SSS, CSS, CR, slope, PCC... what the hell does it all mean?

BiMGuy

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I can honestly say it makes no difference to your life if you never know what any of those things mean. The only one I vaguely get is PCC, which I think means if everyone plays crap you all get an extra shot taken off on your handicap record. :LOL:

I'm just lucky we live in the time where apps work it out for you. I get my course/playing handicaps from the My England Golf app, or IG at my home course. CSS, SSS, CR, I couldn't give a solitary toss.
☝️is the correct answer.

The only people who seem to really care are those that don’t like change, and people who want to manipulate their handicaps.

Just go hit the ball and count your shots. Simple!!!
 

sjw

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I can honestly say it makes no difference to your life if you never know what any of those things mean. The only one I vaguely get is PCC, which I think means if everyone plays crap you all get an extra shot taken off on your handicap record. :LOL:

I'm just lucky we live in the time where apps work it out for you. I get my course/playing handicaps from the My England Golf app, or IG at my home course. CSS, SSS, CR, I couldn't give a solitary toss.

I can understand that viewpoint totally. But I'm a numbers guy, always have been, and it just bugs me not knowing!
 

Orikoru

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I can understand that viewpoint totally. But I'm a numbers guy, always have been, and it just bugs me not knowing!
I am similar usually, but I only need to retain knowledge that's actually useful. Knowing what SSS and CSS are isn't actually useful for anything.
 

SocketRocket

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☝️is the correct answer.

The only people who seem to really care are those that don’t like change, and people who want to manipulate their handicaps.

Just go hit the ball and count your shots. Simple!!!
Or people that have active and inquisitive brains that like to understand things. Understanding isn't manipulating.
 

Backache

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☝️is the correct answer.

The only people who seem to really care are those that don’t like change, and people who want to manipulate their handicaps.

Just go hit the ball and count your shots. Simple!!!
Must admit the complexities of the new handicapping system does make it a little more difficult to know which shots to count.
 

SocketRocket

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This is what the US and Oz called the "bonus for excellence".

Playing Handicap - For equity purposes, the Playing Handicap calculation
determines the number of strokes each player gives or receives, to ensure
that all players can enjoy a fair and equal game when playing with or
competing against one another.
Isn't that exactly what a handicap system does anyway, I don't follow this 95% or maximum handicap rule.
 

rulefan

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Isn't that exactly what a handicap system does anyway, I don't follow this 95%
Pre WHS I think the US and Oz of the major handicapping systems had such a concept. Certainly CONGU didn't and I think not the European EGA.
It was/is a device supposedly to reward low cappers for their relative excellence. 5% of a little is a little. 5% of a large figure is larger. One is 'rewarded' for being better.
 

Swango1980

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Isn't that exactly what a handicap system does anyway, I don't follow this 95% or maximum handicap rule.
The 95% is to account for the fact that handicaps are the average of your best 8. The range of those best 8 scores will be higher for high handicappers, meaning their best score will be better against their average, than a lower handicapper.

So, if the 95% wasn't applied, in a large field lower handicappers would have no theoretical chance to win, as the odds go up that a higher handicapper in the field will shoot towards their best score.

The 95% tries to resolve that.
 

rulefan

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The 95% is to account for the fact that handicaps are the average of your best 8. The range of those best 8 scores will be higher for high handicappers, meaning their best score will be better against their average, than a lower handicapper.

So, if the 95% wasn't applied, in a large field lower handicappers would have no theoretical chance to win, as the odds go up that a higher handicapper in the field will shoot towards their best score.

The 95% tries to resolve that.
Thanks for that explanation. It makes sense that both the US & Oz systems prior to WHS were "averaging" systems. The 'bonus for excellence' heading was always short on reasoning.

Here is a very good detailed explanation also mentioning how CONGU did it.
https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/news/world-handicap-system-95-percent/
 

Alan Clifford

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And after all these calculations your handicap gets reduced to 95% in competitions. Why?
If the slope rating is more than 113, then high handicap players get a bigger boost in course handicap than low handicappers. Applying 95% does the opposite. Why? I'm sure you will find "official" justifications for both that contradict each other. Just live with it; this is how it is.
 

Swango1980

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If the slope rating is more than 113, then high handicap players get a bigger boost in course handicap than low handicappers. Applying 95% does the opposite. Why? I'm sure you will find "official" justifications for both that contradict each other. Just live with it; this is how it is.
Did you miss posts 29 and 30?
 
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