U.S.A. Handicap

[thescarecrow]

I am trying to understand how handicaps work in the U.S. Can someone answer these Questions

What I can gather, the course rating changes if you hit off different Tees at your OWN choice. (How many tees are there? and yardage between Tees approx). Here everybody hits off the same tee, they are rotated between blue and white only

Your  Maximum Handicap (36 here was 27 several years back).

Is there one system for all the states?

Social rounds handicapped (unheard of here) is this true.

I take it the slope is the Rating on the difficulties between courses

Would you change anything? Is it a good system?.  We are slowly adopting bits and pieces of U.S. system , but all the above unknown.

Thank You

[phan52]

Maximum handicap index for men is 36.4. for women 40.

Course rating is a single number that indicates the difficulty of a golfer course to a "scratch golfer," one who has a 0 handicap. Meanwhile, course slope is a more complicated number that indicates the difficulty of a course for a bogey golfer. The slope for a course of "average" difficulty is 113. For example, our course has a 73 rating and a 138 slope from our regular men's tee. A scratch player should, on the average, shoot a 73 (par is 72). The slope of 138 indicates that the course is fairly difficult for bogey players. We can play any one of multiple tee boxes available from 7000 yards (tips) down to 6100 (seniors) and the different tee boxes will have different slopes that will adjust your handicap accordingly.

You carry your index to different courses and it will adjust based on the rating and slope. For instance, my index is 9.8, but I am usually a 12 handicap from our men's tees. If I played a course with a 113 slope, I would be adjusted up to 10 from 9.8.

Unfortunately, yes, casual rounds count toward your handicap. The best 10 of your last 20 determines what your handicap is at any given time. Tournament scores can count for more than just a posted score if two of them in the last 12 months are below your normal range. It is a bit of a complicated process for handicap scores to count for more, but they are always in the background for 12 months and won't necessarily go away even though they may not be in your last 20.

I would prefer the R&A; method of just tournament scores. The downside is that if you don't play in a lot of tournaments, your handicap isn't necessarily up to date. I don't know the answer, but I know the USGA and R&A; discuss this dilemma regularly. The USGA's method encourages more participation in the process and that is one of their priorities.

I hope that is a help.

[thescarecrow]

Originally Posted by phan52

Maximum handicap index for men is 36.4. for women 40.

Course rating is a single number that indicates the difficulty of a golfer course to a "scratch golfer," one who has a 0 handicap. Meanwhile, course slope is a more complicated number that indicates the difficulty of a course for a bogey golfer. The slope for a course of "average" difficulty is 113. For example, our course has a 73 rating and a 138 slope from our regular men's tee. A scratch player should, on the average, shoot a 73 (par is 72). The slope of 138 indicates that the course is fairly difficult for bogey players. We can play any one of multiple tee boxes available from 7000 yards (tips) down to 6100 (seniors) and the different tee boxes will have different slopes that will adjust your handicap accordingly.

You carry your index to different courses and it will adjust based on the rating and slope. For instance, my index is 9.8, but I am usually a 12 handicap from our men's tees. If I played a course with a 113 slope, I would be adjusted up to 10 from 9.8.

Unfortunately, yes, casual rounds count toward your handicap. The best 10 of your last 20 determines what your handicap is at any given time. Tournament scores can count for more than just a posted score if two of them in the last 12 months are below your normal range. It is a bit of a complicated process for handicap scores to count for more, but they are always in the background for 12 months and won't necessarily go away even though they may not be in your last 20.

I would prefer the R&A; method of just tournament scores. The downside is that if you don't play in a lot of tournaments, your handicap isn't necessarily up to date. I don't know the answer, but I know the USGA and R&A; discuss this dilemma regularly. The USGA's method encourages more participation in the process and that is one of their priorities.

I hope that is a help.

Complicated alright

......How many tees are there to hit from?.

6100 seniors , does that mean you have to be a senior to hit from there

How old is a senior?.

Where on the tee list is the mens?

[luu5]

Originally Posted by phan52

I would prefer the R&A; method of just tournament scores.

Not sure if R&A; has "anything" to do with handicapping.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by phan52

We can play any one of multiple tee boxes available from 7000 yards (tips) down to 6100 (seniors) and the different tee boxes will have different slopes that will adjust your handicap accordingly.

The different tee boxes have different slopes AND ratings.  I know you knew that, just clarifying for scarecrow.

Originally Posted by thescarecrow

Complicated alright

......How many tees are there to hit from?.

6100 seniors , does that mean you have to be a senior to hit from there

How old is a senior?.

Where on the tee list is the mens?

Anybody can play any set of tees, with one caveat;  A lot of the shorter tees that are typically meant for women or juniors are not rated for men.

There used to be generally three sets of tees at a lot of courses, referred to commonly as championship, mens, and ladies.  Now they're just called back, middle, front, or whatever their color, and several newer courses have 4, 5 or even 6 sets of tees.  Quick example:

A course I frequent has 4 sets of tees, 3 rated for men.  The back tees are 6950 and rated at 73.5/136, next tees are 6583 yards, 71.7/129, and lastly are 6,187 yards, 69.4/124

If I was to shoot an 80 from the back tees, my "handicap" would be 5.1.  That same 80 from the two next sets of tees would give me handicaps of 6.9 and 9.2 respectively.  Conversely, to keep that 5 HDCP from the forward tees, I'd have to shoot 75 consistently.

[sacm3bill]

Good summary phan, just a couple minor corrections:

Originally Posted by phan52

... and the different tee boxes will have different slopes and ratings that will adjust your handicap accordingly.

