[Phlkxkbh]

Our regular weekend group is having some trouble deciding what our regular game should be. For years it has been a regular skins and greenies game, but with full handicaps. A couple of us with lower handicaps don't believe this to be fair in that it gives an unfair advantage to those carrying double digits. For example, my handicap is generally the lowest in the group. I'm currently a 2, but expect when the new numbers come out I'll be down to 1 or 0, and will stay there for the rest of the season. As the low handicap everyne else wheels off me, meaning that I am giving shots to everyone in the group, which includes 10 shots a round to the 3 players who have 12+ handicaps. In effect, myself and another guy in the group with a low handicap only have about 8-9 holes we have a realistic chance of winning skins on. Any birdies we get on the lower handicap holes are going to be coverd up by someone in the group who pars that hole but also gets a stroke. Last weekend I had an eagle on a par 5 covered up by someone's birdie. It's a little frustrating when eagles can't win a skin.

The 4 handicapper has actually stopped participating in the game because he seldom wins. I'm actually thinking of following suit because each weekend I'm generally just donating to those who are wnnlling holes with their net birdies. What makes matter even a little tougher is that four players in our group also play off the senior tees, which means their handicap is essentailly based off a different course than the one I'm playing. We've talked about using 1/2 handicaps, but the seniors think this is unfair and don't understand (or choose not to) why they shouldn't be able to "get all their pops." I've explained that handicaps are intended to level the playing field when two players are gong head-to-head, not for group play. They don't see it that way.

This is a pretty good group of guys, and it's not like we play for high stakes - $5 per player gets thrown into the skins pot. But it also causing a little bit of friction among us. I'd be curious what your regular game is, and how your group decided to make it a fair game for everyone.