9 Hole Differentials in WHS

[wjemather]

Good point, I don't know, and given the later posts discussing calculation of daily playing handicaps vs. treatment of scores I'm none the wiser/haven't bothered checking. I've just seen it on friends GA handicap records who play in Oz, but it may have been as I scrolled way back in their scoring history.

It changed with the 2024 update to WHS, and now 'Expected Scores' is used to generate an 18-hole score differential for each 9-hole score.
https://www.golf.org.au/2024-handicapping-changes/

 

[OldMate]

It changed with the 2024 update to WHS, and now 'Expected Scores' is used to generate an 18-hole score differential for each 9-hole score.
https://www.golf.org.au/2024-handicapping-changes/

Okay thanks, good to know. Just my opinion, but the way they used to do it sounds better to me…

 

[OldMate]

It changed with the 2024 update to WHS, and now 'Expected Scores' is used to generate an 18-hole score differential for each 9-hole score.
https://www.golf.org.au/2024-handicapping-changes/

Actually, on reflection having read through that it does read to me as though it is done the way I had originally mentioned - ie that guidance page does seem to say a 9 hole score is held (until it is older than the 20 most recent 18 hole scores) and is paired with the next 9 hole score. Interestingly, it goes on to say that the paired 9 hole scores don’t need to be at the same course either.

 

[jim8flog]

Actually, on reflection having read through that it does read to me as though it is done the way I had originally mentioned - ie that guidance page does seem to say a 9 hole score is held (until it is older than the 20 most recent 18 hole scores) and is paired with the next 9 hole score. Interestingly, it goes on to say that the paired 9 hole scores don’t need to be at the same course either.

Are you looking at the 2024 Guidance to the Rules of Handicapping (version 2.4) or an earlier version?

2024 Guidance Rule 5.5 Page 18

in GB&I, once a player has been awarded a Handicap Index, the combining of two 9-hole scores into a single 18-hole score is not applicable; each 9-hole score is scaled up to an 18-hole equivalent gross differential and included as an independent score in the player’s scoring record.

 

[rulie]

Are you looking at the 2024 Guidance to the Rules of Handicapping (version 2.4) or an earlier version?

2024 Guidance Rule 5.5 Page 18

in GB&I, once a player has been awarded a Handicap Index, the combining of two 9-hole scores into a single 18-hole score is not applicable; each 9-hole score is scaled up to an 18-hole equivalent gross differential and included as an independent score in the player’s scoring record.

Note that is Australia that they are discussing.

 

[wjemather]

Actually, on reflection having read through that it does read to me as though it is done the way I had originally mentioned - ie that guidance page does seem to say a 9 hole score is held (until it is older than the 20 most recent 18 hole scores) and is paired with the next 9 hole score. Interestingly, it goes on to say that the paired 9 hole scores don’t need to be at the same course either.

That's how it was done before the update.

 

[wjemather]

Okay thanks, good to know. Just my opinion, but the way they used to do it sounds better to me…

Pairing only really works well for players who frequently submit 9-hole scores. Two 9s played 2-3 months apart and spliced together are rarely going to produce a realistic reflection of what would happen over a single 18 holes. Expected scores has it's flaws but it's much better than pairing at producing a realistic 18-hole score differential for most players.

 

[rulie]

Pairing only really works well for players who frequently submit 9-hole scores. Two 9s played 2-3 months apart and spliced together are rarely going to produce a realistic reflection of what would happen over a single 18 holes. Expected scores has it's flaws but it's much better than pairing at producing a realistic 18-hole score differential for most players.

Appendix C in the document that you posted ( https://www.golf.org.au/2024-handicapping-changes/) seems to say that the 9 hole scores will be combined? Have I misread it?

 

[wjemather]

Appendix C in the document that you posted ( https://www.golf.org.au/2024-handicapping-changes/) seems to say that the 9 hole scores will be combined? Have I misread it?

