Now that we know what he/she is, it is time to identify the culprit. Sometimes it is easy. Sometimes the scores are so telling that we do not need to dig any further. If a 16 handicap just shot a score that begins with a 7, chances are he is a bagger. If the 7 handicap just broke par 2 days in a row, all signs point to a bagger. But what about the guy that might be, but we just aren’t sure? How can we know?

I have a method…..

I played a college tournament one day at Meadowwood golf course in Spokane, Washington. We were down by double digits going into the tournament and needed to make up ground. In college tournaments, it is very easy to talk to your teammates as you play adjoining holes or on tee boxes as you wait. Word travels fast as to who is playing well and who is not. Which team is slipping and which team is charging.

This particular day, we were charging. I was the anchor that day and was the last of our team on the course. I knew that it was going to come down to my score in the end. I got to 18 at about 2 over. Not my best by any stretch, but competitive in the team scoring format.

I have shot under par before. I have felt pressure and have rose to the challenge. I have also sunk from the pressure that I put on myself. This day was a little different. When I hit my second shot short of the green and charged my chip 4 feet past to end up with a ticklish down hiller, I felt pressure like I had never felt before.

So here I was, nowhere near my career round, and my HANDS WENT NUMB???!!!! I don’t mean numb like it was a bit cool and my finger tips were tingly, numb as in can not feel the putter in my hands. I was able to get the putter back and hole the putt and THEN feeling returned to my extremities. Since then, I equate pressure with numb hands.

So here it is, the fool proof way to spot the sandbagger….

Ask him/her how they played. If they don’t give you some form of “Man I had the best round of my life, it was as if everything just clicked and my swing felt great. In fact, my hands went numb I was so nervous over a couple of those putts.” They are a sandbagger. If the answer is to tell you the shots they left out on the course….you have your man.

Call the handicap board and let them know that a guy that just bested his handicap by 5 thought he played bad. Tell them that you have a cheater in your group. Better yet, tell that guy that he is cheating himself, and the rest of the field, with his sandbagging.  Trust me, if it were “my way” the punishment would be much greater.

Sandbagging hurts everyone, but identifying the culprit is the first step to stopping the problem. If you know someone is a cheater, and they know you know, they might just stop.

Lets hope!

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