World Handicap System Now Out (2020)

[David in FL]

On 12/23/2019 at 10:50 AM, DaveP043 said:

I'm basing this largely on what I read on some other sites, posted by people who I believe to be knowledgeable.  I agree, the CONGU website doesn't say much.  I've seen very few jurisdictions that have released their final Handicap Rules, but the infographics and releases from the USGA have said:

Singles and Stablefords MUST be submitted, the rest is at the discretion of National Associations.  The WHS will take effect in Australia at the end of January, and Golf Australia has this on their WHS page 

and this

and this

So there are definitely going to be some differences between the scores the USGA requires to be posted, and those the Australians will post.  I guess we'll see what some of the other jurisdictions decide as their implementation dates get closer.

So much for the World Handicap System...  

[DaveP043]

29 minutes ago, David in FL said:

So much for the World Handicap System...  

This is a common refrain from people who don't like or didn't want any changes, and its accurate to a point.  On the other hand, every single handicap system in the world has moved closer to the rest.  For the first time, the calculations will be done exactly the same, no matter where you are.  I can only speak for myself, but I believe that this is likely to be a first step, and I expect that in a few years we'll see more changes, more things that are unified.  I have read that match play scores will be posted in Ireland, for the first time ever.  Perhaps that will become the standard worldwide, rather than the exception.  Maybe the USGA will begin to require pre-registration and attestation for posting non-competition scores.  I don't know, I'm just speculating.

[David in FL]

32 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

This is a common refrain from people who don't like or didn't want any changes, and its accurate to a point.  On the other hand, every single handicap system in the world has moved closer to the rest.  For the first time, the calculations will be done exactly the same, no matter where you are.  I can only speak for myself, but I believe that this is likely to be a first step, and I expect that in a few years we'll see more changes, more things that are unified.  I have read that match play scores will be posted in Ireland, for the first time ever.  Perhaps that will become the standard worldwide, rather than the exception.  Maybe the USGA will begin to require pre-registration and attestation for posting non-competition scores.  I don't know, I'm just speculating.

I’m a fan of a unified system.  It’s just a shame that, with all the hype, there are still going to be significant differences in how it’s implemented.  Common calculations aside, allowing or disallowing different types of rounds is an enormous difference.

[DaveP043]

4 minutes ago, David in FL said:

I’m a fan of a unified system.  It’s just a shame that, with all the hype, there are still going to be significant differences in how it’s implemented.  Common calculations aside, allowing or disallowing different types of rounds is an enormous difference.

I think the old adage applies, "Rome wasn't built in a day".  The changes are significant, and every system is changing something.  Once the movement is started, it is likely to be easier to make additional changes in the future.

[TRUCKER]

23 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

In your case, as a 15 handicap, you can take no more than double bogey on holes with handicap numbers 16 to 18, and no more than triple on the other 15 holes, where you'd get one handicap stroke.  

If you're at all confused, you'll be able to enter your raw scores hole by hole, and the computer will do the correction if required. I've been told that GHIN will definitely offer hole by hole posting on all of its platforms, and I'd bet that all others will as well.

Is this the way I've supposed to have been doing it all along? I noticed you responded to someone, "The people that have been screwing up before, will continue to screw up the new way." If this is a new way, and I've been doing it right so far, then I agree with the guy on the other site. This is confusing. Also who want's to enter "hole by hole?" 

[DaveP043]

5 minutes ago, TRUCKER said:

Is this the way I've supposed to have been doing it all along? I noticed you responded to someone, "The people that have been screwing up before, will continue to screw up the new way." If this is a new way, and I've been doing it right so far, then I agree with the guy on the other site. This is confusing. Also who want's to enter "hole by hole?" 

Up until yesterday, you should have been capping your scores (for handicap posting only) at a maximum of 7.  Now you cap your scores as I described in my previous post, the one you quoted.

This is definitely a change for us in the US, but its not really complicated.  Players around the world have been using the net Stableford scoring system for decades, and this "net double bogey" is essentially the same as Stableford.  This is one of the few ways that US golfers are going to be making a change to get our system closer to the rest of the world. 

You don't HAVE to use hole by hole posting if you don't want to.  You have a choice, assuming you want to post your score in accordance with the rules.  You can either learn to do the maximum hole score corrections yourself, by knowing where you get strokes and reducing hole scores to a maximum of par +2+(handicap strokes) wherever necessary, or by posting hole by hole.  Its up to you. My best guess, once you try it a couple of times, posting hole by hole might add 15 or 20 seconds to the time it takes.

[TRUCKER]

Ok I've been doing it correctly then. As for the new way, dumb it down to a 3rd grade level for me. If I get an 8 on a par 5, with a stroke, old way, simply post a 7. New way? 

[iacas]

1 hour ago, David in FL said:

It’s just a shame that, with all the hype, there are still going to be significant differences in how it’s implemented.

This is a significant difference (especially for the rest of the world).

And previously, elsewhere, only competitive rounds counted. Now, the number of rounds increases several times over: 5-20x for most golfers.

[David in FL]

50 minutes ago, iacas said:

This is a significant difference (especially for the rest of the world).

And previously, elsewhere, only competitive rounds counted. Now, the number of rounds increases several times over: 5-20x for most golfers.

