Working out my rough h'cap off the WHS...

[cliveb]

Sorry, who on earth calculates their handicap changes in their head after a round?

I reckon a lot of people do exactly that (I do it myself), precisely because it's easy to figure out under the current system.

I personally think the fact that it's next to impossible to calculate what effect the current round you're playing might have on your handicap is another advantage of the new system. People will stop worrying whether they are in buffer and just get on with playing the game.

 

[JonnyGutteridge]

Sorry, who on earth calculates their handicap changes in their head after a round? Don't we let the system do it for us?
One thing that England golf don't like is the automatic 0.1 addition after a duff round, as in the current set-up. They think this attaches negativity to our day out playing the game.

Everyone I play with regularly does this. We are all aware of our current handicap, the required score for buffer, and everyone can take a guess at the likely CSS as it's normally +1, unless extreme conditions or course setup, or a small field.

 

[jim8flog]

I have just been looking at other clubs where I play in matches etc

Some surprises there. One club in particular, Burnham and Berrow, where I thought I would get a higher handicap has the same slope rating as us . I have only ever played to my handicap once there.

 

[lex!]

I personally think the fact that it's next to impossible to calculate what effect the current round you're playing might have on your handicap is another advantage of the new system. People will stop worrying whether they are in buffer and just get on with playing the game.

Yes, the impression I got at the presentations was that this is what England Golf were hoping to achieve.

 

[Springveldt]

So I was just bored and thought I would try and work out what my handicap would be off the new handicap system. My understanding is limited but I know it's meant to be your best 8 rounds from the last 20. So I..

• wrote down my last 20 competition scores - and took off any shots that were more than net double on a hole.
• circled the 8 lowest scores.
• did an average of them, which gave me 87.625
• subtracted par (68) from that and got 19.625. CSS is usually the same as par.

So alarmingly, by that calculation I'd be going back up to 20! Obviously this is oversimplified and I'm sure there's more to it, but am I well wide of the mark here? For my best 8 rounds, 5 of them were in my last 7 rounds, but two of them were from back in December '18, which is actually quite a long time ago in my opinion, for judging current level.

Will handicaps be generally higher in the new system? Has anyone else worked out what theirs would be?

Not sure if it's been posted yet (haven't read all 9 pages) but this isn't accurate. You need to know the slope rating of your course and what the CSS was on each of the days to get your new handicap index. You also need to adjust your gross score for handicap purposes (no more than net double bogey on a hole)

There will be a transition formula applied when converting over, found these slides on the interwebs. If your course isn't rated a slope rating of 125 will be used.

https://www.mapperleygolfclub.org/whs-transition-handicaps
https://www.mapperleygolfclub.org/assets/galleries/525/p31_transition.JPG
https://www.mapperleygolfclub.org/assets/galleries/525/p32_transition.JPG

You need to figure out your handicap differential on the day, use the 8 lowest out of the last 20 rounds and get an average from them.

Using this formula my handicap index would actually drop by 0.4

My course has a slope rating of 139 and even although it's a par 70 CSS 71 in one of the comps I shot a 76 and that formula meant that my handicap differential that day was 4.06. It seems that a higher slope rating will play a big part in helping get your handicap down if that's what you are chasing (aren't we all?).

 

[lex!]

Everyone I play with regularly does this. We are all aware of our current handicap, the required score for buffer, and everyone can take a guess at the likely CSS as it's normally +1, unless extreme conditions or course setup, or a small field.

OK. I don't do this, just let IG take care of it after the comp is finalised. I wouldn't have a clue about the CSS til this is done. The most queries i get is from people who don't understand the cut they are awarded.

 

[Springveldt]

Now you'll see people checking their archives for their last 20 rounds and trying to work out if 8 of them were better or not.

Since it's a rolling 20 rounds, I'll just make a mental note of the number that is about to fall off and if I play to that at least I won't be getting a raise.

 

[upsidedown]

When we moved to NZ , who use their version of the WHS, I hated it but after around six months got to appreciate the benefits of it to me . I've always wanted my handicap to the lowest possible and their system gave me the opportunity so was able to put in all my bounce games as well as matchplay . Now I know this will not be applicable under WHS but what it did demonstrate to me how easy it was to monitor my handicap index and knew what was my best and worst average score was. so knew what the consequences of that round would be on my HI.

Just before we left the more forward thinking clubs had computer terminals where you inputted your NZ member number , here CDH number , and the card was printed for you with handicap displayed and holes marked where you'd get shots .
The one club had gone even further and the card had a series of numbers up to double bogey on the hole on the card and you circled your score on that particular hole. There was then a card reader for you after your round , quick whiz in and out and your score into the system
Bring on WHS it's the future

 

[cliveb]

... their system gave me the opportunity so was able to put in all my bounce games as well as matchplay

A question for those in the know: surely matchplay results can't be included in any handicapping calculations? Apart from the fact that the strategy for matchplay is utterly different to strokeplay, you're not going to be holing out all the time, so I don't see how it can be included. Many people don't even record their scores in matchplay.

