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