World Handicap System - FAQ’s

[duncan mackie]

No but what it will do is give you a handicap that reflects the way you are currently playing rather than when you played well some time ago.

It shouldn't really make a huge difference over current CONGU with the handicap committee acting as they should.

How the transition process works in practice will definitely throw up some issues though; I suspect that a much larger proportion of players will exceed the restrictions currently in place 're increases!

 

[Orikoru]

Let's face it, we're probably all guilty of being aware of how the round we're playing is going to affect our handicap and possibly modifying our play accordingly.

If the WHS means we will no longer be able to do that, then perhaps we'll relax a bit and just play the way we ought to. Which IMHO is a good thing.

I can honestly say, I think the only time I've come close to this is when I've had a terrible round which is already unsalvageable, and so then I'm more like to practise the shots I'm not good at and experiment, rather than sticking with my strengths as I would normally do on a comp round.

 

[USER1999]

In the new system, there are no handicap categories either, so cat1, 2 etc will not exist.

I am assuming that sub 5.5 will still be adminstered by the county, as at present.

 

[rulefan]

In the new system, there are no handicap categories either, so cat1, 2 etc will not exist.

I am assuming that sub 5.5 will still be adminstered by the county, as at present.

I see no reason why it should except possibly for initial allocation. But even that is virtually a rubber stamp exercise.

They may be charged by EG to keep an eye on those on the edge of qualifying for WR events say.

 

[patricks148]

I think my answer to the question you are asking is that the conclusion you are drawing is flawed.

I know you said earlier in the post that you were only using buffer as a comparison but all the arithmetic of buffer has been included in the new aversge calculation.

So the practical issue remains that as slope increases the higher handicap index players will get relatively more strokes.

If I've missed the point please explain and I will try harder!

What i was trying to sat was, buy the calc on here if you are over a cat1 player it looks like you are potentially losing a shot if you take my clubs slope rating. on https://www.usga.org/course-handicap-calculator.html

for instance if you are an 8 handicap at my club because of the SSS/CSS you can shoot 10 over and you will be still playing to handicap. under the links its 9 so losing a shot same if you are cat 3, you would get 3 shots under the current buffers but now if you are a say a 15 its only two,

What i'm saying is if you have a certain SR you will be getting less shots that you currently do under the US calc or am i missing something?

 

[Foxholer]

What i was trying to sat was, buy the calc on here if you are over a cat1 player it looks like you are potentially losing a shot if you take my clubs slope rating. on https://www.usga.org/course-handicap-calculator.html

for instance if you are an 8 handicap at my club because of the SSS/CSS you can shoot 10 over and you will be still playing to handicap. under the links its 9 so losing a shot same if you are cat 3, you would get 3 shots under the current buffers but now if you are a say a 15 its only two,

What i'm saying is if you have a certain SR you will be getting less shots that you currently do under the US calc or am i missing something?

The concept of Categories and Buffers will disappear when WHS is implemented. So, actually, will 'Handicap'!

Handicap will be replaced by 'Index' and the 'Handicap for the round' will be calculated from Index, Course Rating and Slope. HcapftRnd = Course Rating - Par + Slope Allowance for Index (as per the link for the calculation above).

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I can honestly say, I think the only time I've come close to this is when I've had a terrible round which is already unsalvageable, and so then I'm more like to practise the shots I'm not good at and experiment, rather than sticking with my strengths as I would normally do on a comp round.

I just used to find the steady round-after-round 0.1 drip-drip as my handicap goes up when I'm in a stretch of rounds not playing great a bit of a chinese water torture. And I discovered a mindset to stop it - and that involved really focussing on playing within my buffer zone. It's important for me as I can have a good round and get cut - and that's great - but I was giving it all back carelessly. With my change of mindset I have been able to consolidate handicap reductions - then move on to play towards the next reduction. That's really all I've been saying. I guess that since I play 95% of my golf at my own course I'll know what I have to do any qualifying round.

