[MIBgirlsXXL]

I always use ESC. It's in the rules if you have a handicap, so it has to be followed or by the book you're cheating. I was quite happy when my cap went from 10 to 9 b/c I could start just counting doubles regardless of par. In tourneys of course you write down any number you get, but when you put your score in the computer you must use ESC. The USGA (and R&A) use it because they've done mathematical studies and this is how it's fair in matchplay. If a 4 plays a 22 cap 10 times, they should both win 50% of the time (i.e. 5 times each). In Canada here (Happy Canada Day my fellow Canadians!), they just changed it to be in line with the world system because they did a study that our way (double/triple/quad instead of 7/8/9 max) was unfair to people in the higher range of applicable caps. I.e. a 19 cap would win more than half the time against an 11.