Serious question about handicap index

[RyderJ]

How does it all work? As I've said before, I'm really just an idiot hacker, but want to begin logging my scorecards online and I don't even know where to begin? If someone would be so kind as to explain it to me I would appreciate it greatly! Thanks

[WWBDD]

Quote:

How does it all work?

Why not ask something simple ... like how to turn lead into gold?

[rustyredcab]

To begin, pick a club (most any public course) and tell them you'd like to keep your handicap with them. Costs about $30 a year in Chicago area. Make sure they allow on-line postings of your scores so that you don't need to go to the course to post every score (like we did on the old days). Keep it every year and all your data is saved and your index goes on forever.

When you post a score, you'll post the course rating and the slope. Both are measures of how hard the course is. Using those measures, there is a formula that converts your score into a differential. Once you have 20 scores posted, your index is computed by taking is 96% of the best ten differentials from your last 20 rounds. The system does this for you and you get a new index at each update period. In Chicagoland, we now update on the 1st and 15th of each month during the golf season. So your index does not change everyday -- only at update times. Once you have an index, you convert that index to a handicap for the course you plan to play that day using a chart based on the slope. The higher the slope, the higher your handicap will be on the course.

There's rules around getting an index before you get 20 scores posted. All of that will happen automatically for you. There are other threads with the formulas.

It is not an average score. It is based on good scores. And it is based on the difficulty of the course. One of my 10 best differentials was a score of 82 on a hard course instead of a 79 on an easier course. The basics are: the harder the course, the lower your differential, and only your best differentials count.

[WWBDD]

I didn't know public courses would calculate a handicap for you. I'm going to look into that.

I've seen the online handicap calculators, but they seem like a pain in the a** to use.

I state my 2 year old 22 handicap from my old club. I've probably brought it down, so I'm like a total sandbagger(lite).

[sacm3bill]

Originally Posted by WWBDD

I didn't know public courses would calculate a handicap for you. I'm going to look into that.

Most public courses have a men's or women's club associated with it. That club is what you'd get your handicap through (by joining the club).

[RyderJ]

So basically, shooting an 85 on a course with a high slope rating is better than shooting a 77 on a course with an average rating? Am I understanding you correctly?

[The Professor]

The last post gave everything you need to know.  I'll also add a link to usga.org describing it in case you have trouble sleeping. http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Handicap-System-Manual/Handicap-Manual/#scrollTop:rules_browse_left =

You do have to belong to a club to have an official handicap, but there are plenty of on-line golf posting sites that can be used that follow the handicap calculation -- but those are considered unofficial.  I've been using oobgolf.com and have been very pleased with being able to enter my scores, stats, view friends' information.

[WWBDD]

Originally Posted by sacm3bill

Most public courses have a men's or women's club associated with it. That club is what you'd get your handicap through (by joining the club).

Yeah, that I know.

rustyredcab said that one could get a course to calculate your handicap for a small fee, not club membership.

Sounds a bit too good to be true around these parts.

[RyderJ]

So this site keeps track of all your stats as well? That's much better than the notebook I keep and review...lol

Originally Posted by The Professor

The last post gave everything you need to know.  I'll also add a link to usga.org describing it in case you have trouble sleeping. http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books/Handicap-System-Manual/Handicap-Manual/#scrollTop:rules_browse_left=

You do have to belong to a club to have an official handicap, but there are plenty of on-line golf posting sites that can be used that follow the handicap calculation -- but those are considered unofficial.  I've been using oobgolf.com and have been very pleased with being able to enter my scores, stats, view friends' information.

[rustyredcab]

The USGA seems to delegate this stuff to regional associations. In Chicagoland, it is the Chicago District Golf Association (CDGA). So, while things may differ in other regions, in Chicagoland, every rated course (official slope and course rating from the CDGA) offers handicap services. Public courses do it for a small fee with no strings attached. I kept mine at a local course for years and almost never played there. It was close to home and back then, you had to go to the course to post away scores.

I've gotta believe that courses in CA will take your annual handicap fee with a smile.

Quote:

So basically, shooting an 85 on a course with a high slope rating is better than shooting a 77 on a course with an average rating? Am I understanding you correctly?

Usually not that drastic. But a hard course 85 might be the same as an 82 on a really easy course.

[RyderJ]

Ok, thanks, I think I understand it. I'm pretty sure where I live what you are speaking of is the Northern California Golf Association (NCGA). I suppose I start by researching their site and going from there.

[sacm3bill]

Originally Posted by WWBDD

Yeah, that I know.

rustyredcab said that one could get a course to calculate your handicap for a small fee, not club membership.

Sounds a bit too good to be true around these parts.

Actually he said, "pick a club (most any public course)..." So my interpretation was that he *was* saying the club calculates your handicap - I was just clarifying that by "most any public course" he probably meant "most any public course has a club" (that will calculate your handicap).

You pretty much have to be in a club to have an official handicap - whether that club is associated with a course, not associated with a course, or online-only. If the course is saying "We'll calculate your handicap for a fee", I'd think you'd have to be careful to make sure it's an official GHIN handicap if that's what you want, and not just them doing your calculations for you.  If it's an official cap, then they're acting as a club for all intents.

[rustyredcab]

Originally Posted by RyderJ

Ok, thanks, I think I understand it. I'm pretty sure where I live what you are speaking of is the Northern California Golf Association (NCGA). I suppose I start by researching their site and going from there.

Of course, everything is more expensive in California. On the other hand, almost everything is better in California too. Looks like eClubs are the NCGA solution for getting a handicap without belonging to a club. $75 for the first year. Ouch.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by RyderJ

So basically, shooting an 85 on a course with a high slope rating is better than shooting a 77 on a course with an average rating? Am I understanding you correctly?

The difference isn't typically that great.  My 14 index when applied to a very difficult course with a 148 slope would still only convert to an 18 course handicap - just 4 strokes.  And 148 is a very high slope.  The tees I play at most courses run in the 120-130 range.  On my home course with a 120 slope from the middle tees, it only converts to a 15 course handicap.  The average slope for calculation purposes is 113.

[RyderJ]

Thanks for all the great info guys...all is very much appreciated