Why have handicaps?

It's difficult to think of any other sport which operates a handicap system. At amateur level, I suppose snooker would qualify (I'll give you five blacks start). But can you imagine pro golfers, playing on any of the major tours, agreeing to play from different handicaps? Tiger could probably give the field a shot per round and still succeed, but the idea would be thrown out of court - pride wouldn't allow fellow competitors to accept any favours. So how come in club competitions and many amateur events, players have to accept the idea of not playing on a level playing field? The obvious answer is that the best players would win every time if we all played off scratch. There would be no point in a player whose best round might be in the mid eighties, trying to compete with guys who regularly knock the ball round in the low seventies. So the handicap system is there to give everyone a fair chance of winning the monthly medal, the weekly WAGS competition, or the summer Rolex competitions, etc.

The problems start with competitions, like the latter, which offer valuable prizes to the winners. Suddenly, some players are producing ludicrous scores, as much as 10 strokes under par nett, which fail to reflect their handicap or their true ability. Morally, it would be fair to describe this situation as cheating, since those competing off a genuine handicap are doomed before they start.

The situation on the Costa del Golf is exacerbated by the fact that the FGA (the Andalucian Golf Federation) will only adjust members' handicaps against scores submitted in its own competitions. However, many FGA members play regularly in society meetings, off a handicap much lower than their official one. So until the FGA agrees to monitor handicaps, accepting results posted by societies and other local organizations, the cheats will continue to prosper, saving their official handicaps for the big events.