 

[rulefan]

What i was trying to sat was, buy the calc on here if you are over a cat1 player it looks like you are potentially losing a shot if you take my clubs slope rating. on https://www.usga.org/course-handicap-calculator.html

for instance if you are an 8 handicap at my club because of the SSS/CSS you can shoot 10 over and you will be still playing to handicap. under the links its 9 so losing a shot same if you are cat 3, you would get 3 shots under the current buffers but now if you are a say a 15 its only two,

What i'm saying is if you have a certain SR you will be getting less shots that you currently do under the US calc or am i missing something?

But your resultant handicap will only be affected if the the score falls in the best 8 of your last 20 rounds. No more 0.1s if you are outside your buffer or outside the best 8.

 

[Orikoru]

I just used to find the steady round-after-round 0.1 drip-drip as my handicap goes up when I'm in a stretch of rounds not playing great a bit of a chinese water torture. And I discovered a mindset to stop it - and that involved really focussing on playing within my buffer zone. It's important for me as I can have a good round and get cut - and that's great - but I was giving it all back carelessly. With my change of mindset I have been able to consolidate handicap reductions - then move on to play towards the next reduction. That's really all I've been saying. I guess that since I play 95% of my golf at my own course I'll know what I have to do any qualifying round.

Well, on the plus side of the new system, that '0.1 torture' you speak of will never happen again. So you can come up with all new mentalities with which to play the game.

 

[duncan mackie]

What i was trying to sat was, buy the calc on here if you are over a cat1 player it looks like you are potentially losing a shot if you take my clubs slope rating. on https://www.usga.org/course-handicap-calculator.html

for instance if you are an 8 handicap at my club because of the SSS/CSS you can shoot 10 over and you will be still playing to handicap. under the links its 9 so losing a shot same if you are cat 3, you would get 3 shots under the current buffers but now if you are a say a 15 its only two,

What i'm saying is if you have a certain SR you will be getting less shots that you currently do under the US calc or am i missing something?

I see what you are saying, and agree your logic.
However, as there is no concept off buffer, let alone any penalty for failure to play to handicap on a particular round, it is irrelevant when considering the gaining or loosing of shots.
What is relevant is that, in the example you quoted, a 13 handicapper will play off 15 whilst the scr golfer plays off screen - so he gains 2 shots.

 

[patricks148]

I see what you are saying, and agree your logic.
However, as there is no concept off buffer, let alone any penalty for failure to play to handicap on a particular round, it is irrelevant when considering the gaining or loosing of shots.
What is relevant is that, in the example you quoted, a 13 handicapper will play off 15 whilst the scr golfer plays off screen - so he gains 2 shots.

i get what you are saying, but it just looks like the current has a bit more leeway

according to that link, scr golfer is still off 0 at my place

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Well, on the plus side of the new system, that '0.1 torture' you speak of will never happen again. So you can come up with all new mentalities with which to play the game.

Not in the same way. But if I go onto the course not knowing my 8th and 9th best rounds of the last 20 relative to CSS then I might well suffer the same fate.

 

[azazel]

What i was trying to sat was, buy the calc on here if you are over a cat1 player it looks like you are potentially losing a shot if you take my clubs slope rating. on https://www.usga.org/course-handicap-calculator.html

for instance if you are an 8 handicap at my club because of the SSS/CSS you can shoot 10 over and you will be still playing to handicap. under the links its 9 so losing a shot same if you are cat 3, you would get 3 shots under the current buffers but now if you are a say a 15 its only two,

What i'm saying is if you have a certain SR you will be getting less shots that you currently do under the US calc or am i missing something?

Holy moly, according to that link, if my index is 6 (my current handicap but no idea how that will relate to a new index) I'll have a course handicap of 4 for our course. Jings!!

EDIT: talking nonsense. Entered the course rating rather than the slope rating so would actually have a course handicap of 7. That's a relief. It's also current CSS +6 (current handicap), which seems reasonable?

