# What is a Handicap?



## JaggedRenn (Jan 18, 2011)

Hey guys,

I'm doing a little research on what a Handicap means to an individual golfer. Is it a way to compare yourself to other golfers? Is it a way to compare course to another course? It is purely to allow golfers of differing abilities to compete against each other? What does it mean to you? 

Could you take a moment to answer the 3 questions below:

1 - Do you have a handicap?
1a - If yes, what is your handicap?
2 - What does a handicap mean to you?
3 - Do you know how to calculate your handicap?


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## Big Hobbit (Nov 2, 2010)

1. Yes
1a. 5
2. It means if I play to my measured ability I will return a nett score of level par. And I can have a competitive game with others of different abilities.
3. I am aware of how its calculated from its current position, i.e. what happens if I shoot x many over or under my handicap in competition, and how CSS(competition standard scratch) works. I'm also aware of the application of Rule 19(CONGU) for general play, and that as a Cat 1 player my 'Home' club cannot apply Rule 19 to me without permission from the County Union.

For point 2, if you mean what does it mean to me personally... my ambition has always been to be as low as possible. And as age and infirmity catches up with me, its about staying at Cat 1 as long as possible.


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## Tim (Jan 8, 2011)

Ah. Good thread. I have been wondering myself what a handicap is. Hopefully someone can chime in with an explanation as to what it is and how it works.


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## broken tee (Jan 13, 2008)

Big Hobbit said:


> 1. Yes
> 1a. 5
> 2. It means if I play to my measured ability I will return a nett score of level par. And I can have a competitive game with others of different abilities.
> 3. I am aware of how its calculated from its current position, i.e. what happens if I shoot x many over or under my handicap in competition, and how CSS(competition standard scratch) works. I'm also aware of the application of Rule 19(CONGU) for general play, and that as a Cat 1 player my 'Home' club cannot apply Rule 19 to me without permission from the County Union.
> ...


Don't explain this yet until I can get home to research Cat 1 and rule 19 this should be the same in the USGA as R&A I would assume.:dunno:


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## Big Hobbit (Nov 2, 2010)

broken tee said:


> Don't explain this yet until I can get home to research Cat 1 and rule 19 this should be the same in the USGA as R&A I would assume.:dunno:


The R&A isn't the handicapping authority in the UK, although how the handicap is used is subject to R&A rules. The handicapping authority is CONGU.


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## broken tee (Jan 13, 2008)

Big Hobbit said:


> The R&A isn't the handicapping authority in the UK, although how the handicap is used is subject to R&A rules. The handicapping authority is CONGU.


You have to explain this to me in English, because I can't find squat on what you're talking about.


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## stevel1017 (Apr 30, 2007)

1. Yes
1a. 11.5
2. My handicap Index allows me to play a fair game against differing skill levels, by either giving or getting strokes
3. Yes, I know the formula used to calculate a players handicap index. I have been the handicap chairman for a couple of leagues and at one point for a golf course


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## Big Hobbit (Nov 2, 2010)

broken tee said:


> You have to explain this to me in English, because I can't find squat on what you're talking about.


The CONGU Unified Handicapping System

Catagory one is 0 to 5 h'cap - buffer zone of 1, and reductions by 0.1 per shot under css*
Catagory two is 6 to 12 - buffer zone of 2, and reductions by 0.2 per shot under css
Cat three is 13 to 18 - buffer zone of 3, and reductions by 0.3 per shot under css
Cat four is 19 to 28 - buffer zone of 4, and reductions by 0.4 per shot under css

Basically, a golfer puts 3 cards in to the handicapping committee at his club and subsequently his handicap is calculated. Not sure of the actual formula for it but I think chicken bones are involved. 

If he is given a h'cap of 19, and in his first comp he shoots 5 over comp standard scratch(css) his h'cap will rise to 19.1, and if he repeats it next time out he rises to 19.2. When he reaches 19.5 he then plays off 20. If he is playing off 20 and shoots 4 over css he is in the buffer zone and his handicap isn't adjusted. If he is off 20 and shoots 3 under css his h'cap is reduced by 3x0.4=18.8, and if he was 5 under css it would be 4x0.4=18.4 at which time he would drop into cat 3 and a further 1x0.3=18.1

Competition Standard Scratch (css) CSS is calculated for every qualifying comp, and is based on a % of each catagory of golfer beating par. If for example the weather is bad and the % of golfers beating par isn't high enough then the comp becomes a non-qualifier and h'caps are not adjusted after the comp. If the weather is really good, and loads of guys beat par css would drop, and their h'caps would drop but not by as much as when only a limited number beat css.

Rule 19 General play  Sometimes called clause 23. Some golfers are poor at stroke play comps but are good at matchplay, or maybe they are poor playing singles comps but good in pairs comps. Those that are poor at stroke play/singles comps but good in matchplay/pairs comps can still have their h'caps reduced by applying Rule 19. His handicap committee will determine his new h'cap based on observed play. It will be reduced by a minimum of 1 full shot but can, thereafter be parts of a shot, e.g. 1.5. Application of Rule 19 is a little subjective and can be a bit contentious - I know, I've had a lawyer's letter after using it.

