Changes to Handicap System for 2016 Released

[Braivo]

http://www.usga.org/articles/2015/11/key-changes-to-handicap-system-for-2016.html

Scores made while playing alone will no longer be allowed. This has a major impact on me as I play mostly by myself. I see the intent, but this will make keeping an accurate index difficult for me. 

• Definition of a tournament score: Additional guidance is provided to Committees conducting competitions regarding the definition of a tournament score, placing greater emphasis on “significant events.” The definition excludes fundraising events and regular league play, in favor of designated competitions such as a member/guest or club championship, local amateur tournament or national qualifying and competition. (Section 2: Definitions)
   

• Adjusting hole scores: A revised decision provides clarity for acceptable scores in limited situations where the player has not played a hole(s) under the Rules of Golf, but his or her score would be sufficiently accurate for handicap posting purposes. Three areas covered under the examples include: 1) where the Local Rule is not in effect, but a player chooses to use a Distance Measuring Device or preferred lies; 2) where a player does not wish to cause undue delay; or 3) where the situation is outside of the player’s control, such as an incorrectly marked golf course.  (Section 4: Adjusting Hole Scores)
   
• Posting scores when a player is disqualified: To improve alignment with the Rules of Golf, the revised Handicap System is clearer about what scores are acceptable when a player is disqualified. In general, a score is acceptable for handicap purposes even when a player fails to hole out, or apply a Rule that affects the rights of another player. If the disqualification breach is determined to provide an advantage for the player, the score is deemed unacceptable for handicap purposes. (Section 5-1: Acceptability of Scores)
   
• Anchoring and posting: A new reference concerns a player who anchors the club while making a stroke during a round and fails to apply the appropriate penalty or an adjusted hole score (Section 4-2). Since the score would not be reflected as playing under the Rules of Golf, it would be unacceptable for handicap purposes. (Section 5-1: Acceptability of Scores)
   

• Playing alone and necessary peer review: To further support the key System premise of peer review, scores made while playing alone will no longer be acceptable for handicap purposes. This change underscores the importance of providing full and accurate information regarding a player’s potential scoring ability, and the ability of other players to form a reasonable basis for supporting or disputing a posted score. (Section 5-1: Acceptability of Scores)
   
• Committee responsibilities: In an effort to assist the Handicap Committee with its responsibilities, this revision addresses a player with a temporary disability or permanent disability who has a Handicap Index that is no longer reflective of his/her current potential ability. In the particular instance cited, the Committee will no longer assign a local handicap (denoted with the letter “L” for local use only), but instead will issue a (temporary) modified Handicap Index (denoted by the letter “M”). This change supports the portability of a disabled player’s handicap, so that it can be used outside the player’s home club. (Section 8-4c: Handicap Index Adjustment by Handicap Committee)

[Rulesman]

2016 changes to the other handicap system released:

1. Schedule of major changes to Handicap system. (Click Here)

[Jeremie Boop]

Holy crap...

Playing alone and necessary peer review: To further support the key System premise of peer review, scores made while playing alone will no longer be acceptable for handicap purposes. This change underscores the importance of providing full and accurate information regarding a player’s potential scoring ability, and the ability of other players to form a reasonable basis for supporting or disputing a posted score. (Section 5-1: Acceptability of Scores)

So, basically, 75% or more of my scores will no longer be able to be used.

[saevel25]

This has to be on the most idiotic rule changes I have seen in a long time for the USGA. 

First, it basically states that the USGA can't trust a golfer to play by the rules of golf, which is just sad. 

Second, I contest that in some situations when a golfer plays with other people who don't play by the rules of golf or do not even know majority of the rules of golf is just the same as that golfer playing by himself. How can those who play with him attest his score if they don't know the rules of golf themselves.

Also, how do they plan to police this? A lot of players just plug in their scores through a computer. I don't see a requirement for a scorecard that is signed and attested must be submitted. Unless the golf courses or regional golf associations start keeping actual scorecard records that showed that you played with another person and that person can attest your score then there is no way to police this rule. 

[rkim291968]

4 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

Also, how do they plan to police this?

Honor system ...

[metaswinger]

7 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

This has to be on the most idiotic rule changes I have seen in a long time for the USGA. 

I'm with you.  I don't play tournaments.  My handicap is a very personal thing.  I play often in the very early morning before work (daybreak) and am typically alone.  Having a handicap has been the single most important thing I've done to improve my game.  It actually means something to me even when alone that my score counts for something.  I take joy in good shot that would otherwise mean nothing.  I follow the rules.  This actually takes some of the joy out of the game for me.

