# Can someone explain the handicap line on this golf scorecard? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** golf\ **Created:** [May 17, 2021, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-handicap-line-on-this-golf-scorecard/942295 "2021-05-17T15:24:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2021, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-handicap-line-on-this-golf-scorecard/942295/1 "2021-05-17T15:24:30Z")
I understand how a typical handicap line works where holes are ranked 1-18 by difficulty. But the lines on this scorecard completely baffle me. Most are listed as N/A and the numbers that are listed don’t make any sense to me. How am I supposed to read this? [Scorecard.](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o7t4b71svP8xISun2_gvVWMBkQhY_9sw/view?usp=sharing) ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-handicap-line-on-this-golf-scorecard/942295/2 "2021-05-21T17:00:51Z")
Anyone? Beuler? ---
**Author:** ![icantdraw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3ec8ea/32.png) [@icantdraw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/icantdraw)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-handicap-line-on-this-golf-scorecard/942295/3 "2021-05-21T17:48:51Z")
Just thought I’d post so you knew you were being heard… No, that is unlike any scorecard I’ve ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-handicap-line-on-this-golf-scorecard/942295/4 "2021-05-21T17:55:58Z")
Look at the 12th hole - the white tees are 100 yards FURTHER than the blue tees? Got me hanging. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-handicap-line-on-this-golf-scorecard/942295/5 "2021-05-21T19:36:42Z")
Where did you find this image? Based on the obvious mistake on the 12th hole distances I suspect this is fabricated. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-handicap-line-on-this-golf-scorecard/942295/6 "2021-05-21T19:36:49Z")
OK. Thanks guys. I’m guessing that the scorecard is just computer generated and we have a case of GIGO. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-handicap-line-on-this-golf-scorecard/942295/7 "2021-05-21T19:41:29Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Where did you find this image? Based on the obvious mistake on the 12th hole distances I suspect this is fabricated. From [here.](https://www.golflink.com/golf-courses/ok/marlow/generations-golf-course) ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-handicap-line-on-this-golf-scorecard/942295/8 "2021-05-21T20:22:44Z")
I couldn’t find another course on that site that had the handicap line filled out. Is there another example to compare it to? ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-handicap-line-on-this-golf-scorecard/942295/9 "2021-05-21T20:27:43Z")
I checked about 20 in my area and only found one other that had a handicap line. It’s messed up too. I think their system is just buggy. [Kingfisher golf course.](https://www.golflink.com/golf-courses/ok/kingfisher/kingfisher-golf-club) ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-handicap-line-on-this-golf-scorecard/942295/10 "2021-05-21T21:39:52Z")
I think you’re right. Other sites have a more normal looking scorecard. > **[Generations Golf Course](https://www.golfpass.com/travel-advisor/courses/11171-generations-golf-course#scorecard)** > > Generations Golf Course in Marlow, Oklahoma: details, stats, scorecard, course layout, photos, reviews ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2021, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-handicap-line-on-this-golf-scorecard/942295/11 "2021-05-22T00:40:08Z")
It’s still a little unusual for a par 4 hole to have 90 yards difference between the tips and the forward tees but at least it makes sense, unlike the original handicap line. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2021, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-handicap-line-on-this-golf-scorecard/942295/12 "2021-05-22T08:47:29Z")
The really odd thing is that real golf scorecards have a handicap rating for every hole ranked from 1 to 18. This is to let golfers know the holes on which they receive a stroke. For instance if you play off 1 you receive a stroke on the hardest hole only. If you play off 24 you receive one stroke on 12 holes and two on the six hardest holes.