I vaguely remember someone telling me you have the Slope rating for courses in the US, where a difficult course would have a higher rating figure than an easier course. Your h'cap figure is multiplied by the rating figure giving you a playing h'cap applicable to each type of course you visit - sounds like a good idea.


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## broken tee (Jan 13, 2008)

I'll tell you hobbitt I have never heard of anything like that, SLOPE does factor in difficulty here that is all I know. Im just a simple weekend golfer that on an occasion had to take his shoes off to count his strokes So thank you for trying to edumacate me.


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## Tim (Jan 8, 2011)

LOL I still dont get it.


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## DanFive0 (Jan 9, 2011)

Best Explanation
A handicap almost works out to be your average strokes you are over or under par. Its not that exact due to all the variables from course to course. Slope/Rating/Yardage/Par all have to come into play when determining a handicap. I do not know the actual equation but I've been keeping my handicap through the USGA since I was 12, so that makes it 20 years now, wow Im getting old. 
Ex. a 5 handicap golfer scoring average is typically around a 77 depending on the difficulty of courses they play. 
Me for instance, I am an assistant pro here in Westchester NY and Im a 2.3 handicap. I was invited to play Trump National here in NY. At the time I was a 3.3. We played from the back tees and it measured over 7400 yds, and was extremely difficult course, almost not fun. Anyways I shot a 78 and even though that was above my scoring average of 74.6, my handicap still went down to a 3.1. 
Hope this helps, the USGA handicap is usually $30 a year and you need it to play in events that may require it along with most club leagues. There are plenty of free handicap trackers on the internet but be aware some are not accurate. I like Yahoo's, because you can start a group and invite your golf buddies and when you log in you can see all your friends scores and handicaps. Ours is Chunkin Wedges


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## Big Hobbit (Nov 2, 2010)

broken tee said:


> I'll tell you hobbitt I have never heard of anything like that, SLOPE does factor in difficulty here that is all I know. Im just a simple weekend golfer that on an occasion had to take his shoes off to count his strokes So thank you for trying to edumacate me.





Tim said:


> LOL I still dont get it.


Don't worry guys, I have been assimilated by the Borg and had a chip inserted. After 20-odd years managing people's handicaps I've had medication and therapy and can now pee into the wind without caring.

Summer's coming


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## Fourputt (Nov 18, 2006)

Simplified, the US system takes slope and rating into account for calculating and for applying handicap. It isn't necessary to understand the precise implementation, But in general:

Course rating is the score a scratch golfer would be expected to average on the course, and is based mostly on length. 

Slope is a measure of the difficulty of negotiating the course for a bogey golfer, and is based more on the features and terrain of the course. Things like number and placement of water hazards and bunkers, putting difficulty, and other impediments to making straightforward shots are all taken in to consideration by the rating team. The average slope is 113. If you play a course with a 113 slope it will not affect your course handicap. 

Example: If your handicap index is 12.1, and you play a course with a 113 slope, then your course handicap would be 12. The same index of 12.1 on a course with a slope of 130 would give you a course handicap of 14.


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## Hogan (Jan 23, 2007)

What is a handicap? Let's see...oh yeah, it's my putter.


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## stevel1017 (Apr 30, 2007)

this is the formula used to calculate a handicap index
(Score - Course Rating) x 113 / Slope Rating

A minimum of five scores and a maximum of 20 is required to get started. Remember, when posting scores for handicaps, you must your adjusted gross scores. 
For example, let's say the score is 85, the course rating 72.2, the slope 131. The formula would be (85 - 72.2) x 113 / 131.

This differential is calculated for each round entered.

Figure out how many differentials are being used. Not every differential that results from Step 1 will be used in the next step. If only five rounds are entered, only the lowest differential will be used. If 20 rounds are entered, only the 10 lowest differentials are used.
Get an average of the differentials used by adding them together and dividing by the number used (i.e., if five differentials are used, add them up and divide by five). 

Multiply the result by .96 (96-percent). Drop all the digits after the tenths (do not round off) and the result is handicap index.


for more info see here
Golf Handicap FAQ: What is the Golf Handicap Calculation?
and here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handicap_(golf)


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## broken tee (Jan 13, 2008)

Hogan said:


> What is a handicap? Let's see...oh yeah, it's my putter.


Is this a disease I have the same symptoms with mine


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## broken tee (Jan 13, 2008)

Big Hobbit said:


> Don't worry guys, I have been assimilated by the Borg and had a chip inserted. After 20-odd years managing people's handicaps I've had medication and therapy and can now pee into the wind without caring.
> 
> Summer's coming


 The true Borg golfer

Don't worry guys, We have been assimilated by the Borg and had a chip inserted. After 20-odd years managing people's handicaps We've had medication and therapy and can now pee into the wind without caring. Lacutus is watching.

The Collective


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