Peer Review - Golf Handicap

[ruds]

The concept of peer review is an essential element of the USGA handicapping system. Without peer review the Handicap Index loses it inherent value and is just a number.

Most USGA systems around the world are based at a golf club where the majority of players know each other. Posting scores in person immediately following the round at the course is the USGA’s preferred way to expose scores to peer review. However that is not possible here in Thailand as most players do not belong to a golf club and do not have the option to post the score at the club for others to see.

This system I found has some what overcome that where all scores posted are available for all others to see. They appear on their homepage as “Joe Bloggs played 18 holes at Rayong Green Valley and scored a 92 on Saturday 16th July”

Also you can view all players scores, scorecards and photos of scorecards by clicking on a players playing history at any time.

The site is called Birdie Thailand

[topt]

Some of the golf societies take their players cards and enter scores for them after they played in either the PSC or IPGC system. Certainly Outback Bar used to do that in the distant past when I played with them and I have heard of some others that do that.

Whilst the Birdie idea may seem good in theory how many people will actually be bothered to "peer review" and even if they did and disagreed what would happen?

Unfortunately if anybody is wanting to game their handicap there are many ways to do so and IMHO the system above won't stop that - and if it did those individuals would not use it