Low ball/ total ball Handicap ???

[cape cod beachfront golfer]

For years now we have played matches scoring low and total...
We play in a way that the handicap strokes are used ONLY ONCE.
If you use your stroke to WIN LOW...
you can not use the stroke in figuring the team TOTAL.
Today I played with a group that allowed the stroke be used both ways!
Ex: a score of 5 became a 4 for both LOW and TOTAL ???
How do most groups use handicap in LOW/TOTAL matches ???
thanks.

[rembrandt]

I've never played with a group that used both. Most tournaments etc only allow you to use it once, usually total ball I believe. Anyway, I like the groups to not use a handicap at all.