World Handicap System

[rulefan]

Looks like England Golf are advertising for a Course Rating Coordinator......

Bit late in the day?

Not really. I believe the previous incumbent has retired. All courses have to be rerated at least every ten years. This doesn't account for rerating because of course changes. They are already 7 years into the cycle and there are (or were when I last checked) a hundred or so not done yet.

 

[Banchory Buddha]

Yes the clubs will have to think their winter policies over a bit.

Just read a snippet today from the Canada Golf governing body, not surprisingly considering their climate, they have a qualifying period, and non-qualifying, just as we used to do under the CONGU system, Scottish Golf really dropped the ball there, needs to be changed for this coming winter

 

[Colin L]

Just read a snippet today from the Canada Golf governing body, not surprisingly considering their climate, they have a qualifying period, and non-qualifying, just as we used to do under the CONGU system, Scottish Golf really dropped the ball there, needs to be changed for this coming winter

Sorry, I've lost something here. What ball has been dropped and what needs to be changed?

 

[jim8flog]

Just read a snippet today from the Canada Golf governing body, not surprisingly considering their climate, they have a qualifying period, and non-qualifying, just as we used to do under the CONGU system, Scottish Golf really dropped the ball there, needs to be changed for this coming winter

There never was a qualifying non qualifying period under the UHS it is just that some clubs chose to do this. The variable CSS was supposed to get rid of the idea of having it such.

Neither should there be under the WHS

GDef/1 Active and Inactive Seasons
Active and Inactive seasons are not implemented in GB&I. Golf should be played throughout the year; although for many clubs the course setup may mean that, in winter, scores will not be acceptable for handicap purposes. However, it is expected that all clubs will endeavour to encourage players to return acceptable scores throughout the year where possible.
Guidance is provided for the use of temporary greens and tees in G2.1/3. Further guidance in Appendix H is applicable when adverse course conditions prevail.
Clubs should refer to their National Association for specific guidance on dealing with adverse course conditions.

 

[rulie]

There never was a qualifying non qualifying period under the UHS it is just that some clubs chose to do this. The variable CSS was supposed to get rid of the idea of having it such.

Neither should there be under the WHS

GDef/1 Active and Inactive Seasons
Active and Inactive seasons are not implemented in GB&I. Golf should be played throughout the year; although for many clubs the course setup may mean that, in winter, scores will not be acceptable for handicap purposes. However, it is expected that all clubs will endeavour to encourage players to return acceptable scores throughout the year where possible.
Guidance is provided for the use of temporary greens and tees in G2.1/3. Further guidance in Appendix H is applicable when adverse course conditions prevail.
Clubs should refer to their National Association for specific guidance on dealing with adverse course conditions.

Just confirming that in Canada, Golf Canada gives authority to each provincial golf association to determine their active season - when scores can be posted for handicap purposes, and their inactive season, when scores are not used for handicap purposes. For example, in British Columbia, the active season is March 1 to November 15. This applies throughout the province, even though some regions of the province won't be playing within those dates and other regions will be playing.
Each province has its own active season.
https://www.golfcanada.ca/articles/handicapping-active-seasons/

 

[rulefan]

The USA has a schedule for each state.
https://www.usga.org/handicapping-articles/handicap-active-and-inactive-season-schedule-25489.html

 

[jim8flog]

Just confirming that in Canada, Golf Canada gives authority to each provincial golf association to determine their active season - when scores can be posted for handicap purposes, and their inactive season, when scores are not used for handicap purposes. For example, in British Columbia, the active season is March 1 to November 15. This applies throughout the province, even though some regions of the province won't be playing within those dates and other regions will be playing.
Each province has its own active season.
https://www.golfcanada.ca/articles/handicapping-active-seasons/

I am aware - it is in the definitions

Active Season
The period of time when acceptable scores from a specified area should be
submitted for handicap purposes, as determined by the Authorized Association
where the round is played.

 

[DickInShorts]

Sorry, I've lost something here. What ball has been dropped and what needs to be changed?

Colin - under old system clubs could maintain Winter Handicaps (using HDID for example) so players got adjustments over winter when courses are shorter ( mat tees, Fairway mats, Winter greens) without affecting their CONGU handicap. Once measured courses were back in play then handicaps reverted to that at close of previous season.
under WHS there doesn’t appear - so far - to be any software to do similar. Last winter we just kept our HI the same all winter which meant many unfair results due to no cuts/increases.

