Jump to content
IGNORED

9 Hole Rounds and Handicaps


Uthinkso
Note: This thread is 3614 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Recommended Posts

In my league, which plays 9 holes we figure our handicaps based on a 9 hole round like most. Then another player asked my cousin what his handicap is for 18 holes and he said it was a 5, but he is a 5 for 9 holes. So this started a heated debate on what is right. I told him at best I'll say your a 10 because your a 5 for 9 holes.

I know I'm closer to the right track than he is, but can somebody clarify this issue for me?

Weapons Of Choice
R5 Dual 9.5* Driver
R7 Draw Hybrid 3
Tight Lies #4 16* Fairway Wood
HCT Tour Irons 5-SW CG-11 52 CG-11 56 CG-11 60 BC-101 Putter
Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Replies 63
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

USGA handicaps are based on 18 holes.
What's In My Stand Bag...
Driver: R9 TP 9.5*
3W: R9 15*
Hybrid: Rescue Dual TP 2H 16*
Irons 3-P: MP-62Wedges: Vokey 52* & 58*Putter: 34" Newport StudioBall: Pro V1x
Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Administrator
USGA handicaps are based on 18 holes.

Yeah. Also important to note: handicap index isn't necessarily the same as handicap.

If your course handicap comes out to 5.4 that rounds down to 5. Doubling it would make it 11 (10.8). Indexes have a decimal point. Course handicaps are in full shots.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

If you want to have a laugh and learn about 9 hole handicaps at the same time, do a search on 'brah?', take the longest thread in the search and you'll get all the info you need :).

Just make sure you don't bump that old stinker of a thread.
Link to comment
Share on other sites


In my league, which plays 9 holes we figure our handicaps based on a 9 hole round like most. Then another player asked my cousin what his handicap is for 18 holes and he said it was a 5, but he is a 5 for 9 holes. So this started a heated debate on what is right. I told him at best I'll say your a 10 because your a 5 for 9 holes.

To attempt further clarification, your league handicap is not "official" it is only an approximation of a handicap and depending on the method used it could vary greatly from a USGA handicap.

The "approximation" of doubling your 9-hole league "handicap" is perhaps slightly reasonable but should not be passed off as an official USGA handicap index. It fails to take into account slope and rating of the course you normally play compared to the course you are stating a handicap at and it is not representative of your scoring potential over 18 holes to simply double your "best average" 9-hole score for your 18-hole legitimate handicap. The best method would be to utilize the USGA handicap caluculations and combine two consecutive 9-hole rounds to determine your actual handicap index. Regarding the clarification you are requesting, to state that he is a 5-handicap would be well outside of his scoring ability with respect to par. He would indeed be closer to a 10-15 handicap through 18. Regards, -E

In my Grom bag:

Driver........... Burner 9.5* S-Flex
3-Wood......... Burner 15* S-Flex
5-Wood......... Ovation 18* S-FlexIrons............. Pro Combos 3,5-PW Rifle 6.0Wedges......... CG12 52.10, 56.14, 60.10Putter............ 33" VP1 Milled PutterBall................ e6+ or B330-SRangefinder.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites


To attempt further clarification, your league handicap is not "official" it is only an approximation of a handicap and depending on the method used it could vary greatly from a USGA handicap.

Well said. You NEVER double what you took on 9 holes because 18 holes adds elements that may not be as favorable to you when you do 9 (such as fatigue). Always base the handicap off of 18.
Link to comment
Share on other sites


The USGA handicap manual defines 9-hole handicaps and tells you what to do if you have one (section 10.5):

A nine-hole handicap is a Handicap Index (N) if the club follows the USGA Handicap System. A nine-hole handicap, or Handicap Index (N), may be used in inter-club play against other players with nine-hole handicaps. If a competition requires a Handicap Index, a Handicap Index (N) may be doubled for 18-hole play.

It goes on to say that if you need a 9-hole handicap and only have a normal handicap, you halve your Handicap Index (and apply some rounding). So it seems that there is some legitimacy to a 9-hole handicap, but it's not clear to me exactly what the limits are.

In the bag:
FT-iQ 10° driver, FT 21° neutral 3H
T-Zoid Forged 15° 3W, MX-23 4-PW
Harmonized 52° GW, Tom Watson 56° SW, X-Forged Vintage 60° LW
White Hot XG #1 Putter, 33"

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • 3 months later...
I know that when calculation your handicap, it combines 9 hole rounds together to make a single 18 hole round.

How does it choose which 9 holes to combine.

Example:

Round 1: 7/31 45
Round 2: 8/14 44
Round 3: 8/19 44

So I assume it takes round 1 and 2 and combines them and then will combine round 3 with the next 9 hole set I play. Is this correct?

Kevin

-------
In the Bag
Driver: G15 9.0*3 & 5 Wood: BurnerHybrid: Pro Gold 20*; 23*Irons: MP-58 (5-PW)Wedges: Vokey Spin Milled 52*8; 56*14Putter: Newport 2.0 33"Balls: NXT

Link to comment
Share on other sites


So I assume it takes round 1 and 2 and combines them and then will combine round 3 with the next 9 hole set I play. Is this correct?

yep. see 10-5 of the

USGA Handicap Manual for details.

"You can live to be a hundred if you give up all the things that make you want to live to be a hundred." Woody Allen
My regular pasture.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • 11 months later...
There are a few courses in my area that have 27 holes (blue, green, and white) for play. When I go to them, I usually play 18 holes. How would I figure out the course rating and slope for all 3 9-holes courses? Would they just be half of a normal course rating and slope?

