combined 9 hole rounds

[ed99ed]

USGA requires golfer to post nine hole rounds. A golfer plays 9 holes on Thursday and posts that score. Friday, he buys a new hybrid, pulls a wedge out of his bag to make room for the new wedge, and goes out and plays 9 holes. When he posts that score, GHIN system combines the 2 9 hole rounds, and the golfer has an 18 hole round with the use of 15 clubs. I cannot swap out clubs at the turn when playing 18. So question is does that golfer get a penalty for using 15 clubs in a combined round?

Thanks

Ed

[iacas]

Originally Posted by ed99ed

USGA requires golfer to post nine hole rounds. A golfer plays 9 holes on Thursday and posts that score. Friday, he buys a new hybrid, pulls a wedge out of his bag to make room for the new wedge, and goes out and plays 9 holes. When he posts that score, GHIN system combines the 2 9 hole rounds, and the golfer has an 18 hole round with the use of 15 clubs. I cannot swap out clubs at the turn when playing 18. So question is does that golfer get a penalty for using 15 clubs in a combined round?

No. The golfer played two separate nine-hole rounds. They're combined only for handicapping purposes.

[TourSpoon]

You probably used the range both times as well. As Erik said they are only combined for handicap purposes. If you really think about it the nine-holes with the swapped out club is not statistically significant as it may only represent 5% of your total handicap (1/2 of 1 of your best 10).  If there was a benefit it errs in the direction of giving you a lower handicap which protects all of us and only hurts you for net events.