Playing handicap

[backwoodsman]

Am sure this has been covered before, but I can't easily find it.

In an individual Stableford comp, you play off a 95% allowance. So, you use your Handicap Index to look up your Course Handicap. You then multiply Course Handicap by 0.95 to get your Playing Handicap. Correct? Or not?

Reason for asking, is that I've just seen a chart on a course's website in which you adjust your Handicap Index by 95%, and then use the adjusted index to look up how many strokes you get. (It's a Spanish course - do they do things differently there?).

Ta

 

[Voyager EMH]

In an individual Stableford comp, you play off a 95% allowance. So, you use your Handicap Index to look up your Course Handicap. You then multiply Course Handicap by 0.95 to get your Playing Handicap.

This is correct in Scotland: Course Handicap = (Handicap Index) x (Course Rating/113).
Then multiply by 0.95 to get the Playing Handicap for individual strokeplay.

In England you round the Course Handicap to a whole number, then multiply by 0.95 to get the Playing Handicap for individual strokeplay.

 

[Colin L]

If the calculation is being done according to the WHS rules with the course handicap unrounded, it doesn't matter in what sequence it is done.
PH= HI x slope ÷ 113 x .95 is the same as PH= HI x .95 x slope ÷ 113

If you are in England, Ireland or Wales it is not done according to the WHS rules, the course handicap being, as said, rounded before the subsequent calculation. Consequently the sequence could make a difference.

 

[rulefan]

Am sure this has been covered before, but I can't easily find it.

In an individual Stableford comp, you play off a 95% allowance. So, you use your Handicap Index to look up your Course Handicap. You then multiply Course Handicap by 0.95 to get your Playing Handicap. Correct? Or not?

Reason for asking, is that I've just seen a chart on a course's website in which you adjust your Handicap Index by 95%, and then use the adjusted index to look up how many strokes you get. (It's a Spanish course - do they do things differently there?).

Ta

Is the figure resulting from the red calculation a decimal value?

 

[rulefan]

If the calculation is being done according to the WHS rules with the course handicap unrounded, it doesn't matter in what sequence it is done.
PH= HI x slope ÷ 113 x .95 is the same as PH= HI x .95 x slope ÷ 113

If you are in England, Ireland or Wales it is not done according to the WHS rules, the course handicap being, as said, rounded before the subsequent calculation. Consequently the sequence could make a difference.

Colin
Do you have conversion charts in Scotland or do players have to do the calculations manually (see below)?

From Scottish Golf.

For example, for a golfer with a Handicap Index of 12.0, playing a course with a Slope Rating of 127, the calculation would be:
12.0 x (127/113) = 13.4867256637
This means the player’s Course Handicap will be 13.

For example, using the above example where the golfer has a Course Handicap of 13.5 and playing a competition with a 95% handicap allowance, the calculation for Playing Handicap would be:
13.4867256637 x 0.95 = 12.8123893805
This means the Playing Handicap is 13.

PS. Why is the 13 in the first part suddenly 13.5 in the second part?

 

[backwoodsman]

Is the figure resulting from the red calculation a decimal value?

No "red calculation" but the three columns (100%, 95% and 85% ) all have a range with decimal values (eg 18.4 - 19.1). You then read across to see the 'shots given' column - which is a whole number
(Have tried to attach screenshot but it won't let me)
Edit: sorry misunderstood. But yes, the number from the calculation highlighted red - ie 95% - has a decimal value

 

[sweaty sock]

In an individual Stableford comp, you play off a 95% allowance. So, you use your Handicap Index to look up your Course Handicap. You then multiply Course Handicap by 0.95 to get your Playing Handicap.

This is correct in Scotland: Course Handicap = (Handicap Index) x (Course Rating/113).
Then multiply by 0.95 to get the Playing Handicap for individual strokeplay.

In England you round the Course Handicap to a whole number, then multiply by 0.95 to get the Playing Handicap for individual strokeplay.

I thought course handicaps in england were always an whole number anyway? So its just look up course handicap on chart then multiply by .95...?

 

[jim8flog]

No "red calculation" but the three columns (100%, 95% and 85% ) all have a range with decimal values (eg 18.4 - 19.1). You then read across to see the 'shots given' column - which is a whole number
(Have tried to attach screenshot but it won't let me)
Edit: sorry misunderstood. But yes, the number from the calculation highlighted red - ie 95% - has a decimal value

When in Rome ........... (or Barcelona)

 

[Swango1980]

I thought course handicaps in england were always an whole number anyway? So its just look up course handicap on chart then multiply by .95...?

Yes, is that not what Voyager said in their last sentence?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I thought course handicaps in england were always an whole number anyway? So its just look up course handicap on chart then multiply by .95...?

...or subtract half of a tenth.

I find talking about 95% in this way less likely to cause eyes to glaze over and mouths to complain about complexity...we can all divide by ten and divide by two.

Course handicap 23? Half of 2.3 is one and a wee bit, so ignore the wee bit and just take off one to give PH of 22. Simple.

It isn't rocket science...and I know as I used to be a rocket scientist.

 

[Swango1980]

...or subtract half of a tenth.

I find talking about 95% in this way less likely to cause eyes to glaze over and mouths to complain about complexity...we can all divide by ten and divide by two.

Course handicap 23? Half of 2.3 is one and a wee bit, so ignore the wee bit and just take off one to give PH of 22. Simple.

It isn't rocket science...and I know as I used to be a rocket scientist.

