Introduction and quick question

[Carr2ne]

I have started playing golf again after a couple years off due to back injury.  Its great to be back on the course again.  I was a decent golfer back in the day, mostly bogey golf with a few pars and maybe a birdie or two.  Since I have started playing again my Irons are still where they were as far as consistency goes. Putting is lacking a bit, but my driving is terrible. I used to be in the fairway's 90% of the time, not long but straight. Now I slice everything.... I don't feel comfortable hitting my driver at all and usually tee off with a 3 or 4 iron.

Ok, so after the introduction and all here is my real question. If you play 9 holes how do you figure out you handicap? Is it a different formula than when playing 18?

[BigAl5150]

Welcome to The Sand Trap (and welcome back to golf!).

As for your question about figuring out your nine-hole handicap, this is from the USGA's site :

10-5. Nine-Hole Handicaps-Handicap Index (N)

a. Nine-Hole Handicap Use and Identification

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.

A player with both a Handicap Index and a Handicap Index (N) should use the Handicap Index (N) in inter-club nine-hole competition and the Handicap Index in 18-hole competition.

A player with only a Handicap Index playing in a nine-hole competition halves the Handicap Index and rounds the decimal upward to the nearest tenth, then converts it to a Course Handicap using the nine-hole Slope Rating from the Course Handicap Table for the tees being played.

b. Method of Computation

Golf clubs compute a Handicap Index (N) by applying nine-hole adjusted gross scores to the USGA Course Rating and Slope Rating of the nine holes played to determine Handicap Differentials .

Note : Players with a Handicap Index (N) who play an 18-hole round, must post two nine-hole scores to their scoring record (N).

Example : For a nine-hole adjusted gross score of 45 with a nine-hole USGA Course Rating of 36.2 and a Slope Rating of 121, the nine-hole Handicap Differential is (45 - 36.2) x 113 / 121 = 8.2. If the average of the best ten nine-hole Handicap Differentials is 8.9, then the Handicap Index (N) is 8.9 x .96 = 8.5. It is posted as "8.5N."

c. Nine-hole Equitable Stroke Control

See definition of Equitable Stroke Control.

Example : A player with a nine-hole Course Handicap of 12 must adjust to a maximum score of 8 for any hole, regardless of par .

d. Maximum Nine-Hole Handicap

The maximum Handicap Index (N) is 18.2 for men and 20.2 for women.

Note : A maximum Handicap Index will convert to a Course Handicap that exceeds these numbers on golf courses with a Slope Rating greater than 113.

A player may have a local handicap above these limits, but it must be identified as a local handicap by the letters "NL" following the number on a handicap card or report (e.g., 24.5NL). (See handicap type .) When such a local handicap is used for inter-club play, the USGA recommends that it be reduced to the maximum Handicap Index (N) specified above.

Welcome!

Alan