9 hole competition rules query

[Mikey B]

My local club has organised a 9 hole competition this week (front nine). They have sent out the draw and have essentially halved everyone's handicap. Does this mean that we should be playing to reallocated stroke indexes? If they are not re-allocated then (for example) a 36 handicap golfer would get just 9 shots on the front nine compared to his usual 18 while a scratch golfer would be playing off the same handicap as normal. I know that a high handicapper would have an advantage off normal handicaps due to the volatility of his scores but a halving of his handicap would clearly be inappropriate. Is this the club misinterpreting the rules or am I missing something?

 

[doublebogey7]

This is s somwhat confused. For a stat is this a singles or team competetion and is it strokeplay or stableford?

 

[Mikey B]

It's a singles Stableford 9 hole competition.

 

[rulefan]

My local club has organised a 9 hole competition this week (front nine). They have sent out the draw and have essentially halved everyone's handicap. Does this mean that we should be playing to reallocated stroke indexes? If they are not re-allocated then (for example) a 36 handicap golfer would get just 9 shots on the front nine compared to his usual 18 while a scratch golfer would be playing off the same handicap as normal. I know that a high handicapper would have an advantage off normal handicaps due to the volatility of his scores but a halving of his handicap would clearly be inappropriate. Is this the club misinterpreting the rules or am I missing something?

See 6.1b
6.1b For a 9-hole Round
A 9-hole Course Handicap is calculated as follows:
Course Handicap = (Handicap Index ÷ 2) x (9-hole Slope Rating ÷ 113) + (9-hole Course Rating – 9-hole par)

(See Appendix E for guidance on stroke index allocation for 9-hole rounds.)

Extract:

Stroke Index Allocation for 9-Hole Play
The strokes received in a 9-hole format of play on an 18-hole golf course should be taken in ascending order from the published stroke index allocation for 18 holes.
Alternatively, the Handicap Committee may consider amending the stroke index allocation from 1 to 9, relative to the ascending order of the published stroke
index allocation for 18 holes.

 

[williamalex1]

The existing course stroke index on the card will have already halved the strokes you get. We have a separate stroke index for 9 hole comps.

 

[backwoodsman]

My local club has organised a 9 hole competition this week (front nine). They have sent out the draw and have essentially halved everyone's handicap. Does this mean that we should be playing to reallocated stroke indexes? If they are not re-allocated then (for example) a 36 handicap golfer would get just 9 shots on the front nine compared to his usual 18 while a scratch golfer would be playing off the same handicap as normal. I know that a high handicapper would have an advantage off normal handicaps due to the volatility of his scores but a halving of his handicap would clearly be inappropriate. Is this the club misinterpreting the rules or am I missing something?

You're worrying unnecessarily. A 36 h/c gets 36 strokes over 18 holes - ie 2 shots per hole. For a 9 hole round, handicap is reduced to 18 shots over 9 holes - ie 2 shots per hole. Rulefan has given the actual calculation, which may adjust the handicap slightly. But if it does, in most cases, it is unlikely to be by anything significant.

 

[Mikey B]

Thank you. I'm more worried that the organiser of the competition is misinterpreting the rules. This reassures me that I was thinking on the right lines!

 

[Colin L]

You're worrying unnecessarily. A 36 h/c gets 36 strokes over 18 holes - ie 2 shots per hole. For a 9 hole round, handicap is reduced to 18 shots over 9 holes - ie 2 shots per hole. Rulefan has given the actual calculation, which may adjust the handicap slightly. But if it does, in most cases, it is unlikely to be by anything significant.

Sorry but that is misleading and if the OP's club has simply halved 18 hole handicaps it is in error. The formula given is obviously not just a matter of dividing an 18 hole course handicap by 2 and additionally includes factors which will vary from course to course. There can be differences between the front and back nines of the same 18 hole course as there are specific course and slope ratings for the outward and inward halves. These are the men's figures for one of the courses at my club:

18 hole.
Par 69
Course rating 68.3
Slope rating 124

Front 9.
Par 35
Course rating 34.1
Slope rating 126

Back 9
Par 34
Course rating 34.2
Slope rating 122

For me on a handicap index of 19.2, this results in a course handicap of 21 for eighteen holes, 10 for the front nine and 11 for the back nine.
Your player on a HCI of 36 would get 40 strokes for eighteen holes, 19 for the front nine and 20 for the back nine.

 

[rulefan]

You're worrying unnecessarily. A 36 h/c gets 36 strokes over 18 holes - ie 2 shots per hole. For a 9 hole round, handicap is reduced to 18 shots over 9 holes - ie 2 shots per hole. Rulefan has given the actual calculation, which may adjust the handicap slightly. But if it does, in most cases, it is unlikely to be by anything significant.

The whole point of the 9 hole Course Rating and Slope is to avoid anything significant (or even insignificant for that matter).

 

[Mikey B]

I get that, Colin L. The issue I have is over the confusion over what strokes each player gets on each hole. As a 20 handicapper I am listed with a handicap of 10 for this competition. I assume that I will get two shots for the 3rd hole (which is the lowest stroke index on the front nine) and one shot for the other 8 holes. In a medal competition this wouldn't really be relevant but in a stableford it clearly is. I am just worried that this will cause confusion amongst the players in the comp. I am also worried that the organisers might have misread the rules and expect us to play off more or less halved handicaps using the normal stroke indexes for the 18 hole course.

 

[Colin L]

You need a specific stroke index (numbered 1 to 9, to state the obvious) for the 9 hole course and it's down to the club to determine what the distribution of strokes is. Again to state the obvious, players need to know what the index is before starting! Once established, the 9 hole stroke indexes can be written into your Terms of the Competition.