I know a guy at my golf club who cannot divide by 10. During a golf lesson, the pro got us doing a drill in which we play 10 short game shots from various positions, add up the total yardage from the hole after playing the shots and then getting an average (as a nice method in improving your short game by trying to get those numbers down). He couldn't get his head around how to get an average, nor understood shifting the decimal point one to the left.

So, to get him to do that, then dividing 2.3 (or whatever other number comes out of it) in two and subtracting from the starting number is pretty much an impossible task.

He very much relies on the computer giving him the right answer.

 

[rulefan]

...or subtract half of a tenth.

I find talking about 95% in this way less likely to cause eyes to glaze over and mouths to complain about complexity...we can all divide by ten and divide by two.

Course handicap 23? Half of 2.3 is one and a wee bit, so ignore the wee bit and just take off one to give PH of 22. Simple.

It isn't rocket science...and I know as I used to be a rocket scientist.

What about a big bit? Incidentally what is the Scottish antonym for 'wee'?

 

[wjemather]

Reason for asking, is that I've just seen a chart on a course's website in which you adjust your Handicap Index by 95%, and then use the adjusted index to look up how many strokes you get. (It's a Spanish course - do they do things differently there?).

No "red calculation" but the three columns (100%, 95% and 85% ) all have a range with decimal values (eg 18.4 - 19.1). You then read across to see the 'shots given' column - which is a whole number
(Have tried to attach screenshot but it won't let me)
Edit: sorry misunderstood. But yes, the number from the calculation highlighted red - ie 95% - has a decimal value

Do you have a link to the website?

 

[IanM]

What about a big bit? Incidentally what is the Scottish antonym for 'wee'?

It's "Big" ...sadly!

 

[Voyager EMH]

I thought course handicaps in england were always an whole number anyway? So its just look up course handicap on chart then multiply by .95...?

When I am going to be playing an away course, I can search around for the correct chart or I can do it myself simply enough by looking up slope rating on RandA Slopefinder.

 

[Banchory Buddha]

Colin
Do you have conversion charts in Scotland or do players have to do the calculations manually (see below)?

All clubs have the conversion charts, unfortunately SG didn't think to point out that we would be using exact course handicaps to work out PH, so we've all got the same style as in England which means they are only ever any use for matchplay, instrokeplay you need to check your phone

Colin
Do you have conversion charts in Scotland or do players have to do the calculations manually (see below)?

From Scottish Golf.

For example, for a golfer with a Handicap Index of 12.0, playing a course with a Slope Rating of 127, the calculation would be:
12.0 x (127/113) = 13.4867256637
This means the player’s Course Handicap will be 13.

For example, using the above example where the golfer has a Course Handicap of 13.5 and playing a competition with a 95% handicap allowance, the calculation for Playing Handicap would be:
13.4867256637 x 0.95 = 12.8123893805
This means the Playing Handicap is 13.

PS. Why is the 13 in the first part suddenly 13.5 in the second part?

CH is the exact, then 95% of that means a rounded 13

 

[Foxholer]

I know a guy at my golf club who cannot divide by 10. During a golf lesson, the pro got us doing a drill in which we play 10 short game shots from various positions, add up the total yardage from the hole after playing the shots and then getting an average (as a nice method in improving your short game by trying to get those numbers down). He couldn't get his head around how to get an average, nor understood shifting the decimal point one to the left.

So, to get him to do that, then dividing 2.3 (or whatever other number comes out of it) in two and subtracting from the starting number is pretty much an impossible task.

He very much relies on the computer giving him the right answer.

I knew a guy like that. His name was Dick Slessik!
FWIW. Simply reducing the total yardage works just as well.

 

[wjemather]

All clubs have the conversion charts, unfortunately SG didn't think to point out that we would be using exact course handicaps to work out PH, so we've all got the same style as in England which means they are only ever any use for matchplay, instrokeplay you need to check your phone.

This is not true. Communications and guidance were issued well in advance of any clubs procuring boards. If clubs overlooked this and/or got sold on the crazy idea of paying for "pretty" handicap boards (that for many would be obsoleted by re-rating within a few years anyway) rather than just using paper, then that's on them, not the authorities.

 

[Colin L]

What about a big bit? Incidentally what is the Scottish antonym for 'wee'?

Try muckle. Or to confuse everyone, try a muckle bittie, where muckle means big and the 'ie' ending is a diminutive.

 

[Colin L]

All clubs have the conversion charts, unfortunately SG didn't think to point out that we would be using exact course handicaps to work out PH ......

That's not true.

The WHS Rules were clear from the outset. See the Note to Rule 6.1b (my emphasis):
Note: The calculated 18-hole and 9-hole Course Handicap is rounded to the nearest whole number, with .5 rounded upwards, for the purpose of:
Applying adjustments for maximum hole score(see Rule3.1) and when a hole is not played (see Rule 3.2).
Where applicable, calculating a Score Differential.
Otherwise, the full calculated value is retained and rounding occurs only after the Playing Handicap calculation.

Also, see the note on Rule 6.2a in the CONGU Guidance document:
For other National Associations, the Course Handicap used in the Playing Handicap calculation will be the full calculated CH value, as it is expected that the player will always have ready access to an App or other software to generate the Course Handicap rather than be expected to perform the Playing Handicap calculation themselves.
Committees and players should follow the advice of their National Association in the use of the integer or full calculated Course Handicap in the calculation of the Playing Handicap. For GB&I, England, Wales and Ireland will be using the Rounded Course Handicap, whilst Scotland will be using the full calculated Course Handicap.



Clubs should take responsibility for reading the rules and guidance, don't you think?