 

[upsidedown]

A question for those in the know: surely matchplay results can't be included in any handicapping calculations? Apart from the fact that the strategy for matchplay is utterly different to strokeplay, you're not going to be holing out all the time, so I don't see how it can be included. Many people don't even record their scores in matchplay.

You're quite right . it was one thing I found really weird but I am fairly certain they won't be under WHS so that will be something the guys in NZ will have to get used to

 

[sunshine]

You may have this the wrong way round...

It will make a difference in club competitions; the 20 handicap index player playing at Nairn may be playing off 25, whilst the scr golfer will still play off scratch.

When the same player heads off to a course with a very low bogey index (and slope rating) they may play from 21, or even 20.

What it aims to do is remove the underlying difference in the strength of the 20 handicapper across different courses (as you reference, and recognise) but it does it by changing the handicap they compete, and assess their handicap index, from.

I was referring to the current CONGU handicapping system, where a 20 handicapper at Nairn is likely to be a much better golfer than a 20 handicapper at an easy course (although I've not actually played Nairn - it could be pitch an putt for all I know )

The new system will even this out (in theory).

 

[sunshine]

Sorry, who on earth calculates their handicap changes in their head after a round? Don't we let the system do it for us?
One thing that England golf don't like is the automatic 0.1 addition after a duff round, as in the current set-up. They think this attaches negativity to our day out playing the game.

What a bizarre comment. You must be really poor at maths if you are unable to work out a calculation like 5.4 + 0.1 in your head.

Everybody I know calculates their handicap change as they walk off the course. When you enter your score in the terminal it shows provisional CSS on the leaderboard, although at my place CSS = SSS = par almost always.

 

[rulefan]

Why is everyone making such hard work of trying to keep track of what their handicap will be.
At the end of each day, all scores returned (ie comps or supplementaries) will be totted up and handicaps adjusted. Your new handicap will be available shortly after. There will be no waiting until the handicap sec has closed any comps or processed any supplementaries. You do not need to keep track of your own history, it will always be available online on your phone etc.

 

[rulefan]

the more i look at this it appears we are exchanging a very simple system where you have one number to score against for one thats rather complicated and you need pages of tables and calculations to work out you handicap

You will only need to know your Handicap Index (in effect rather like your current exact handicap). You will have an easy to read chart at any club that you can look up the find your Course Handicap (ie playing handicap for a particular set of tees).
What's complicated?

 

[IanM]

True.... but now I know if I have a bad one, it's up 0.1. If I beat my handicap it's down 0.2 per shot, and I am waiting for confirmation of the CSS.

I've read the bumf on the internet and there's lots about why they are doing this and how great it is, but I havent seen anything about adjustments once i get the new handicap.

I guess the 8 from 20 just shifts one round... so you lose the 21st.

 

[rulefan]

at the moment one score, CSS or SSS job done, new system 8 scores and buggering about with a calculator and loads of tables, i know what i preffer

Why not just look it up online after the overnight process has been run

 

[rulefan]

I do to be fair. If I'm three under my handicap, I walk away thinking 3 x 0.3 = 0.9 cut. Sometimes I'm out by 0.3 though if CSS goes up/down or I forgot to round down a quad bogey. But generally very simple to work out anyway. In the new system if I shoot 2 or 3 under, I'll walk away having absolutely no idea if I even get a cut or not, let alone how much.

Presumably you don't often shoot 2 or 3 under or over. Just what real difference do you believe it would it would make when you have averaged the best 8 from the last 20? I suspect less than 0.1 either way. But you'll know first thing the next day anyway.

 

[rulefan]

True.... but now I know if I have a bad one, it's up 0.1. If I beat my handicap it's down 0.2 per shot, and I am waiting for confirmation of the CSS.

I've read the bumf on the internet and there's lots about why they are doing this and how great it is, but I havent seen anything about adjustments once i get the new handicap.

I guess the 8 from 20 just shifts one round... so you lose the 21st.

best 8 from the last 20

 

[IanM]

best 8 from the last 20

So, is that what it is?.... apologies, the docs were written by rules nazis with limited comms skills!

 

[Orikoru]

Presumably you don't often shoot 2 or 3 under or over. Just what real difference do you believe it would it would make when you have averaged the best 8 from the last 20? I suspect less than 0.1 either way. But you'll know first thing the next day anyway.

I recently got cut from 19 to 16 after a round. It seems to me that in the new system it will be pretty much impossible to come down that quickly. Getting your handicap down will be gradual and much slower won't it?