Handicap system help please!

[benjamin]

Hi folks,

I have received my first handicap of 17 and after hours of reading online im still confused as to how it now changes, so i have a few questions if anyone can help?

Only competition rounds count towards a change in handicap but what is supplementary cards and can you do them at your home course and how often?

My take on how my handicap gets adjusted is....

Im off 17 wich is cat3?
So i have to be 4 or more worse than my handicap to get 0.1 back? is 0.1 the most you can get back in one round?
Equally i have to be 4 or more better than my handicap to go down 0.3? and is that the most i can drop?

I believe that my scores will be calculated against css or sss wich i dont really understand fully either, who decides what css/sss is for that day?

Sorry for the million questions but im struggling to get my head round this lol, is there an idiots guide anywhere?

 

[Twire]

Hi folks,

I have received my first handicap of 17 and after hours of reading online im still confused as to how it now changes, so i have a few questions if anyone can help?

Only competition rounds count towards a change in handicap but what is supplementary cards and can you do them at your home course and how often?

My take on how my handicap gets adjusted is....

Im off 17 wich is cat3?
So i have to be 4 or more worse than my handicap to get 0.1 back? is 0.1 the most you can get back in one round?
Equally i have to be 4 or more better than my handicap to go down 0.3? and is that the most i can drop?

I believe that my scores will be calculated against css or sss wich i dont really understand fully either, who decides what css/sss is for that day?

Sorry for the million questions but im struggling to get my head round this lol, is there an idiots guide anywhere?

Firstly, well done for getting your first handicap. 17 is an excelent first handicap.

Handicaps will only change when playing qualifing rounds with the exception of suplimentary cards. These were designed for people who couldn't manage the reqired number of qualifiers, but I believe that has been relaxed now. For a suplimentory card you must notify the pro or h'cap secretary before you commence your round.

You are correct that 17 is catogory 3 which means your buffer zone is 3 shots. The SSS (Standard Scratch Score) is fixed for your course and is based on what a scratch player would score on your course, this is not nessarily par. The CSS (Competiotion Scratch Score) is an indication of how the course plays on a particular day and is adjusted up or down from the SSS. It can only go 1 below but 3 above SSS depending on scores entered on that qualifing comp.

Your handicap is adjusted against CSS for qualifing comps or SSS for suplimentory cards. For every shot under handicap (as you cat 3) you will come down by 0.3. You have a buffer zone of 3 shots above CSS where your handicap won't change but anything more than that and it will go up by 0.1 maximium.

Hope that helps.

 

[SonicBoom]

Great reply thanks.

Can you explain the decimal points? If I am .1 etc above 17 then I am classified as 17? What if I am 17.5 or above am I still 17 ? In other words how does it get rounded up or down?

 

[Twire]

Great reply thanks.

Can you explain the decimal points? If I am .1 etc above 17 then I am classified as 17? What if I am 17.5 or above am I still 17 ? In other words how does it get rounded up or down?

When it gets to .5 it then gets rounded up to the next whole figure. ie 17.5 actual = 18 playing

 

[benjamin]

Firstly, well done for getting your first handicap. 17 is an excelent first handicap.

Handicaps will only change when playing qualifing rounds with the exception of suplimentary cards. These were designed for people who couldn't manage the reqired number of qualifiers, but I believe that has been relaxed now. For a suplimentory card you must notify the pro or h'cap secretary before you commence your round.

You are correct that 17 is catogory 3 which means your buffer zone is 3 shots. The SSS (Standard Scratch Score) is fixed for your course and is based on what a scratch player would score on your course, this is not nessarily par. The CSS (Competiotion Scratch Score) is an indication of how the course plays on a particular day and is adjusted up or down from the SSS. It can only go 1 below but 3 above SSS depending on scores entered on that qualifing comp.

Your handicap is adjusted against CSS for qualifing comps or SSS for suplimentory cards. For every shot under handicap (as you cat 3) you will come down by 0.3. You have a buffer zone of 3 shots above CSS where your handicap won't change but anything more than that and it will go up by 0.1 maximium.

Hope that helps.

Thanks for an en excellent comprehensive explanation Twire! it makes perfect sense now mate. It seems then that its not easy to get shots back but very easy to lower your handicap with a great round.

Thanks for your kind words re my first handicap too, i am very happy with it although i fear that is a touch better than i am at present as i did hit a lot of pars but a lot of triples with the handicap sec. for my 3rd card so it rounded down to 18 but he sees me below 17 in no time with course knowledge wich was a nice confidence boost with me normally playing off 22 socially.

Exciting times ahead....i have my first comp next Sunday which is the monthly medal and winter league starting in 3 weeks, cant believe i didnt join a course sooner, really looking forward to it, especially after i start playing to my handicap and having a chance of winning the odd comp.