Stroke Index - Question

[keeps21]

My local course is a par 34, 9 hole course.

On the scorecard it has 18 holes, basically what I want to know is that on the back 9 why is the stroke index 1 higher?

e.g. On the 1st hole the SI is 5, then on the 10th (the same physical hole) the SI is 6.

It follows the same pattern for all of the back 9 holes.

[iacas]

My local course is a par 34, 9 hole course.

What's a stroke index? Do you mean the handicap number?

[$2 Nassau]

1st hole is the 5th hardest hole. Not sure why it would change for the back 9 though.

Do you play from different tees when you play the back? That could be the reason. Some 9 hole courses offer "front 9 and back 9 tees" to give golfers the feeling that they are playing a different course on the back. Therefore, based on the tee placement som holes may be easier or harder.

[iacas]

1st hole is the 5th hardest hole. Not sure why it would change for the back 9 though.

I guess we're assuming it's the handicap he's talking about.

Why would it be one higher for the back? Because if you're a 10 handicap, you only get 5 shots per side, so you take them on (for example), the holes with handicaps 1, 3, 5, 7, 9. On the back, those same holes would be handicapped at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. Thus, you get your 10 strokes if you play 18 holes, and only five if you play 9 holes. If they were all the same (i.e. 1-9), 10 handicappers would think they'd stroke on every hole. That's not how scorecards are usually written (though usually that's obvious since there aren't many 9-hole courses). It would be a mess.

[hurley9192]

typically, most courses have odd numbers on the first nine and even numbers on the second nine to know what the hardest through easiest holes are. I would imagine they put the odd or lower numbers on the first nine to support someone who is a odd (i.e. 5 or 7) handicap to give them an extra stroke if they only play 9 holes.

I would be more concerned if the numbers didn't corrsepond in the same sequence on the second nine. LOL.

[AndrewM]

Or as was the case at my two courses I grew up on... The course is rated and played from the whites (mid tees) on the front and blue (back tees) on the back. In the case of those two courses, several of the holes actually changed significantly. I can think of two holes on each where the tees could be up to 100 yards apart.

[stewy23]

There is a 9 hole golf course near me and the 1st hole is the hardest really annoying to start off at.

[gaz d]

one of my clubs is 9 hole par 33 we play the same tees both times round but the index goes like
-hole 1.....index 11
-Hole 10...Index 12
Its easier on the back because you have already played it once and are going to be more warmed up and in the swing of things.