New course rating

[Swango1980]

The other component you need is the length 70.9 on a 6000 yard course means it’s tough, 70.9 on a 6500 course means it’s easy. Par is irrelevant unless your looking at scores, not absolute difficulty.

Par is often very relevant when you are talking about most golfers perception of difficulty, because it is the number they always compare their scores to.

Put them on a 480 yard par 4, they are going to perceive that as very difficult. Put them on the exact same hole and call it a par 5, they are going to perceive it as relatively easy. In reality, there is no reason why they shouldn't score exactly the same each time they play it regardless of par, and yet perception of difficulty.

At any rate, the yardage of the course is pretty much accounted for within the Course Rating itself. The sad person that I am, I analyzed the trend between yardages, course ratings and bogey ratings for all courses in Lincolnshire (slow work day), so I could come up with some general insight as to how the Ratings may change on our winter course set-up (also did some evaluations as to the additional impact of obstacles at my course, but that is a whole different matter). Anyway, for any given yardage, the Course Ratings were quite tightly grouped together. Between the lowest and highest was never really more than 2 shots (for men), and often much closer. Slightly more spread for lady course ratings. Bogey Ratings were more widely dispersed, as would be expected. I'd have thought this trend would be similar for other counties.

 

[rulie]

I thought someone on this board had published a simple formula for determining course rating that involved length plus obstacle rating? Maybe the poster will recall?

 

[Swango1980]

I thought someone on this board had published a simple formula for determining course rating that involved length plus obstacle rating? Maybe the poster will recall?

I'd worked out formulas (for men and women) that would give you the approximate Course Rating and Bogey Rating based on Course Length, which was based on the trend line of all courses within my county. Obviously the actual Ratings will differ based on the obstacles at each individual course, although not by much give that Ratings are primarily based on length.

I suppose once you use it, if the actual CR is higher, then the obstacles on the course make it harder than the average course (in the county), and if lower the obstacles make it easier than average.

 

[rulie]

I thought someone on this board had published a simple formula for determining course rating that involved length plus obstacle rating? Maybe the poster will recall?

It might have been Rulefan?

 

[wjemather]

I thought someone on this board had published a simple formula for determining course rating that involved length plus obstacle rating? Maybe the poster will recall?

I may have posted something a while back, but it was just a very crude breakdown: baseline + yardage + obstacles (obstacles can be negative)

This article gives a reasonable overview.

 

[rulie]

I may have posted something a while back, but it was just a very crude breakdown: baseline + yardage + obstacles (obstacles can be negative)

This article gives a reasonable overview.

I thought it was something like this:
course rating = Constant x yardage factor + obstacles
IIRC, "constant" was 19 point something.

 

[rulefan]

I guess it was about then. No, the length hasn't changed at all, we always felt that the original rating was not correct as our course is harder than most in our area but was rated lower than they all were. There was said that the original rating was done by someone who had some sort of grudge against our club but i don't think that was ever persued

I don't think a course would ever be rated by a single person. It is strictly against the rating rules.

 

[rosecott]

Our ratings have gone up eg whites from 124 to 130 it'll be interesting to see what effect it has when the white tees are open again - any thoughts?

Not much effect I reckon, everyone from about 5 to 20 HI will get 1 extra shot so all of them score 1 more stableford point leaving them all the same relatively.

 

[D-S]

I don't think a course would ever be rated by a single person. It is strictly against the rating rules.

Really quite difficult to do it on your own, just measuring carries, driving and second shot distances, fairway widths etc. would be a real pain without someone there to bounce a laser off. I suppose you could do it with a wheel but it would make it a long job.

 

[rulefan]

It might have been Rulefan?

It could have been but as I'm not permitted to republish it anywhere I don't think I have posted the full detail. However it is essentially the same as that linked by wjemather but is normally only used to provide an estimate for an as yet unrated course. Without knowing the course and therefore not being able to estimate the actual Scratch Obstacle Rating, my calculated range embraced the value in the article.

 

[rulefan]

Our ratings have gone up eg whites from 124 to 130 it'll be interesting to see what effect it has when the white tees are open again - any thoughts?

Yes. I reckon you are talking about Slope not Course Rating. Two very different things.

 

[rulie]

It could have been but as I'm not permitted to republish it anywhere I don't think I have posted the full detail. However it is essentially the same as that linked by wjemather but is normally only used to provide an estimate for an as yet unrated course. Without knowing the course and therefore not being able to estimate the actual Scratch Obstacle Rating, my calculation range embraced the value in the article.

Can you give an educated estimate of the weighting of yardage versus obstacles? Eg, yardage is normally x% and obstacles y% of the course rating (not slope rating, but course rating).

 

[rulefan]

Can you give an educated estimate of the weighting of yardage versus obstacles? Eg, yardage is normally x% and obstacles y% of the course rating (not slope rating, but course rating).

It's almost impossibel to make any stab at it. A 5500 yard tricky course with thick foliage, deep bunkers and and lots of water to avoid may be say 80/20 but a 6500 yard with little in the way of problems may be say 95/5 at the extreme.
Take some courses you know and use the article's formula of ((Length/220) + 40.9) and subtract it from the CR. That will give you an idea of the SOR value.

Don't be tempted to compare the figures with your perception of the relative difficulties. Remember the CR is based on a 'model scratch player' not you.

 

[chrisd]

Yes. I reckon you are talking about Slope not Course Rating. Two very different things.

Yes, Slope

 

[rulefan]

Yes, Slope

Did the CR change at the same time?

 

[rulie]

It's almost impossibel to make any stab at it. A 5500 yard tricky course with thick foliage, deep bunkers and and lots of water to avoid may be say 80/20 but a 6500 yard with little in the way of problems may be say 95/5 at the extreme.
Take some courses you know and use the article's formula of ((Length/220) + 40.9) and subtract it from the CR. That will give you an idea of the SOR value.

Don't be tempted to compare the figures with your perception of the relative difficulties. Remember the CR is based on a 'model scratch player' not you.

What is "SOR"?

 

[rulefan]

What is "SOR"?

Scratch Obstacle Rating

It's in the article linked by mjemather but the link wasn't very obvious " This article gives a reasonable overview. ....."

Golf Handicap

Explanations of the Golf Handicap Calculation, Course Handicaps, Score Probabilities, Slope and Rating, & more.

www.myscorecard.com

 

[rulie]

Scratch Obstacle Rating

It's in the article linked by mjemather but the link wasn't very obvious " This article gives a reasonable overview. ....."

Golf Handicap

Explanations of the Golf Handicap Calculation, Course Handicaps, Score Probabilities, Slope and Rating, & more.

www.myscorecard.com

Thanks.

 

[chrisd]

Did the CR change at the same time?

No, the course rating stayed at 70.9

 

[rulefan]

No, the course rating stayed at 70.9

Then the Bogey Rating must have changed or was wrong before.