Handicap message from Fred Court June 2nd 2021

June 3rd.2021. Many thanks to Steve for his report yesterday. So here, after years of playing to certain regulations, we find changes with a new system, sometimes clear and obvious, other times not so clear. Hence in a given situation our long term memory kicks in and we remember and apply procedures no longer valid. This seems to be the case with our basic start in golf, our “Handicap”. In the past we were awarded a handicap which was basically controlled thereafter on individual qualifying scores. Whilst that system was fair within a golf club, it allowed anomalies when comparing one Golf Club to another due to physical differences comparing Clubs. For this reason a “World Handicap System” has been introduced, which theoretically gives each handicap golfer an even opportunity regardless of the golf course in play. So how does the new system work? After submitting witnessed scorecards from 54 holes you are issued with an initial “Handicap Index” up to a maximum of 54.0. Your Handicap Index is the new number for you to remember, which may be adjusted as you submit additional scores from competition or recreational events and eventually formulated with your best 8 scores from your last 20 score input into the system. So remember your “Handicap Index” and check for any changes. Before playing your game you must establish a “Course Handicap” for example most Golf Clubs will have three courses played over the same 18 holes IE, playing from White, Yellow or Red tee markers. Your Course Handicap is established from a list displayed at the golf club. Lookup you’re “Handicap Index” on the table for the Tee’s from which you are playing which indicates a range of indexes on the left and displays a “Course Handicap” in the next column. Remember your course handicap may differ between playing off White, Yellow and/or red Tees. Should you be confident to calculate your “Course Handicap” for 18 holes, the formulae is :- Course Handicap= Handicap Index x (Slope Rating /113) Unfortunately we are not finished here, as we now have to establish our playing handicap as follows:- Playing Handicap = Course Handicap X Handicap allowance. The % allowance will normally be identified within the competition format for example in stroke play 95%. There are other changes allowed into the score system, best left for another occasion. Regards Sheriff.