Can you request a lower handicap?

Last summer I had gross rounds of 82 and 84 at my home course but I didn't have a handicap as wasn't planning on playing in any comps so didn't bother putting cards in. My concern is that if I get a handicap of 24 based on two winter rounds and a poor summer round and then enter a comp and shoot another 82 I'll be getting somewhere around 45/46 points and that's when the accusations will start. You only have to look at the thread about the guy that got 53 points to see that there are a lot of people willing to throw around the "bandit" or even worse "cheat" accusations without knowing any facts behind it.