I agree! Our club runs a very popular tournament, two person net best ball. Year after year high handicappers win the tourney. One year two high handicappers came in with a two day total of 154 net. I personally do not understand how two players with handicaps of between 20 and 25 can net 57 on two consecutive days! Handicap abuse does not only occur in singles match play. It appears in all clubs and all competitions.

Dave chose a partner that you enjoy playing with and does not abuse the system! That is what my partner and I do.

My handicap rant!

There is a reason why guys have a high handicap, usually. There are always going to be sandbaggers, and if they can live with themselves, that is their problem. It is tough to beat a guy who shoots 78 with a 15 handicap, no matter how well you play.
That being said, you are never out of a match against a high handicapper. For a number of holes they may be able to keep it together, but you are not going to expect them to consistently make 4 footers for par. If they are a true high handicapper, their short game is usually not very good, and if you are playing well, and can keep the pressure on them, then you should be okay. What is really tough to beat is the high to mid range handicapper who will make 2 or 3 double bogeys, but they will also make 3 or 4 birdies.
I think the key to winning any match is having a game plan going in. Play your normal game to start, and then adjust if necessary. I have beaten guys who out drive me by 60 yards or more on a regular basis. I am not even going to try and keep up with them. As long as I am making putts, I don't worry. If your putter is not working, then it does not really matter what the other guy is doing. Some guys going into a match against a high handicapper feel they have to make birdie on every hole, and they change their game. Instead of shooting for the middle of the green, they go flag hunting and more often than not make bogey. Played a guy years ago in a final and he kept hitting driver into the rough on every hole. If he would have hit irons or fairway metals he still would have been out driving me, and maybe in the fairway. Once he got down, he kept hitting driver, and then it just got worse. It was over on 14.
As for picking a partner, pick one who can putt under pressure.

That's funny - i recently received my annual first round defeat in my club's match play tourney. Again i was giving 10+ shots to an opponent 'who played better than normal'. I think the real issue is the manner in which people record rounds that count towards handicaps. Those who are more selective in the rounds they submit versus guys like me who enter every single round (or 9) played.

As a 17 handicapper teetering on the .5 mark I completely understand your issue. BM is spot-on with his assessment; I have the capability to hit drives and approach irons like a single figure player & should I be fortunate enough to hit the green regularly, then I can post a great score. HOWEVER I don't do that often enough & when I miss the green, not even a full set of SM5s can't save me! My poor short game tends to be exacerbated in Matchplay conditions, hence a lack of success - even with a full difference.