Am I reading that wrong?  It says that social rounds are acceptable only if the home club allows it.  Match play rounds are not acceptable.

I posted 110 rounds in 2019. If I could not post match play rounds I doubt that I would’ve posted more than 15.

I know it’s a step forward.  I was hoping to see a completely unified system though.  I guess I should’ve known better...

 

 

57 minutes ago, TRUCKER said:

Ok I've been doing it correctly then. As for the new way, dumb it down to a 3rd grade level for me. If I get an 8 on a par 5, with a stroke, old way, simply post a 7. New way? 

If it’s a hole you get a stroke on, you post 8.

[Double Mocha Man]

6 minutes ago, David in FL said:

I posted 110 rounds in 2019. If I could not post match play rounds I doubt that I would’ve posted more than 15.

 

When you've won your match 9 and 8 I'm assuming you continue to play the entire round for score?  What about those 10 footers your competitor gives you early on when he knows he's lost the hole anyway?

From my WA State newsletter this morning:

All GHIN Services are Offline

As of January 1, 2020 the World Handicap System (WHS) has launched with a new set of Rules for Handicapping. In order to migrate to new technology, all GHIN services will be offline from January 1-5, 2020. You will not be able to post scores or access your Handicap Index during this time.

Starting on January 6, golfers will be able to post any scores they missed during this temporary down time, and any rounds played between January 1-5 will be used for handicapping purposes under the new World Handicap System.

[TRUCKER]

17 minutes ago, David in FL said:

Am I reading that wrong?  It says that social rounds are acceptable only if the home club allows it.  Match play rounds are not acceptable.

I posted 110 rounds in 2019. If I could not post match play rounds I doubt that I would’ve posted more than 15.

I know it’s a step forward.  I was hoping to see a completely unified system though.  I guess I should’ve known better...

 

 

If it’s a hole you get a stroke on, you post 8.

...Ok f!@$ it, I give up.

That's more than I can post now...🤷‍♂️

[DaveP043]

45 minutes ago, David in FL said:

Am I reading that wrong?  It says that social rounds are acceptable only if the home club allows it.  Match play rounds are not acceptable.

I posted 110 rounds in 2019. If I could not post match play rounds I doubt that I would’ve posted more than 15.

I know it’s a step forward.  I was hoping to see a completely unified system though.  I guess I should’ve known better...

You're reading stuff for some other jurisdictions.  Check here:

https://www.usga.org/handicapping/roh/2020-rules-of-handicapping.html

Rule 2.1a to see the authorized formats for posting in the USGA areas.  Nothing changes in that regard for us.

[David in FL]

37 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

You're reading stuff for some other jurisdictions.  Check here:

https://www.usga.org/handicapping/roh/2020-rules-of-handicapping.html

Rule 2.1a to see the authorized formats for posting in the USGA areas.  Nothing changes in that regard for us.

I know it’s not for us!

That’s my whole point, it’s for other jurisdictions! Therefore what they do, and what we will be doing still is very dissimilar.  The calculations are alike, but the types and numbers of scores posted can be very different.  If I were in Australia, I would’ve only posted 15 of 110 scores...

 

1 hour ago, Double Mocha Man said:

When you've won your match 9 and 8 I'm assuming you continue to play the entire round for score?  What about those 10 footers your competitor gives you early on when he knows he's lost the hole anyway?

 

All that is covered under the handicapping rules.  It’s all very easy and straightforward.

Edited January 1, 2020 by David in FL

[iacas]

1 hour ago, David in FL said:

That’s my whole point, it’s for other jurisdictions! Therefore what they do, and what we will be doing still is very dissimilar.

It’s more alike than it was.

And you’re an outlier if you only play that much match play. Match play scores are a bit less deserving because your aren’t always trying to score your best.

[billchao]

I’m a little behind in digesting all of this new information (not really, it’s still January) but for accuracy’s sake I’m going to post all my scores hole by hole going forward.

[nevets88]

This piece in my Twitter timeline, a little summary.

New World Handicap System: Five things U.S. golfers should know

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Golf’s governing bodies in 2020 will roll out a new handicapping system that changes the ways in which golfers can compare themselves against other...

 

[DaveP043]

1 hour ago, David in FL said:

I know it’s not for us!

That’s my whole point, it’s for other jurisdictions! Therefore what they do, and what we will be doing still is very dissimilar.  The calculations are alike, but the types and numbers of scores posted can be very different.  If I were in Australia, I would’ve only posted 15 of 110 scores...

As I understand golf in Australia, you would have had many more opportunities to play qualifying stroke play competitions.  Yes, we still have differences, but fewer.  I can't imagine that anyone who understood how great the differences were really expected complete unification in the first WHS.

[David in FL]

4 hours ago, iacas said:

It’s more alike than it was.

And you’re an outlier if you only play that much match play. Match play scores are a bit less deserving because your aren’t always trying to score your best.

Yep.  Closer than it was.  But still significant differences.  And If I remember right, some aren’t even transitioning til late in the year.  Overall, last minute disappointment. 

I don’t know very many casual players who play stroke play.   By far, the most common is a play a 4-ball match.  Your mileage may vary.