You carry your index to different courses and it will adjust based on the rating and slope. (They are based on slope only)

Originally Posted by thescarecrow

Complicated alright

......How many tees are there to hit from?.

6100 seniors , does that mean you have to be a senior to hit from there

How old is a senior?.

Where on the tee list is the mens?

It's not really hard to use once you start using it. All you need to do is enter your scores, and the system tells you your index. And any course will be able to tell you what your *course* index is for any given set of tees.

Different courses have different numbers of tees. It just gives players of varying ability an appropriate length/difficulty. No one is forced to play one set or another in casual play. In tournaments the players will generally all play from the same set though.

Lately courses have been getting away from calling tees "Seniors", or "Ladies", since that stereotypes: You might be an older person, or a female, who hits it a long ways - if so, play farther back. You might be a strong young man but are new to the game - if so, play farther up. In order to get away from people thinking they need to play a certain set of tees based on their age/gender, more courses are just color coding the tees. Play from the blues, play from the reds, etc.

[thescarecrow]

Interesting.           Does all these options show on the score card, if so where can i down load to see?

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by thescarecrow

Interesting.           Does all these options show on the score card, if so where can i down load to see?

Yes.  Here is the course I was using in the example: http://talegagolfclub.com/images/scorecard.jpg (The rating/slope is shown right next to the tee color)

[thescarecrow]

Thanks,  I will check out................sounds allright, although social rounds could free for all.

[thescarecrow]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Yes.  Here is the course I was using in the example:  http://talegagolfclub.com/images/scorecard.jpg  (The rating/slope is shown right next to the tee color)

Looks good........... I take it Handicap is the hole ratings 1-18...............also can men hit off the red

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by thescarecrow

Looks good........... I take it Handicap is the hole ratings 1-18...............also can men hit off the red

Yeah, those handicap numbers are basically the difficulty of the holes, 1 being the hardest.

And, like I said, anybody can play off any set of tees.  Typically, however, its pretty obvious that the red tees are rated for the women because the rating and slope would be higher than the white tees are.  (And, also frequently, the white tees have two ratings - one men, one women)  This one being so low leads me to believe that those are the ratings for men from the red tees.  Here's another example ... all tees rated for men, front and middle rated for women:

http://www.americangolf.com/sites/default/files/RanchoSanJoaquin_0.pdf

[phan52]

Originally Posted by luu5

Not sure if R&A; has "anything" to do with handicapping.

True. I was thinking in terms of the British system, which only counts tournament scores for handicap purposes.

[phan52]

Originally Posted by thescarecrow

Complicated alright

......How many tees are there to hit from?.

6100 seniors , does that mean you have to be a senior to hit from there

How old is a senior?.

Where on the tee list is the mens?

Our tees are blue (tips), white (men), green (senior) which is combination of some more forward tees and the men's tees, red (women), yellow (junior). The red and yellow tees are not rated for men, and the blue, white and green tees are not rated for women.

[thescarecrow]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Yeah, those handicap numbers are basically the difficulty of the holes, 1 being the hardest.

And, like I said, anybody can play off any set of tees.  Typically, however, its pretty obvious that the red tees are rated for the women because the rating and slope would be higher than the white tees are.  (And, also frequently, the white tees have two ratings - one men, one women)  This one being so low leads me to believe that those are the ratings for men from the red tees.  Here's another example ... all tees rated for men, front and middle rated for women:

http://www.americangolf.com/sites/default/files/RanchoSanJoaquin_0.pdf

Very Good, I can see that Rancho is rated a harder Course.........Understand........One last thing do you play much Stableford and par, every  threads seem to revolve around stroke play.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by thescarecrow

One last thing do you play much Stableford and par, every  threads seem to revolve around stroke play.

Nope.  I barely even know what Stableford is.  There was a PGA Tour tournament they used to play in Colorado (maybe they still do??) that used Stableford.  I know it is some sort of points system where you get + points for good scores and - for bad, so the higher the total the better, but I don't know the specifics and I have never played it.

Seems fun though for somebody like me.  I tend to screw up my scores with a couple of really bad holes and stableford and match play will minimize their effect more than stroke since you don't have to count all of the extra strokes.

[thescarecrow]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Nope.  I barely even know what Stableford is.  There was a PGA Tour tournament they used to play in Colorado (maybe they still do??) that used Stableford.  I know it is some sort of points system where you get + points for good scores and - for bad, so the higher the total the better, but I don't know the specifics and I have never played it.

Seems fun though for somebody like me.  I tend to screw up my scores with a couple of really bad holes and stableford and match play will minimize their effect more than stroke since you don't have to count all of the extra strokes.

Down here we play 70 percent Par/ stableford (par is a variation of Stable ford)  Your right based on points and the game goes much quicker, if you cannot score a point you pick up the ball,( like a mercy rule).........There is no 5 hour rounds if everybody is playing stableford, The Trend is also to play more aggressive as you can just wipe the hole if you wack one out of bounds. Most players prefer is as it is much quicker, and does get counted to your handicap.

[MacDutch]

Difference is not that big. I have a HCP based on Stableford 13.4. Before I went to Florida last month I wanted to know what my US HCP would be. Taking the best 10 rounds out of my last 20 qualifying rounds.........

and it was 13.2.

Played some rounds in Florida. One was on Celebration (near Orlando) and they have 4 tee's to play of for men: most backward = black, backward = gold, forward = blue and most forward = white. The colors differ between courses.