[kpaulhus]

Whelp I will just keep all my scores in the US Handicap system, and post my "group" scores in GHIN. I like tracking my stats and I think it is dumb they are basically eliminating the honors system. 

[JKolya]

So, in my three years of playing I have not officially kept my handicap, but was going to start to next season. I am with everyone who has already posted. 1) The vast majority of time I play alone. 2) When I play with others - how would they even know what I am posting/myself what they are posting? I understand when groups have their groups, but when I do play with others it is rarely the same group. My friends who keep handicaps, they post and I am clueless of it. 3) The majority of the people I play with (maybe the same for others) do not play by the rules, so what good does it do? 4) Where is the accountability? 

I realize I did not say anything new, the guys above already got it, but just felt like repeating everything. 

[imsys0042]

I'll add to the chorus.   I play 30-40% of the time with other people, otherwise I am playing early Wednesday (dead time at my course) or afternoons where there aren't many people around.

Here's what bothers me as well, what if I go to another course and play with people that I will never see again?   Does that count?   How does my home course know I didn't play foot wedges all day to make myself feel better?

What is really dumb is that clubs have something in place to look at this.   it's called a handicap committee.   It's there for people who lie about their ability to have a higher handicap to help them win when they otherwise would not.   This rule seems to go after people like that, but ignore the people who are honest.   And the people who are vanity cappers, and the fact that they cannot win because they lie the other way is a perfectly fine fine of punishment for them.

 

Edit:   This effectively helps people, honest or not, who play alone significantly because they very well will have more rounds that their handicaps reflect.   So they are more prepared and the odds are that this will mean they better their handicap more often than they would.

Edited November 23, 2015 by imsys0042
more to gripe about!

[dkolo]

Say, hypothetically, the person you're playing with is your kid or a non-golfer. Are you playing alone or have you now satisfied the requirement?

(I keep my handicap through Golf Digest, so this is entirely academic for me anyway; though I was debating getting an official handicap in 2017 when I'd have $40 to throw away on the official service)

[iacas]

Guys, seriously… This is probably to stop those who enter scores for which they have no playing partners and who then, somehow, shoot 12 strokes better than their average in a tournament or when money is on the line.

Nobody's going to care much if you enter your rounds in just as you have been doing. Like some of you have said: how are they going to enforce it? They probably won't… unless you're getting a reputation as a sandbagger.

[Dormie1360]

4 hours ago, Rulesman said:

2016 changes to the other handicap system released:

1. Schedule of major changes to Handicap system. (Click Here)

Have you heard about major changes to both our systems in 2018, basically unifying the two?  I recently heard this but have yet to confirm.

[Club Rat]

14 minutes ago, Dormie1360 said:

Have you heard about major changes to both our systems in 2018

Erik started a thread earlier today

[Dormie1360]

10 minutes ago, Club Rat said:

Erik started a thread earlier today

Danke.

[Lihu]

5 hours ago, Jeremie Boop said:

Holy crap...

Playing alone and necessary peer review: To further support the key System premise of peer review, scores made while playing alone will no longer be acceptable for handicap purposes. This change underscores the importance of providing full and accurate information regarding a player’s potential scoring ability, and the ability of other players to form a reasonable basis for supporting or disputing a posted score. (Section 5-1: Acceptability of Scores)

So, basically, 75% or more of my scores will no longer be able to be used.

It's not that hard to get a partner to sign your cards. It just means there needs to be an electronics means between golf apps to do this effectively.

[iacas]

3 minutes ago, Lihu said:

It's not that hard to get a partner to sign your cards. It just means there needs to be an electronics means between golf apps to do this effectively.

I don't think someone else's signature is what they require.

[Lihu]

3 minutes ago, iacas said:

I don't think someone else's signature is what they require.

So, does that kind of mean that other people can sort of vouch for your handicap?

[saevel25]

3 hours ago, iacas said:

Guys, seriously… This is probably to stop those who enter scores for which they have no playing partners and who then, somehow, shoot 12 strokes better than their average in a tournament or when money is on the line.

Yet it still puts those of us who want to obey the rules of golf, including handicap rules in a bind. I get their purpose, yet in the end it makes me feel like I am cheating because it's a rule as a golfer I shouldn't break. 

I also don't want a scenario where I end up in a tournament and someone makes a stink about something and they try to validate my scores and I have admit I posted 80% of my scores from when I played alone. 

In the end I'll just be posting about 15% of my scores then.