 

[wjemather]

Colin - under old system clubs could maintain Winter Handicaps (using HDID for example) so players got adjustments over winter when courses are shorter ( mat tees, Fairway mats, Winter greens) without affecting their CONGU handicap. Once measured courses were back in play then handicaps reverted to that at close of previous season.
under WHS there doesn’t appear - so far - to be any software to do similar. Last winter we just kept our HI the same all winter which meant many unfair results due to no cuts/increases.

And nor should there be. Clubs have been encouraged to get their "winter course(s)" measured and rated for many years. The course then simply needs to be setup per WHS requirements, as they would be in summer, and scores are acceptable for handicapping.

 

[jim8flog]

And nor should there be. Clubs have been encouraged to get their "winter course(s)" measured and rated for many years. The course then simply needs to be setup per WHS requirements, as they would be in summer, and scores are acceptable for handicapping.

We did ours probably over 25 years ago for the UHS when we first built our winter tees.

We have now adopted a simpler system. We now have large artificial mats which are laid out on the normal tees and these get moved around the tee area on a regular basis so that the grass does not die.

 

[Banchory Buddha]

And nor should there be. Clubs have been encouraged to get their "winter course(s)" measured and rated for many years. The course then simply needs to be setup per WHS requirements, as they would be in summer, and scores are acceptable for handicapping.

You're in Bristol mate, try an Aberdeenshire winter and tell me your suggestion is still reasonable

 

[rulefan]

Colin - under old system clubs could maintain Winter Handicaps (using HDID for example) so players got adjustments over winter when courses are shorter ( mat tees, Fairway mats, Winter greens) without affecting their CONGU handicap. Once measured courses were back in play then handicaps reverted to that at close of previous season.
under WHS there doesn’t appear - so far - to be any software to do similar. Last winter we just kept our HI the same all winter which meant many unfair results due to no cuts/increases.

This of course is outside the proper remit of WHS but was previously provided by ISVs (in your case V1). It may be worth checking if they still continue to provide the same or similar facility.

 

[upsidedown]

Stableford at ours yesterday 28 handicap shot a nett 58. New HI today 10. Only 5 counting scores in 2 years ?. Enjoy your new handicap ??

 

[Colin L]

Colin - under old system clubs could maintain Winter Handicaps (using HDID for example) so players got adjustments over winter when courses are shorter ( mat tees, Fairway mats, Winter greens) without affecting their CONGU handicap. Once measured courses were back in play then handicaps reverted to that at close of previous season.
under WHS there doesn’t appear - so far - to be any software to do similar. Last winter we just kept our HI the same all winter which meant many unfair results due to no cuts/increases.

Rulefan has reminded us of the status of these "winter handicaps".

I would refer everyone to Appendix G f. Modification of Courses in the WHS Rules of Handicapping for consideration regarding winter conditions where courses are shortened.

 

[SammmeBee]

Stableford at ours yesterday 28 handicap shot a nett 58. New HI today 10. Only 5 counting scores in 2 years ?. Enjoy your new handicap ??

22 under?!

 

[D-S]

I think part of the issue with winter golf relates to the fact that at some courses there was simply no qualifying golf in the winter, so where the tees were was an irrelevance. At others they would only play the odd ’qualifier’ over the winter and for these few occasions they were allowed to use the ’proper tees’.
However now we are being encouraged to submit more and more social scores, this in turn leads to a demand for a total re rating for the traditional winter shortened course, often on mats way forward of the red tees. These are not temporary changes as these courses are in play every year for 4 or 5 months, so they need to be properly measured and rated if many social scores are submitted from them.

 

[wjemather]

You're in Bristol mate, try an Aberdeenshire winter and tell me your suggestion is still reasonable

The R&A, CONGU & Scottish Golf seem to think it's reasonable.

 

[wjemather]

This of course is outside the proper remit of WHS but was previously provided by ISVs (in your case V1). It may be worth checking if they still continue to provide the same or similar facility.

Rightly, there are no plans to (see Club Systems WHS FAQs).

 

[Imurg]

Stableford at ours yesterday 28 handicap shot a nett 58. New HI today 10. Only 5 counting scores in 2 years ?. Enjoy your new handicap ??

The system works

 

[jim8flog]

You're in Bristol mate, try an Aberdeenshire winter and tell me your suggestion is still reasonable

I think wherever you are in winter it is going to be the same.

If you have a severely shortened course due to temporary tees that will be reflected in the Course Rating and Slope rating when you get the course measured and if you have to have more than 2 temp greens the comp becomes non qualifying anyway.