Many sports have a system by which to compare players’ talent level against each other. You can get rated in tennis. Chess has a robust rating system. Golf and bowling have a handicapping system.
The difference between the two is that the handicap rating is implemented in the actual competition. If you have a higher handicap than I do, and we score the same round in golf - you win. In fact, I can play a better round than you and still lose. Hell, in bowling I could roll a perfect game and lose to someone!
Why did we decide this is the way these games are played? Is it because when I find out you’re an even handicap in golf and I’m a 10, I’d never want to play you? (Or is that a good golfer would never want to play with a crappy one?)
Rather than “I’d never want to play you”, I think it’s “let’s make it a little more even so we can still have a competition.” Off the top of my head, I can think of two more sports that employ handicapping: horse racing and lower levels of drag racing. The faster horse carries more weight. The slower cars get a head start.
In golf the actual answer is that players in a foursome are not playing against each other.
Each player is playing against the course and their own record.
If each plays exactly to their handicap, you have 4 people who each tied versus the course. And yes, that amounts to an (adjusted) 4 way tie between the players too.
Bowling is similar.
Note that a feature of handicapable games is that none of your play is contingent on anyone else’s. If in golf you had to take your second shot with the other guy’s ball that wouldn’t be true.
Tennis & chess ratings are not the same kind of system at all.
It seems to me that if you’re just playing against yourself and the course, there’s no need for a handicap - your raw score is your score. Handicaps are an attempt to equalize between players.
Handicaps are also common in recreational league play. The idea being that players are of such wide talent that it just becomes no fun for someone with a high handicap playing against someone of a low handicap because they will never “win” a league match if scores aren’t adjusted for handicap.
With the handicap figured in. Each match becomes competitive. And since the handicap is against a fixed number (bowling is 180 for example) each time you play, your handicap will adjust based on your most recent game, so somone who suddenly dramatically begins to improve will find their handicap get reduced to maintain overall competiveness.
In bowling leagues the handicap is usually 80 or 90 percent of 220 and in some leagues 230 ! Also in many leagues there is a 10 pin drop rush from your last season league or USBC book average to eliminate “ sandbagging “ To the best of my knowledge I don’t believe golf has any sanctioning to rely on a historical basis for a amateurs handicap! Correct me if I am wrong?