9 hole par 3 Handicaps

[mark22]

Hi, we are a group of British expats in Bahrain who have been playing a Par 3 9 hole course over the last few weekends which has now go a little out of hand. We are now a 30 strong group of all levels from scratch to the moon in terms of ability but all have got the bug.

We have now set up a Society and I have been tasked with the handicaps and would like to know if I am calculating them correctly. Basicly if a player scores 1 over on each hole he's a 9 handicapper, with a maximum of 18 for 2 over (or above) each hole.

I then work out the handicap they play their next 9 holes and work out the average, etc.

I know it's only Par 3 9 holes but these guys are taking it very serious and I'd like to think I'm keeping it real.

Also, if anybody can forward me a simple to use format that would be appreciated

Cheers

markprice22@gmail.com

 

[ScienceBoy]

OK here is an example that should help. I have been playing golf since March 2010, I was a serious club golfer for 18 months and I play off 12.

I took a break from August 2011 to March 2012 and returned as a nomadic golfer who has played about 9 rounds of proper 18 hole course golf over this summer. I also frequent a 9 hole pay and play in Cambridge called Cambridge Lakes.

Going by my old handicap of 12 I would be massively under par nett. From about 12 sets of 9 I have shot these scores:
+1 gross- once
+2 gross- 3 times
+3 gross- 4 times
+4 gross and above- the rest

My worst is about 8 over for 9, most of the others are 5, 6 or 7 over gross. I should receive 6 shots but if you added up all my rounds there since March I would be well under my handicap! That is for someone who is not playing frequent golf and therefore is probably "rusty". I instead use the 0.6 handicap reduction method which gives me 60% of what I should have which is 3.6 rounded up to 4.

If the course is on the shorter side, like the one I play at only 1000ish yards I would advise 3/4 handicaps or 0.6 (use this table and divide by 2 http://www.golfmanager.co.uk/Handicapallowance.htm)

If it is on the longer side, ie around 1300 yards like Ampfield par 3 in Hampshire, I would suggest 7/8 handicap.

To work out just take the expected handicap, doing the normal thing of rounding down things worse than a double bogey and then dividing the handicap as necessary.

This should keep things fair and competitive ensuring anyone can win on any given day.

 

[rosecott]

If he's scoring one over on every hole, he's an 18 handicap but will obviously get only 9 shots when he plays only 9 holes. If he's scoring two over on every hole, he's a 36 handicap and will have to change sex as 28 is the maximum for red-blooded males.

Welcome to the forum and keep us posted on how serious things get.