Driver: :cobra: BiO Cell (10.5º)

Wood: :ping: G15 3 (15.5°)

Hybrids: :callaway: Diablo Edge: 3 (21º), 4 (24º)

Irons: :callaway: Diablo Edge: 5-PW

Wedges: :cleveland:588 RTX CB 50º, Paradise Black Chrome II Sand Wedge 56º

Link to comment
Share on other sites


I think it has to be rated by the USGA or Canadien counterpart. It shoud be printed somewhere on the scorecard for each tee box or a listing of course ratings. The 9 hole course that I'm learning on doesn't have one so I just list it as "hard". lol

Driver:  :nike:  Vapor Pro 9.5°  Wood & Hybrids : :nike:Covert Tour 13°, 18° & 21°
Irons & Wedges:
  :nike:  Covert 2.0  5i - AW,  :titleist:   56-14F,  60-07S
Putter:     :titleist:Newport Select
Balls:  :bridgestone: B330-RX

Link to comment
Share on other sites


The problem is, it only gives me the course rating and slope for the 3 18-hole combinations. (i.e. green/white, red/white, green/red). It doesn't give me the course rating and slope for 9-hole course.

Driver: :cobra: BiO Cell (10.5º)

Wood: :ping: G15 3 (15.5°)

Hybrids: :callaway: Diablo Edge: 3 (21º), 4 (24º)

Irons: :callaway: Diablo Edge: 5-PW

Wedges: :cleveland:588 RTX CB 50º, Paradise Black Chrome II Sand Wedge 56º

Link to comment
Share on other sites


The problem is, it only gives me the course rating and slope for the 3 18-hole combinations. (i.e. green/white, red/white, green/red). It doesn't give me the course rating and slope for 9-hole course.

When you combine 9 hole rounds into an 18 hole round, the rule is that rating = rating_1 + rating_2 and slope = (slope_1 + slope_2)/2 (i.e., you add the ratings and average the slopes). If you're handy with algebra you can work out the 9-hole ratings for each 9 from the info you have. I'm bored so I'll help you out here

I'll call the ratings and slopes for the various pairs R_12, R_13, R_23, and the slopes S_12, S_13, and S_23. These are for 9-holes #1 paired with #2, #1 with #3, and #2 with #3, respectively. The ratings for each 9 are then R_1 = (R_12+R_13-R23)/2, R_2 = (R_12+R_23-R_13)/2, and R_3 = (R_13+R_23-R_12)/2. The slopes are S_1 = S_12+S_13-S_23, S_2 = S_12+S_23-S_13, and S_3 = S_13+S_23-S_12.

In the bag:
FT-iQ 10° driver, FT 21° neutral 3H
T-Zoid Forged 15° 3W, MX-23 4-PW
Harmonized 52° GW, Tom Watson 56° SW, X-Forged Vintage 60° LW
White Hot XG #1 Putter, 33"

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Thanks. I just finished calculating them now. (I started about 20 minutes ago)

Driver: :cobra: BiO Cell (10.5º)

Wood: :ping: G15 3 (15.5°)

Hybrids: :callaway: Diablo Edge: 3 (21º), 4 (24º)

Irons: :callaway: Diablo Edge: 5-PW

Wedges: :cleveland:588 RTX CB 50º, Paradise Black Chrome II Sand Wedge 56º

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Is it as simple as dividing the slope and rating by 2? Seems like if I enter a 45 the calculator will think I shot an amazing round..

2013 Goal:

 

Single digit handicap

Link to comment
Share on other sites


You don't need to do anything with the slope and rating. The calculation is going to give you a 9-hole handicap though - you'd need to double it if you want to compare it to a standard 18-hole handicap.

Technically it wouldn't affect your official handicap though until you played another 9 that could be combined with the first 9. To get an 18-hole slope and rating from 2 9s, you add the ratings and average the slopes. I.e., if you played the same 9 hole course again you'd double the rating and use the existing slope. Or, if you were to play your next 9 at an 18 hole course, they would have separate ratings and slopes for each 9 and you'd use the rating/slope for whichever 9 you played.

Bill

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Is it as simple as dividing the slope and rating by 2? Seems like if I enter a 45 the calculator will think I shot an amazing round..

I infer from a local course near me that GAM (Golf Associaiton of Michigan) put ratings on the front & back 9 and the final 18 is the summ of the ratings and the slope is the average. For instance, here is the Willow Metropark ratings & slopes:

Blue Tee, 70.0/124 Blue Tee Back 9, 34.6/125 Blue Tee Front 9, 35.4/123 Gold Tee, 65.9/108 Gold Tee Back 9, 32.3/104 Gold Tee Front 9, 33.6/112 White Tee, 68.5/121 White Tee Back 9, 33.8/121 White Tee Front 9, 34.7/122 Let me know which course/tee & I'll look it up for you at the GAM website if you don't have a membership.

"You can live to be a hundred if you give up all the things that make you want to live to be a hundred." Woody Allen
My regular pasture.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


...the final 18 is the summ of the ratings and the slope is the average.

Yeah, like I said.

The OP said it was a 9 hole course though, in which case he would just use the course's slope and rating.

Bill

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Note: This thread is 3614 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Welcome to TST! Signing up is free, and you'll see fewer ads and can talk with fellow golf enthusiasts! By using TST, you agree to our Terms of Use, our Privacy Policy, and our Guidelines.

The popup will be closed in 10 seconds...