How is your handicap calculated?

[Busjedwa]

I've just joined a new club and am in the process of getting my 3 cards in, but how do they calculate it? One bloke told me he carded +23, +20 and +33 but ended up off 15. They've been noting my 3 putts which will be taken into consideration, appartently out of bounds are noted too .. oh and the weather ... it poored down on my second card this morning ... what else and then how do they arrive at the initial starting handicap??

[Range King]

Here in Germany, you have to pass a theoretical (rules and etiquett) and a practical test. (Score Stableford points).

Then you get a Hcp 54.

After that you can play in tournaments, and every score will influence your HCP. Eg if you shoot a 108 on a par 72, you will drop to Hcp 36.
If you then score a 100, you drop to 32.

So every scorecard can influence the HCP up and down.

[Fourputt]

I've just joined a new club and am in the process of getting my 3 cards in, but how do they calculate it? One bloke told me he carded +23, +20 and +33 but ended up off 15. They've been noting my 3 putts which will be taken into consideration, appartently out of bounds are noted too .. oh and the weather ... it poored down on my second card this morning ... what else and then how do they arrive at the initial starting handicap??

Don't know how they do it over there, but here in the US, the individual hole scores are adjusted before the handicap is figured. Depending on your handicap, there is a maximum allowable score that you can turn in for any hole. Since you haven't established a handicap yet, I don't know how any adjustment might work. My guess is that this is what is happening... they are adjusting some particularly high scores downward. This is probably done to keep a new player from starting with an inflated handicap and getting an unfair advantage over the players who have long established and legitimate handicaps.

Here in the US you also need a minimum of 5 scores to establish a starting handicap.

[iacas]

Since you haven't established a handicap yet, I don't know how any adjustment might work. My guess is that this is what is happening... they are adjusting some particularly high scores downward.

They don't adjust if you don't have a handicap. But it's quite possible that with a round of 20 over par he could have a 15 index (and this is all hypothetical, since he's not in the U.S.): If he shoots 92 (par 72) on a course with a slope of 141 and a rating of 73.1 he'd be a 15 handicap. Just sayin'.

Once you have a handicap the normal ESC applies (in the U.S., again): http://www.usga.org/playing/handicap...s/esctest.html

[M2R]

Busjedwa, I believe your club uses the CONGU Unified Handicapping System.
_______________________________________
Q.1 How do I obtain a handicap?

A.1 A CONGU® Unified Handicap can be allotted only to a Member of a golf club that is affiliated, as defined, to a National Union.

To obtain a handicap a player is required to submit a number of cards over 18 holes at his Home Club (preferably over a Measured Course), in such a manner as his Home Club specifies, but not less than three. Each card must be signed by a responsible person acceptable to the Handicap Committee.

Any score of 2 over par for men and 3 over par for ladies shall be amended to 2 [3] over par respectively. After these adjustments have been made an Exact Handicap (whole number) should be allotted equivalent to the number of strokes by which the best of the submitted cards differs from the Standard Scratch Score.

[Busjedwa]

Any score of 2 over par for men and 3 over par for ladies shall be amended to 2 [3] over par respectively. After these adjustments have been made an Exact Handicap (whole number) should be allotted equivalent to the number of strokes by which the best of the submitted cards differs from the Standard Scratch Score.

Thanks for this, i may be being dumb, i always thought they took the 3 cards scores together, but the handicap is derived from the best card (reducing triple bogey's to doubles)? Am I correct in this understanding? Thanks.

[M2R]

Thanks for this, i may be being dumb, i always thought they took the 3 cards scores together, but the handicap is derived from the best card (reducing triple bogey's to doubles)? Am I correct in this understanding? Thanks.

Yea that's the way I understand it too, best card after the adjustments are made.

[Jenks465]

Thanks for this, i may be being dumb, i always thought they took the 3 cards scores together, but the handicap is derived from the best card (reducing triple bogey's to doubles)? Am I correct in this understanding? Thanks.

Yeah thats right. Anything worse than a double bogey is reduced (e.g. Make a 9 on a par four and this counts as a six). The best adjusted score is then compared to the standard scratch score (SSS) of the course and the difference is the players initial handicap.

[SubPar]

Differential calculation: (Score - Course Rating) x 113 / Slope Rating

Rounds Entered Differentials Used
5-6..... 1 lowest
7-8..... 2 lowest
9-10..... 3 lowest
11-12..... 4 lowest
13-14..... 5 lowest
15-16..... 6 lowest
17..... 7 lowest
18 ..... 8 lowest
19 ..... 9 lowest
20 ..... 10 lowest

Equitable Stroke Control Chart

Course Handicap Maximum Score
0-9 ..... Double Bogey
10-19 ..... 7
20-29 ..... 8
30-39 ..... 9
40 or more ..... 10


SubPar

[shankopotamus]

Differential calculation: (Score - Course Rating) x 113 / Slope Rating

Isnt the differential calculation:

[(Score - Course Rating) x 113 / Slop Rating] x .96

[RemyM]

Isnt the differential calculation:

No. The .96 is applied to the average of your 10 (or less) lowest differentials to determine your index.

[onthehunt526]

It is... .96[(average of 10 scores for rounds-course rating) x 113/Slope rating] its is rounded to the nearest tenth... you have to belong to a "club" and have a committee... but you and your buddies can start up a club... you don't have to be necessarily a golf course to be a club... I'm the chairperson of my club's handicap committee... though i don't resolve my final handicap... that's just against the rules... If you have any more questions about it... the USGA and R&A; have videos explaining the whole process

[SubPar]

Don't worry about the math...

http://golf.about.com/od/handicaps/l...dicapincal.htm

SubPar

[Golf Reprisal]

I have a question about handicap calculations. Since I'm new to golf, does the color of the tee affect your handicap? I don't play from the "championship" tees (longest yardage) at my local course and I was wondering if your handicap is ONLY calculated from the furthest tees.

[SubPar]

I have a question about handicap calculations. Since I'm new to golf, does the color of the tee affect your handicap? I don't play from the "championship" tees (longest yardage) at my local course and I was wondering if your handicap is ONLY calculated from the furthest tees.

There is a different slope/rating for each tee, so that is factored into the calculation.

i.e., Tee Slope Rating Yardage Blue 139 72.60 6610 White 134 70.50 6132 Gold 127 67.80 5593 SubPar

[Carolinahooker]

That slope rating is very shaky. I have played a different course for every round of golf so far this year. I played two that were both 128 slope and they were light years apart. If either of those were my home course my handicap would be drastically different.

One was narrow with lots of trouble in the fairways and the greens. The other was wide open and had very accessible greens. Just another reason that not all handicaps are not created equally.

[Beau F]

I really need some help figuring out my handicap.  I'm sure it's pretty high, but all the online handicap calculators want to know what my round score was on a USGA certified course and the course rating.  The local courses that I play at do not have these (that I am aware of anyway).

Is there a way I can at least get close to figuring something out?

[turtleback]

Not really.  Course rating and slope are integral to the handicap index calculation.

But I don't recall seeing a regular course that did not have course rating and slope numbers.  Except Augusta National - and I'm pretty sure that isn't the one you're playing.

List a couple of the courses you play and I'll see if I can help.