I didn't actually read the current version before posting the link - seems a lot has changed since it was originally posted as the 2024 update (now says 2025 update), including their software.
Interesting that GA persist in doing their own thing and not actually implementing WHS.

 

[rulie]

I didn't actually read the current version before posting the link - seems a lot has changed since it was originally posted as the 2024 update (now says 2025 update), including their software.
Interesting that GA persist in doing their own thing and not actually implementing WHS.

One could perhaps say the same about other national associations!

 

[wjemather]

One could say the same about other national associations!

WHS does have options. However, I get the impression that some of what GA does is not entirely within that framework.

 

[OldMate]

Another key difference GA has (not sure whether this is an option vs implementation point) is that the leave it to the discretion of clubs as to whether to allow general play scores. My understanding is the large majority of clubs then do not allow GP scores to be entered - so a major difference with how handicapping is working in e.g. England where GP scores seem to be fairly widely used by players (for better or worse).

 

[LIG]

It is one of the slight failings to the change of the WHS when changing to scaling up rather than adding two 9s together. A slight change could be two 9s on the same day will be added together.

Agree strongly with this.

Thanks, that will be followed up, it is probably the case similar to LIG, post #25. The tee sheet shows the player registering for a 9 hole round and perhaps unsure how to deal with the “registered for 9, now playing 18” situation. The general play report shows that the B9 was registered on the EG App minutes after the F9 score was submitted.
My inclination is to consider this as one 18 hole round, remove the two 9 hole scores and re-input them as one 18 hole round.
Is this the right thing to do? I don’t think there is guidance in the Rules of Handicapping on this, it is likely to be a case of the Handicap Committee making a judgement on an individual case basis. But does the player have any right to insist they remain as 2 separate records? The system allows it, the Rules are silent.
My defence would be continuation of the round.
However, there may be a different outcome if the front 9 was played in the morning, and the back 9 played late afternoon.

Agree strongly with this too!
Maybe an added rule that the two nines must have been played consecutively on one 18 hole course and immediately after one another. After all, if someone plays one of the nines twice rather than F9 & B9 then CR & Par may be quite different as it is at mine.

The committee should look at all the circumstances (eg the player may not have understood how to handle it) and correct (or not) the situation appropriately.

We have no committee, but having spoken with EG, I requested the club change my HR to reflect how I actually played each day and now everything is hunky dory.

As a point of information, I was advised by EG to only register for a 9 hole round when actually planning to play just 9 holes.
In all other circumstances, it was best to register for 18 holes, and just enter "hole not attempted" from wherever I had to stop play. The system would then enter an "expected score" where appropriate. I would also have to gve a reason for not attempting the "missing" holes.

Seems clear enough and not something I would have ever discovered had it not been for my dodgy knee.

 

[wjemather]

We have no committee, but having spoken with EG, I requested the club change my HR to reflect how I actually played each day and now everything is hunky dory.

As a point of information, I was advised by EG to only register for a 9 hole round when actually planning to play just 9 holes.
In all other circumstances, it was best to register for 18 holes, and just enter "hole not attempted" from wherever I had to stop play. The system would then enter an "expected score" where appropriate. I would also have to gve a reason for not attempting the "missing" holes.

Seems clear enough and not something I would have ever discovered had it not been for my dodgy knee.

Having a handicap committee is a requirement of union affiliation and administering handicaps.

 

[LIG]

Having a handicap committee is a requirement of union affiliation and administering handicaps.

The owners have a pro who does the admin but no committee. As far as I'm aware any queries pro can't handle are referred to owners.

 

[rulefan]

The owners have a pro who does the admin but no committee. As far as I'm aware any queries pro can't handle are referred to owners.

Perhaps a note to EG would remedy the situation.

 

[wjemather]

The owners have a pro who does the admin but no committee. As far as I'm aware any queries pro can't handle are referred to owners.

This doesn't meet the requirements of either union affiliation or WHS handicap administration.
Your county union will be able to assist with setting up the necessary committee.