather that the medal rules stated beforehand that all scores won't count toward your handicap?
Here in Germany we use a similar system, although we use stableford scoring for handicap purposes, not the stroke play score...and they're pretty anal about proper procedure, so every tourney has a disclaimer hanging beside the entry list, which states exactly the rules of play.

The mat is not grass = no bad lies and teed up on every shot...............................every high handicapper I know plays better off a mat and look on the brightside you will play better on grass when the season starts in 3 weeks

Meh, it was just the course rating on the day (in Oz the course rating is made after the tourney and they take an average of scores (i don'[t know how many) and then make the CCR from that). This stuff happens though, just appreciate the good play .

lol, looking forward to proper tee's again, had enough of playing on wobbily tee's

not true you can get cut but there are a few factors. The course has to be re-measured from the mats,which will probally change the standard scratch,also it depends on the catorgery 1 players scores from which the ss will move up or down.But the first point is more important if the mats are not measured all comps will be non qualifiers

Here's what happened to me 3 weeks ago... I was a 15 handicap playing in a stableford competition. The course was rediculously short, forward tees on every hole and temporary greens on all but the last 4 holes AND its COMPULSORY to tee up on any fairway. I won with 48 points, 4 or 5 shots clear, and shot a 75! They cut me 2.1 shots. I had not placed in another competition for a few months.

Yes I played well, but even the longer holes were 5 wood and a Lob wedge, Looks to me that they can do whatever they feel like.

Tee it up in the fairway on any shot? What's that supposed to be good for?

Its the greenkeepers stupid idea to try and protect the fairways during the winter. In order to keep with the rules i stick a tee in the ground but I push it right down so the ball still sits flush with the grass, no rule that says how high i must tee it up. Its makes par 5's very easy as I can go driver - driver. Its still a stupid rule as the fairways are going to be terrible during the winter on my course whatever we do.

I usually take divots with every club, aside the driver and maybe the 3 wood...even with using a tee ;-)