World Handicap System

balaclava

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I run a weekly Seniors’ competition at my golf club over a reduced course (the first 12 holes of the course). Entrants are initially awarded a (12 hole) handicap; after that handicap goes down solely on the basis of winning i.e. if you win, regardless of your score, you get cut one shot, if you don’t win you HC goes up 0.1 shot.

I have been asked the question . . what am I doing to ensure that this competition which comply with / conform to the WHC system?

My answer is NOTHING - what should my answer be and why?
 

Old Skier

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I run a weekly Seniors’ competition at my golf club over a reduced course (the first 12 holes of the course). Entrants are initially awarded a (12 hole) handicap; after that handicap goes down solely on the basis of winning i.e. if you win, regardless of your score, you get cut one shot, if you don’t win you HC goes up 0.1 shot.

I have been asked the question . . what am I doing to ensure that this competition which comply with / conform to the WHC system?

My answer is NOTHING - what should my answer be and why?

Social golf is acceptable, run it how you like
 

balaclava

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OK - how about this . . . .

Does the World Handicap System apply to a golf competition over less than 18 holes? I know, for HC purposes, we can play 2 x 9 holes and use the 18 holes HC but does the WHC system dictates that it must be used pro rata over whatever number of holes played e.g. if the committee organised a 13 hole competiion does the WHC system dictate that entrants must play off 13/18th of their HC?
 

Old Skier

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OK - how about this . . . .

Does the World Handicap System apply to a golf competition over less than 18 holes? I know, for HC purposes, we can play 2 x 9 holes and use the 18 holes HC but does the WHC system dictates that it must be used pro rata over whatever number of holes played e.g. if the committee organised a 13 hole competiion does the WHC system dictate that entrants must play off 13/18th of their HC?

As you are not using actual handicaps you can do what you like without being involved in the WHS. As far as I can make out from the information it’s as normal, 9 or 18 hole comps organised by the relevant committee that count towards handicap indexes.
 

rulefan

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OK - how about this . . . .

Does the World Handicap System apply to a golf competition over less than 18 holes? I know, for HC purposes, we can play 2 x 9 holes and use the 18 holes HC but does the WHC system dictates that it must be used pro rata over whatever number of holes played e.g. if the committee organised a 13 hole competiion does the WHC system dictate that entrants must play off 13/18th of their HC?
There are provisions in the WHS for counting scores over 9 holes (but not less). And also when 14 holes have been completed.
Courses have akk been rated for 9 holes where Course Rating is not necessarily half the 18 holes and the Slope is separately calculated.
Futher your 9 hole Course Handicap is not half of your 18 hole handicap.

I'm away for a few days refereeing and haven't got time now but someone may be able to quote full details from the manual but is is all in Rule 6.
 

rulie

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I run a weekly Seniors’ competition at my golf club over a reduced course (the first 12 holes of the course). Entrants are initially awarded a (12 hole) handicap; after that handicap goes down solely on the basis of winning i.e. if you win, regardless of your score, you get cut one shot, if you don’t win you HC goes up 0.1 shot.

I have been asked the question . . what am I doing to ensure that this competition which comply with / conform to the WHC system?

My answer is NOTHING - what should my answer be and why?
You're running your own competition using your own handicap system, and that's fine. Why are you worried about the WHS impact on your competitions?
 

jim8flog

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I run a weekly Seniors’ competition at my golf club over a reduced course (the first 12 holes of the course). Entrants are initially awarded a (12 hole) handicap; after that handicap goes down solely on the basis of winning i.e. if you win, regardless of your score, you get cut one shot, if you don’t win you HC goes up 0.1 shot.

I have been asked the question . . what am I doing to ensure that this competition which comply with / conform to the WHC system?

My answer is NOTHING - what should my answer be and why?

Your reply is the correct one, if you are going to adjust handicaps in that fashion.
Plus there is no way to calculate a players Course Handicap because there is no slope rating for the 12 holes.
 

Colin L

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@balaclava
You could run your 12 hole competition and be compliant with WHS requirements for acceptable scores. The 6 unplayed holes would be scaled up to an 18 hole equivalent by adding net par +1 for the first unplayed hole and net par for the remainder. For handicapping purposes players would record their gross score at each of the 12 holes and record NS for the unplayed holes. For competition purposes ie to determine winners, you could take the score over the 12 holes and apply two-thirds of Course Handicaps. That you would have to calculate yourselves but a simple spreadsheet would do the job. As it is an organised competition in an acceptable format, players would be considered to have pre-registered for returning a score.
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backwoodsman

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@balaclava
You could run your 12 hole competition and be compliant with WHS requirements for acceptable scores. The 6 unplayed holes would be scaled up to an 18 hole equivalent by adding net par +1 for the first unplayed hole and net par for the remainder. For handicapping purposes players would record their gross score at each of the 12 holes and record NS for the unplayed holes. For competition purposes ie to determine winners, you could take the score over the 12 holes and apply two-thirds of Course Handicaps. That you would have to calculate yourselves but a simple spreadsheet would do the job. As it is an organised competition in an acceptable format, players would be considered to have pre-registered for returning a score.
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From what Colin says above, it seems you could process the cards/scores to contribute to the players' official WHS handicap index. But given that your whole competition is organised/played/won with handicaps and adjustments totally outwith the WHS system, it seems to me to be a bit off a faff to do both? I'd stick with what you currently do.
 

Colin L

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Given that it’s an organised stroke competition in an authorised format, the scores should be returned but I don’t see much faff. The players just have to submit their gross scores and let the computers do what computers do rather well. What is done to decide winners is up to the organisers.
 

Colin L

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I thought it was necessary to play at least 14 holes in order to enter an 18 hole score?


Authorised Associations were given options as to the minimum number of holes that could be scaled up
For 9 hole rounds:
  • At least 7 or 8 holes
  • All 9 holes
  • 9 hole scores not accepted for handicapping
For 18 hole rounds:
  • 10 holes
  • Any number from 11 to 17 inclusive
  • Alll 18 must be played.

CONGU chose all 9 holes for a 9 hole score and a minimum of 10 to scale up to 18. Your Association may have chosen differently.
 

rulie

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Authorised Associations were given options as to the minimum number of holes that could be scaled up
For 9 hole rounds:
  • At least 7 or 8 holes
  • All 9 holes
  • 9 hole scores not accepted for handicapping
For 18 hole rounds:
  • 10 holes
  • Any number from 11 to 17 inclusive
  • Alll 18 must be played.

CONGU chose all 9 holes for a 9 hole score and a minimum of 10 to scale up to 18. Your Association may have chosen differently.
Thanks, obviously our association did choose differently! So much for a uniform system!
 

Colin L

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I think it is one of a number of ways in which existing differences have been accommodated by providing options. The hope might be that in time we will move towards greater uniformity.

I have to say I raised an eyebrow at the thought of scaling up from only 10 holes when I first heard of this , but then I recalled that we already scale 9 hole scores up to 18.
 
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