US Handicap System

[Constantin]

How does it work?

Hi,

I am from Frankfurt, Germany and we have a different handicap system over here. So far i understood, that the US system basically tracks your latest 20 rounds.

Could anyone tell me how it really works? How are slope and course ratings being applied?

[TexasAg]

Fundamentally, the difference is this: the US handicapping system measures a golfer's potential, not their average score. Therefore a scratch (0) handicap probably on average shoots a 75 or 76.

 

As for the math, check out this link: Golf Handicap FAQ

[arkstorm]

The USGA handicap system uses a formula which is (your score - course rating)x(113/slope rating). You need a minimum of 5 rounds. If you have 5 rounds you take the lowest score of the five. You progressively use more scores in the equation as you play more rounds and average the lowest ones. Once you have 20 rounds you average the ten lowest scores. Finally, you multiply the average adjusted score by .96 and drop any digit after the tenth without rounding up.

 

The USGA system is primarily a measure of your potential as a golfer and represents what you can shoot as opposed to other systems which measure what you are likely to shoot.

[Constantin]

Thank you guys. Your system is really the opposite of what it is over here.

A player with an index of 0.0 gets a so called playing handicap based on a particular course's CR and SR which reflects the score relative to par he should shoot.

 

Let's say our scratch golfer plays a par 72 course with CR of 74.0 and SR of 128. His playing handicap would be 2. In order to play his handicap he would therefore need to shoot 74.

[arkstorm]

Well, in actuality the CR stands for the same proposition here. Course rating is defined as the average score a scratch player should expect to shoot. However, under the (European) system you described, what does the slope rating represent and how is that factored into the handicap?

[Constantin]

the slope rating also factors in the calculation of your playing handicap. As you explained correctly, the CR represents what a scratch golfer should shoot (same over here). Hence, the slope only factors for handicaps other than scratch.

 

the formula looks like this:

 

playing handicap = index × (SLOPE / 113) - CR + PAR

 

As you can see a 0.0 index kicks the SR out of the equation.

[arkstorm]

Given the two formulas the result remains the same for a single round index.

 

E.g., I shot an 80 on a par 72 with a CR of 74 and a SR of 113.

 

(80-74) x (113/113) = 6

 

8 x (113/113) - 74 + 72 = 6

 

So where do the two systems differ?

[Constantin]

The systems differ in two ways I think. First: I can only improve or deteriorate my handicap during tournaments. My Saturday afternoon round does not have any effect whatsoever on my index.

Secondly: handicap changes over here are all based on stableford points.

It looks like this:

 

Let's say someone plays off a 7.0 handicap and has signed in for a tournament on a par 72, CR 75, SR 128 course. According to the formula his playing handicap for this course would be 10. Now, his net par on every hole on the course would equal the real par of the hole except for the 10 most difficult holes. On these 10 holes he would receive a one shot bonus and a net par of 5 for par 4s, 6 for par 5s and 4 for par 3s.

 

According to the stableford system you receive two points for a net par, one point for a net bogey, 3 points for a net birdie, 4 points for a net eagle and so on.

 

Now, if our player makes net par on every hole, he totals 36 stableford points, which means he played his handicap. After this tournament his handicap would remain the same.

 

Different scenario: Our player shoots even par for the round. He would receive 2 points for every net par but 3 points for the 10 most difficult holes because by shooting even par he actually made net birdies on 10 holes. His stableford total would be 46 points.

 

This means he played better than his handicap. In handicap class no. 2 (4.5 - 11.4) your handicap index improves 0,2 for every stableford point you shoot better than your handicap. Our golfer who scored 46 points (10 better than his handicap) would have a new index of 5.0 after the tournament.

 

If you do not play your playing handicap (you score less than 36 points for the round) and score higher than a certain buffer zone, your handicap rises by 0,2 for every stableford point you score less than the buffer zone.

[arkstorm]

Wow...that is complex. So a recreational player who does not play in tournaments cannot have a handicap? That is strange.

 

The USGA handicap system essentially tells your opponents what is the best score you are likely to shoot (for wagering purposes among others). So if my USGA handicap is a 9.3 and yours is a 3.3 you would give me one stroke on the six most difficult holes. It essentially levels up the playing field.

[Constantin]

There is a way to work on your handicap without playing in tournaments. There are so called "extra day scores". Extra day scores can only be done on your home course. So if I want to go on an extra day round, I head over to the club's office and sign in for an extra day round. I'll need another player to count my strokes for the round. Apart from that it is like playing in a tournament. However, the first real index over here is 36. 36 must be achieved in tournament play. Also from handicap 11.4 and lower extra day scores won't count either.

What basically happens is that people who don't want to play in tournaments regulary, will generally play one or two of them in order to get by the 36 mark and afterwards never care for their handicap.

I like playing tournaments just because I like competing.

[AirTime23]

Yeah, one dubious thing about the US handicap system is the thing that a player may count himself and use that score for handicapping purposes. Strange to say the least, but after all golf is a game of honor.

This glitch might have two unwanted effects.

One, a player doesn't report a score when he played badly, therefore keeping his handicap low..lower than it should be given his abilities.

Two, a player doesn't report a good score when he played well. So his handicap doesn't drop but stays higher than it should be. Sandbagging is what they call it over there I think.

 

Those two negative effects are non-existent in the german handicapping system. As you can only adjust your handicap by playing in tournaments, and all tournament scores are reported and you don't count your own score.

However no system is perfect, and upward adjustments take a long time here, as you can only go up 0.1 for each round you don't play to your handicap. In case of a slump or injury, you'll not gonna win any prizes any time soon.