 

[jim8flog]

You are mixing things a little with the reference to are all 5 handicappers equal.

Under both systems the answer is the same - they should be.
.

I am not sure how you work that one out.

If you look at in stableford terms where I play playing to handicap off the yellows is I score 39 points

Someone from say Burnham and Berrow (chosen because I now the SSS) playing to his handicap there off the yellows scores 34 points.

I have played Burnham and Berrow lots of times so know the course well but have only once managed to play to my handicap at that course.

 

[duncan mackie]

I am not sure how you work that one out.

If you look at in stableford terms where I play playing to handicap off the yellows is I score 39 points

Someone from say Burnham and Berrow (chosen because I now the SSS) playing to his handicap there off the yellows scores 34 points.

I have played Burnham and Berrow lots of times so know the course well but have only once managed to play to my handicap at that course.

I have no idea what you are trying to say.

Currently both you, and someone from Burnham and Berrow on the same handicap , would both be playing to handicap when scoring 39 points playing off your yellows, or 34 points playing at B&B.

Same 2 players will have the same handicap as each other going forward, but it may be numerically different when playing either course from any tees - but will be targeting 36 points wherever they play.

 

[duncan mackie]

i get what you are saying, but it just looks like the current has a bit more leeway

according to that link, scr golfer is still off 0 at my place

That's what I typed but got auto corrected to Screen. It's the higher handicap who is likely to be adjusted

 

[rulefan]

What is relevant is that, in the example you quoted, a 13 handicapper will play off 15 whilst the scr golfer plays off screen - so he gains 2 shots.

Because, relative to the 13 capper, the course (ie tees) is rated to be 2 strokes more difficult for the 15 capper. That is what slope (and USGA Course Rating) is all about.

 

[jim8flog]

I have no idea what you are trying to say.

Currently both you, and someone from Burnham and Berrow on the same handicap , would both be playing to handicap when scoring 39 points playing off your yellows, or 34 points playing at B&B.

Same 2 players will have the same handicap as each other going forward, but it may be numerically different when playing either course from any tees - but will be targeting 36 points wherever they play.

I read your original post as " a player with say a 5 handicap at one course has the same ability as a 5 handicap player at another course"

I have played virtually every course in Dorset, a lot in Somerset and Wiltshire fairly often. I know which courses I am likely to score to worse than 36 points on and which courses I am likely to score to better than. When I play matches (frequent occurrence on these courses) I reckon to tell what sort of player I am up against relatively not only by their handicap but also to the course I am on or they have come from when playing at home.

It is one of the reasons I have hoped the slope system would come in.

 

[duncan mackie]

I read your original post as " a player with say a 5 handicap at one course has the same ability as a 5 handicap player at another course"

I have played virtually every course in Dorset, a lot in Somerset and Wiltshire fairly often. I know which courses I am likely to score to worse than 36 points on and which courses I am likely to score to better than. When I play matches (frequent occurrence on these courses) I reckon to tell what sort of player I am up against relatively not only by their handicap but also to the course I am on or they have come from when playing at home.

It is one of the reasons I have hoped the slope system would come in.

As already posted, that won't explicitly change.

Personally I expect the concept of stronger handicaps at some clubs to get even more pronounced as historic handicaps get a througher overall (if they actually do!) but that will take a few years to come through.

My point is that under both systems the principle remains the same-

 

[MadAdey]

I think my answer to the question you are asking is that the conclusion you are drawing is flawed.

I know you said earlier in the post that you were only using buffer as a comparison but all the arithmetic of buffer has been included in the new aversge calculation.

So the practical issue remains that as slope increases the higher handicap index players will get relatively more strokes.

If I've missed the point please explain and I will try harder!

They would need those extra shots on a tough course. There are 3 par 4s at my place that would be a par 5 to most high handicappers off the back tees. But they are still par 4s to most low handicappers.