NEWS

08/08/2016 | 08:55

WHAT IS MY HANDICAP???

The USGA Handicap System was developed to establish equality among golfers of different abilities. The USGA Handicap System has a number of calculations throughout to arrive at a Handicap Index which then determines a golfers Handicap at each particular course.

The following should give you a clear understanding “HOW” the system works and why there “MAY” or “MAY NOT” be fluctuations with your Handicap.

STEP 1 – RECORDING A SCORE TO ARRIVE AT A DIFFERENTIAL

Your original score is not always entered, your Adjusted Gross Score is used to establish your Handicap Index.

What is an Adjusted Gross Score?

The USGA has determined a system, ESC (Equitable Stroke Control) that limits a players score to a fixed number that can not be exceeded when posting scores to the Handicap System. A player must record the original score, but for posting of scores the actual score can be reduced using the following table if applicable:

HANDICAP	MAXIMUM SCORE
9 or LESS	DOUBLE BOGEY
10 to 19	7
20 to 29	8
30 to 39	9
40 or MORE	10

EXAMPLE: A player with a 7 Handicap may have a maximum score of par plus 2 (double bogey) no matter what par is. A player with a 13 Handicap has a maximum score of 7 per hole no matter what par is.

STEP 2 – SCORE IS CONVERTED INTO A SCORE DIFFERENTIAL

What is a Score Differential?

The Score Differential is a number used to help determine your Handicap. Your Adjusted Gross Score is plugged into a formula along with Course Rating, Standard Slope Rating, and Slope Rating of the course played on. The following is the formula:

Adjusted Gross Score – Course Rating x Standard Slope Rating / Course Rating and Round to nearest 10^th

Do Son Blue Tee Example

82 – 70.5 x 113/128 = 10.15 = 10.2

The differential of 10.2 will then be used in combination with other differentials recorded to determine your Handicap Index. The Handicap Index will later be converted to your Handicap.

STEP 3 – ESTABLISHING A HANDICAP INDEX

How do I establish a Handicap Index?

You may get a Handicap Index in as little as 5 18 hole games. The handicap system is officially based on 20 games. The system works by using your 10 BEST scores of the last 20 posted.

The following is the number of rounds used to determine a players Handicap. The more scores that are entered the more accurate your Handicap will be.

NUMBER OF SCORES	DIFFERENTIAL(S) USED
5 or 6	LOWEST 1
7 or 8	LOWEST 2
9 or 10	LOWEST 3
11 or 12	LOWEST 4
13 or 14	LOWEST 5
15 or 16	LOWEST 6
17	LOWEST 7
18	LOWEST 8
19	LOWEST 8
20	LOWEST 10

154 / 10 x .96 = 14.78 = 14.7

Each score posted will equal a Score Differential and then be converted into your Handicap Index. The ten lowest differentials are added together and divided by 10 to report the average differential. The average differential is then multiplied by .96 and taken to the 10^th with no rounding. This is now the Handicap Index which will later be turned into a Handicap for each golf course. The following is the formula:

Sum of 10 Lowest Differentials / 10 x .96 taken to a 10^th with no rounding.

154 / 10 x .96 = 14.78 = 14.7

STEP 4 – ESTABLISHING A HOME COURSE USGA HANDICAP

Using the data from Step 2, the computer can now establish a USGA Handicap. The Handicap Index is the converted into a Handicap by multiplying the Handicap Index by the Slope Rating and then dividing by the Standard Slope Rating and rounding to the nearest whole number. The following is the formula:

Handicap Index x Slope Rating / Standard Slope Rating and then rounded to nearest whole number.

DO SON BLUE TEE EXAMPLE

Index 14.7 Blue Tee Slope 128 Standard Slope 113

14.7 x 128 / 113 = 16.6 or 17

The Home Course Handicap is posted, all the work is done for you. But when you travel to another course you must use your Handicap Index and apply the same formula using that Golf Courses Slope Rating.

To make it easier, the Golf Course should have a conversion chart for your convenience. The following is the Blue Tee Conversion Chart at Do Son.

HDCP	INDEX	HDCP	INDEX	HDCP	INDEX	HDCP	INDEX	HDCP	INDEX
+3	+3 to +2.3	7	5.8 to 6.6	17	14.6 to 15.4	27	23.4 to 24.2	37	32.3 to 33.1
+2	+2.2 to +1.4	8	6.7 to 7.5	18	15.5 to 16.3	28	24.3 to 25.1	38	33.2 to 33.9
+1	+1.3 to +.5	9	7.6 to 8.3	19	16.4 to 17.2	29	25.2 to 26.0	39	34.0 to 34.8
0	+.4 to 0.4	10	8.4 to 9.2	20	17.3 to 18.0	30	26.1 to 26.9	40	34.9 to 35.7
1	0.5 to 1.3	11	9.3 to 10.1	21	18.1 to 18.9	31	27.0 to 27.8	41	35.8 to 36.6
2	1.4 to 2.2	12	10.2 to 11.0	22	19.0 to 19.8	32	27.9 to 28.6	42	36.7 to 37.5
3	2.3 to 3.0	13	11.1 to 11.9	23	19.9 to 20.7	33	28.7 to 29.5	43	37.6 to 38.4
4	3.1 to 3.9	14	12.0 to 12.8	24	20.8 to 21.6	34	29.6 to 30.4	44	38.5 to 39.2
5	4.0 to 4.8	15	12.9 to 13.6	25	21.7 to 22.5	35	30.5 to 31.3	45	39.3 to 40.1
6	4.9 to 5.7	16	13.7 to 14.5	26	22.6 to 23.3	36	31.4 to 32.2	46	40.2 to 40.4