Initial handicap buffer?

[peld]

I just received my first handicap from my new club. The course I used has a par of 68 and SSS of 65 (off both tees). I submitted adjusted scores of 82, 84 & 85.

I thought I’d be given 17 (82-65), but have been given 15.0. Do they normally put a buffer on first handicaps or am I missing something?

 

[robinthehood]

I think that sounds right, I believe there is a formula applied to come to the handicap.

 

[jim8flog]

The only score that is used is the best one, the 82.

When you say adjusted scores what do you mean?

The only adjustment under the current formula is that any score worse than twice the par is amended to twice the par.

Have you held a handicap at another club? This would be taken in to consideration.

 

[peld]

The only score that is used is the best one, the 82.

When you say adjusted scores what do you mean?

The only adjustment under the current formula is that any score worse than twice the par is amended to twice the par.

Have you held a handicap at another club? This would be taken in to consideration.

I agree, I thought they would take the 82, take off SSS, which would leave me 17.

I was wondering as I was a new member with no competition track record, whether they hadn’t added a buffer, so I couldn’t immediately go out and play a comp this weekend and shoot 70-odd and win.

I was off 16 over 7 years ago, but hadn’t played or been a member anywhere until this year.

 

[louise_a]

it is the different between your best adjusted score and SSS but then that figure is subyect to an algorithm that takes approximately 10% off and then the decimals places are removed so 17 would come out at about 15.3, remove the decimals and 15 is correct

 

[jim8flog]

I agree, I thought they would take the 82, take off SSS, which would leave me 17.

I was wondering as I was a new member with no competition track record, whether they hadn’t added a buffer, so I couldn’t immediately go out and play a comp this weekend and shoot 70-odd and win.

I was off 16 over 7 years ago, but hadn’t played or been a member anywhere until this year.

AS per Louise's comments.

 

[BubbaP]

Congratulations on lowering your handicap 😁😉👍

 

[peld]

So should have googled better. Calc is below where LAGD is lowest adjusted gross differential (i.e. best score - SSS)

initial handicap as in Clause 16.3 (b) 3 & 4: Initial Handicap = (LAGD + (LAGD*0.13))/1.237 truncated to a whole number.

So it was (17 + (17*0.13)) / 1.237 = 15.53, rounded to 15.0.