Course Rating

[rulefan]

Interesting chat at the pga with one of the course raters who came back when our rating was lowered.

He said he couldn't believe he had to lower the rating as the course is a nightmare but they can only go by the criteria set out to them which was bunkers and water hazards

heguy from the pga seems to be a bit adrift. There are no water hazards now.

 

[KenL]

heguy from the pga seems to be a bit adrift. There are no water hazards now.

There are, just had a name change.

 

[Voyager EMH]

heguy from the pga seems to be a bit adrift. There are no water hazards now.

Are they "water features" ?

I'll get my

 

[rulefan]

Define landing zone for amateurs please.

The landing zone is a fairway-wide area extending from where a shot hits the ground to where it comes to rest (ie it is generally a rectangle with dimensions equal to the width of the fairway by the length of the evaluated roll).

It is related to the distance a scratch or bogey player hits the ball.

 

[D-S]

Define landing zone for amateurs please.

The distances at which the model bogey golfer and the model scratch golfer lands their ball and runs out to.
This of course depends on the terrain (uphill holes will land shorter, downhill sloping will deliver greater run outs) but for drives, on flat non sloping holes for example, the model bogey golfer lands it at 180 and runs out to 200 yards, the model scratch golfer lands it at 230 yards and runs out to 250 yards. These are the points from which the distances to all the various areas I mentioned before are measured.

 

[VVega]

scratch golfer lands it at 230 yards

Looks like scratch golfer needs some speed training if they only carry 230 with a driver

Sorry couldn’t resist /ignore

 

[cliveb]

The landing zone is a fairway-wide area extending from where a shot hits the ground to where it comes to rest (ie it is generally a rectangle with dimensions equal to the width of the fairway by the length of the evaluated roll).

It is related to the distance a scratch or bogey player hits the ball.

The landing zone for many amateurs (especially the mythical 20hcp "bogey golfer") encompasses much more than the fairway. In fact, the fairway is rarely where their ball lands

 

[D-S]

The landing zone for many amateurs (especially the mythical 20hcp "bogey golfer") encompasses much more than the fairway. In fact, the fairway is rarely where their ball lands

Hence the measurements to all the trouble. If they hit the fairway every time, we wouldn’t need to take detailed yardages to where they wouldn’t be.

 

[Backache]

I suspect our clubs rating or slope is to high.
We're always getting beaten in inter club handicap comps. Though the scratch team usually does well.

 

[AussieKB]

I suspect our clubs rating or slope is to high.
We're always getting beaten in inter club handicap comps. Though the scratch team usually does well.

Maybe there is no handicap involved in scratch....

 

[Deleted member 21784]

Maybe there is no handicap involved in scratch....

To get in the team players need to be selected normally , and if their handicaps are low because of high slope less good players might qualify?

 

[D-S]

To get in the team players need to be selected normally , and if their handicaps are low because of high slope less good players might qualify?

If the players have a low handicap index, the slope of the course will have a zero to negligible effect on their CH.

 

[cliveb]

If the players have a low handicap index, the slope of the course will have a zero to negligible effect on their CH.

But the CR will have an impact on their index. If the CR is too high, their index will be too low.

 

[Backache]

Maybe there is no handicap involved in scratch....

Yup, that was my point, we're probably collectively under handicapped, which doesn't affect the scratch results.

 

[D-S]

But the CR will have an impact on their index. If the CR is too high, their index will be too low.

Yes, of course - I was responding to the comment “if their handicaps are low because of high slope less good players might qualify?”.

 

[mikejohnchapman]

This has been bought more into focus with the implementation or CR-Par in the Course Handicap Calculation.

When I have visited courses recently it has been obvious their par is wrong and hence this factor causes some issues. A rule of thumb is to try to match par with CR for the main tees sets (although we don't at my club).

 

[Swango1980]

This has been bought more into focus with the implementation or CR-Par in the Course Handicap Calculation.

When I have visited courses recently it has been obvious their par is wrong and hence this factor causes some issues. A rule of thumb is to try to match par with CR for the main tees sets (although we don't at my club).

I don't see how that makes sense.

Taking an easy example. Course A could have 18 holes about 280-300 yards long. Course B 18 holes all 420-440 yards long.

I'd expect them to both be Par 72, but the Course Ratings significantly different.

I'd only question Par on a hole if something weird was going on. Like a 140 yard hole being a Par 4 or 5, a 550 yard hole a Par 3 or 4, that sort of thing

Otherwise, as a general rule of thumb, I'd expect to get a fair few more shots at very long courses against very short ones, especially if Par is around the same

 

[Deleted member 21784]

This has been bought more into focus with the implementation or CR-Par in the Course Handicap Calculation.

When I have visited courses recently it has been obvious their par is wrong and hence this factor causes some issues. A rule of thumb is to try to match par with CR for the main tees sets (although we don't at my club).

How can par be wrong?

 

[rulefan]

How can par be wrong?

By the club assigning a par value of 4 to a hole of 100 yards. ie Not as per Appendix F.

 

[D-S]

By the club assigning a par value of 4 to a hole of 100 yards. ie Not as per Appendix F.

In the 2024 changes and in particular standardisation of par, any club could well have legitimately a par 4 of 100 yards.