If a player is getting more than 9 strokes, he applies the same principle as for an 18 hole round: the first 2 strokes at SI 1, the next at SI 2 and so on

 

[rulefan]

I get that, Colin L. The issue I have is over the confusion over what strokes each player gets on each hole. As a 20 handicapper I am listed with a handicap of 10 for this competition. I assume that I will get two shots for the 3rd hole (which is the lowest stroke index on the front nine) and one shot for the other 8 holes. In a medal competition this wouldn't really be relevant but in a stableford it clearly is. I am just worried that this will cause confusion amongst the players in the comp. I am also worried that the organisers might have misread the rules and expect us to play off more or less halved handicaps using the normal stroke indexes for the 18 hole course.

Have you pointed them to the table at the end of Appendix E ?

 

[Mikey B]

Have you pointed them to the table at the end of Appendix E ?

I will if they have misinterpreted the rules! It's printed off and all ready to go!

 

[backwoodsman]

Sorry but that is misleading and if the OP's club has simply halved 18 hole handicaps it is in error. The formula given is obviously not just a matter of dividing an 18 hole course handicap by 2 and additionally includes factors which will vary from course to course. There can be differences between the front and back nines of the same 18 hole course as there are specific course and slope ratings for the outward and inward halves. These are the men's figures for one of the courses at my club:

18 hole.
Par 69
Course rating 68.3
Slope rating 124

Front 9.
Par 35
Course rating 34.1
Slope rating 126

Back 9
Par 34
Course rating 34.2
Slope rating 122

For me on a handicap index of 19.2, this results in a course handicap of 21 for eighteen holes, 10 for the front nine and 11 for the back nine.
Your player on a HCI of 36 would get 40 strokes for eighteen holes, 19 for the front nine and 20 for the back nine.

So, in that instance, they get 40 for 18 holes. Half of which is 20. And according to the formal calculation that equates to 19 for a front nine and 20 for a back nine. So not really a significant difference for either nine is it? My point was that the "formal calculation" may (or may not) change things from the simple halving of handicap - but if it did, it wasnt likely to be by much.

 

[rulie]

So, in that instance, they get 40 for 18 holes. Half of which is 20. And according to the formal calculation that equates to 19 for a front nine and 20 for a back nine. So not really a significant difference for either nine is it? My point was that the "formal calculation" may (or may not) change things from the simple halving of handicap - but if it did, it wasnt likely to be by much.

Many times in golf, "close enough" is not "good enough".

 

[Colin L]

So, in that instance, they get 40 for 18 holes. Half of which is 20. And according to the formal calculation that equates to 19 for a front nine and 20 for a back nine. So not really a significant difference for either nine is it? My point was that the "formal calculation" may (or may not) change things from the simple halving of handicap - but if it did, it wasnt likely to be by much.

You might consider one stroke difference to be insignificant but it is a difference. Net stroke competitions can be won by one stroke or one point; matches can be won and lost because of one handicap stroke. As you can see from the example of my own club, there are differences in slope rating and the nine hole pars aren't necessarily half the 18 hole par. The formula takes these differences into account and gives you a tailor-made course handicap to fit the nine holes. Halving the eighteen hole handicap could result in an off-the-shelf handicap a size too small or too big and no matter if it's just one size out, it wouldn't fit properly..

It's so easy too. I can look up any Scottish club on the Scottish Golf app and find my eighteen and nine hole handicaps for all its rated courses. I imagine the England Golf one will be similar.

 

[Mikey B]

You might consider one stroke difference to be insignificant but it is a difference. Net stroke competitions can be won by one stroke or one point; matches can be won and lost because of one handicap stroke. As you can see from the example of my own club, there are differences in slope rating and the nine hole pars aren't necessarily half the 18 hole par. The formula takes these differences into account and gives you a tailor-made course handicap to fit the nine holes. Halving the eighteen hole handicap could result in an off-the-shelf handicap a size too small or too big and no matter if it's just one size out, it wouldn't fit properly..

It's so easy too. I can look up any Scottish club on the Scottish Golf app and find my eighteen and nine hole handicaps for all its rated courses. I imagine the England Golf one will be similar.

The handicaps for the competition have been calculated correctly. The query is about the application of the stroke indexes for each hole.

 

[Colin L]

The handicaps for the competition have been calculated correctly. The query is about the application of the stroke indexes for each hole.

My comments in #16 were in response to backwoodsman. I hope we've answered your question about the stroke index?

 

[Mikey B]

My comments in #16 were in response to backwoodsman. I hope we've answered your question about the stroke index?

Yes, all good. Many thanks.

 

[backwoodsman]

You might consider one stroke difference to be insignificant but it is a difference. Net stroke competitions can be won by one stroke or one point; matches can be won and lost because of one handicap stroke. As you can see from the example of my own club, there are differences in slope rating and the nine hole pars aren't necessarily half the 18 hole par. The formula takes these differences into account and gives you a tailor-made course handicap to fit the nine holes. Halving the eighteen hole handicap could result in an off-the-shelf handicap a size too small or too big and no matter if it's just one size out, it wouldn't fit properly..

It's so easy too. I can look up any Scottish club on the Scottish Golf app and find my eighteen and nine hole handicaps for all its rated courses. I imagine the England Golf one will be similar.

Yes, one shot is a difference. I know that. But I never said there wouldn't be a difference (and indeed there may or may not be one). But 1 shot in 20 is not substantial - unlike the 9 shots the OP was worrying about. I think we are debating the contents of an empty bag