| The handicap basically allows people of | | | | and other factors, when wondering why a |
| very different golfing ability to | | | | hole played much easier (or harder!) |
| compete with each other. Other sports do | | | | than its stroke index would indicate. |
| have a handicap system, but nowhere does | | | | One thing you can guarantee the stroke |
| it work as effectively as in the game of | | | | index 1 hole has been given that status |
| golf. | | | | for a very good reason! |
| Lets take an example of a 9 handicap | | | | Qualifying competitions |
| player meeting a 16 handicapper in a | | | | These are normally club competitions |
| Matchplay singles match. They would take | | | | which qualify for handicap adjustment |
| the difference between their handicaps 7 | | | | purposes. These is a complex area and |
| and apply the (a three quarter) of | | | | not for these pages! Purely as an |
| difference principle if their club uses | | | | example, a competition may be declared |
| this rather than the full difference | | | | non qualifying if it is played when many |
| (equals 5.25) rounded to the nearest | | | | temporary greens are in use, affecting |
| full number (Equals 5). The 16 handicap | | | | the overall length of the course. |
| player would get an extra stroke over | | | | Standard Scratch Score (SSS) |
| his opponent at the first 5 stroke index | | | | This is a fixed number agreed by the |
| numbered holes on the course. | | | | Club with the ruling bodies. This is the |
| Handicaps are administered by the Golf | | | | score it would be expected a scratch |
| Clubs themselves, according to rules | | | | golfer would go round in. This can |
| laid down by their responsible national | | | | differ from the course par by anything |
| union. | | | | up to plus3 to minus 3 of the course |
| Officially, there is no other way, | | | | par. It is this number which is used for |
| despite the claims of a number of bodies | | | | handicap adjustment, rather than the par |
| to being able to award official | | | | of the course. |
| handicaps (except where low handicaps | | | | Competition Scratch Score |
| are administered by a regional body | | | | This is arrived at as a result of |
| rather than a club) | | | | calculations on the day of a |
| Most golf clubs have a committee | | | | competition, taking into account the |
| (council) member responsible for this. A | | | | degree of difficulty (climactic |
| players handicap can be varied upwards | | | | conditions) size of field and generally |
| or downwards as a result of his/her | | | | how the different handicap categories |
| performance in qualifying competition. | | | | performed. If this is different to the |
| The committee also has the right under | | | | SSS, it replaces it for that day |
| the rules of golf (rule 19b) to make | | | | Qualifying score |
| merit adjustments to a members handicap. | | | | Any score, including a no return |
| Handicaps fall into 4 categories for men | | | | returned in a qualifying competition |
| and 6 for ladies, as follows: | | | | Net differential |
| Category Handicap range | | | | Is the difference plus or minus between |
| 1 0 5 | | | | the nett score returned by a player in a |
| 2 6 12 | | | | qualifying competition and the |
| 3 13 20 | | | | competition scratch score |
| 4 21 28 | | | | Buffer Zone |
| 5 29 40 | | | | Adjustments. Changes to handicaps are |
| 6 41 45 | | | | made in accordance with a set of rules |
| Clubs often have names rather than | | | | administered by the national regional |
| category numbers for the different | | | | authority. For simplicitys sake, a |
| levels, ranging from the Gold/silver etc | | | | players handicap may increase or |
| to the Tigers and Rabbits and the like. | | | | decrease by a tenth of a point for every |
| Stroke Index | | | | full shot that player is above or below |
| All golf clubs are required to publish a | | | | the CSS multiplied by the number of |
| HANDICAP STROKE TABLE, indicating the | | | | their category. So a 10 handicap player |
| order of holes at which handicap strokes | | | | (category 2) coming in 3 below the CSS |
| are to be given or received. This always | | | | would expect to see his handicap reduced |
| appears on the course scorecard under | | | | by 3 multiplied by 0.2 shots equals 0.6. |
| the heading stroke index. This is a list | | | | There is a so called buffer zone which |
| of numbers from 1 to 18 where handicap | | | | prevents handicaps increasing quite so |
| strokes are taken. The lower numbers | | | | directly. Again, the category number is |
| indicate a higher degree of difficulty, | | | | used, but this time as a whole number, |
| hence a person receiving, for example, 9 | | | | and this is applied before any |
| strokes, either in a handicap | | | | adjustments are made. So a score of 3 |
| competition or from a playing opponent, | | | | over CSS for our 10 handicapper |
| would receive an extra stroke at each of | | | | (category 2) would result in an increase |
| the holes with a Stroke Index from 1 to | | | | in handicap of just 0.1. |
| 9 inclusive. | | | | Exact v Playing handicap |
| The degree of difficulty is a relative | | | | It will be immediately apparent that |
| term, as the Club Committee is requested | | | | there is no point moving handicaps up |
| to observe a number of recommendations | | | | and down by the odd decimal place if |
| when setting the stroke index such as | | | | there is no record kept of other than |
| balancing the numbers between the two | | | | round numbers. Every player has an exact |
| nines of an 18 hole course. This is | | | | handicap as well as a playing one. The |
| especially noticeable if you visit a | | | | playing one is simply the rounded whole |
| course which has 3 or more nines which | | | | number of the exact one. Thus 8.4 equals |
| can be played in different combinations | | | | 8, 8.5 equals 9 |
| allowance must be made for the balancing | | | | |