World Handicap System Now Out (2020)

[mauricio]

25 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

From everything I've read, your current scoring history will remain active, the handicap calculation will just change.  @iacas may have better information than I have right now.  I plan on attending a Handicap Seminar in about a month, I imagine there will be more definitive information available then.  

I don't know how WHS will carry this from 2020, but USGA Handicap Manual at 6-7 talks about Scoring records. See the following link:

https://www.usga.org/handicapping/handicap-manual.html#!rule-14381

Best regards,

[DaveP043]

1 hour ago, mauricio said:

I don't know how WHS will carry this from 2020, but USGA Handicap Manual at 6-7 talks about Scoring records. See the following link:

https://www.usga.org/handicapping/handicap-manual.html#!rule-14381

Best regards,

Exactly correct, and the first Decision on this rule says that the "old" scoring record will be used for someone like @DrvFrShow, who is resuming handicap maintenance after a time away.  The Handicap Committee MAY modify that player's HI if the old scores don't reflect the current ability., If a scoring record exists, it will generally be used.  

[reidsou]

Any thoughts on dropping Tournament score tracking and handicap reduction for two exceptional tournament scores 3.0+ strokes better than index?

To be replaced by Exceptional Score Reduction 7.0+ strokes better than index. 

My thought is that there will be fewer reductions, and the 7.0 target makes sandbagging easier. Does anyone know the reasons behind the change? I'm assuming it's because the new system is easier to implement and understand, not statistically better. 

[iacas]

1 hour ago, reidsou said:

My thought is that there will be fewer reductions, and the 7.0 target makes sandbagging easier. Does anyone know the reasons behind the change? I'm assuming it's because the new system is easier to implement and understand, not statistically better. 

Bad assumption.

I got a bunch of paperwork on this, and if i have time Sunday afternoon, I'll post a bunch of stuff about it. There are some interesting things.

[RemyM]

The new WHS has a soft and hard cap to prevent your handicap from increasing too much.  If it goes up more then 3 off you 12 month low the amount over 3 is cut in half.  The hard cap prevents you index from going up more then 5 in a 12 month period.  In my ten plus years as my club's handicap chairman we have had only two people received a reduced handicap due to tournament scores.

[David in FL]

1 hour ago, RemyM said:

The new WHS has a soft and hard cap to prevent your handicap from increasing too much.  If it goes up more then 3 off you 12 month low the amount over 3 is cut in half.  The hard cap prevents you index from going up more then 5 in a 12 month period.  In my ten plus years as my club's handicap chairman we have had only two people received a reduced handicap due to tournament scores.

We’ve had a few, but I have to admit, our handicap committee is very aggressive, thankfully…

They keep track of the tee sheet, and if a score isn’t entered on the same day as a round is played, they post a penalty score equal to that of the lowest differential out of the last 20 rounds.  I’m good with that!

[reidsou]

On 11/15/2019 at 4:04 PM, iacas said:

Bad assumption.

I got a bunch of paperwork on this, and if i have time Sunday afternoon, I'll post a bunch of stuff about it. There are some interesting things.

Still interested to see the data. When you have time...

[iacas]

Going to have to wait until later this week. Traveling now.

[reidsou]

On 11/15/2019 at 2:05 PM, reidsou said:

Any thoughts on dropping Tournament score tracking and handicap reduction for two exceptional tournament scores 3.0+ strokes better than index?

To be replaced by Exceptional Score Reduction 7.0+ strokes better than index. 

The PDF on this page lists the reasons for the change. The way I read it the main goal is simplification. No data comparison though, which would be interesting to see. 

 

[DaveP043]

I've recently found some newer information on the WHS.  The first is a nice brief summary:

https://www.carolinasghinsupport.org/images/carolinasghinsupport/site/downloads/Booklet_10_28.pdf

The other is a preview version of the Handicap Manual:

https://www.carolinasghinsupport.org/images/carolinasghinsupport/site/downloads/Booklet_10_28.pdf

 

[reidsou]

On 11/19/2019 at 12:19 PM, DaveP043 said:

I've recently found some newer information on the WHS.  The first is a nice brief summary:

https://www.carolinasghinsupport.org/images/carolinasghinsupport/site/downloads/Booklet_10_28.pdf

The other is a preview version of the Handicap Manual:

https://www.carolinasghinsupport.org/images/carolinasghinsupport/site/downloads/Booklet_10_28.pdf

 

The 2020 "Rules of Handicapping" PDF is now available on the USGA web site. 

Does anyone have details behind the WHS PCC calculation? Described in the 2020 Rules of Handicapping on page 55 as:

1. Calculate the expected score for each eligible player.
2. Calculate the expected standard deviation of Score Differentials at the golf course, incorporating all applicable Slope Ratings.
3. Establish how many players scored better or worse than expected on the day.
4. The proportion of players submitting a score equal to, better than or worse than their expected scoring range determines whether a PCC adjustment is required.
5. If an adjustment is required, determine how much harder or easier the golf course played that day.
6. Based on these calculations, determine any final PCC adjustment required for play on that day.

How are these various calculations performed? I.e. what is the "expected score", etc.? 

[Double Mocha Man]

I read somewhere (might have already been discussed here) that weather and course conditions will now factor into your daily handicap.  Who reports that info?  Me?  Or does the app/website monitor Accuweather and the course forwards the conditions?  Wind, rain, snow... the heat of a mid-day round in Phoenix in July...

[reidsou]

5 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

I read somewhere (might have already been discussed here) that weather and course conditions will now factor into your daily handicap.  Who reports that info?  Me?  Or does the app/website monitor Accuweather and the course forwards the conditions?  Wind, rain, snow... the heat of a mid-day round in Phoenix in July...

Yes, there is a new Playing Conditions Calculation (PCC) that is performed automatically every day based on scores posted that day for the course played. There is no attempt to look at the weather, only at scores. An assumption is made that higher than normal average scores were caused by adverse conditions - be it weather, course conditions, pin placement, etc. See Playing Conditions Calculation at WHS.com for more. Also rule 5.6 in the recently published 2020 "Rule of Handicapping" available on the USGA web site. 

[Double Mocha Man]

2 hours ago, reidsou said:

Yes, there is a new Playing Conditions Calculation (PCC) that is performed automatically every day based on scores posted that day for the course played. There is no attempt to look at the weather, only at scores. An assumption is made that higher than normal average scores were caused by adverse conditions - be it weather, course conditions, pin placement, etc. See Playing Conditions Calculation at WHS.com for more. Also rule 5.6 in the recently published 2020 "Rule of Handicapping" available on the USGA web site. 

Interesting... I am in agreement.  I like it.  But if we disagree can we toss a flag and get the refs to check the replay?

[iacas]

6 hours ago, reidsou said:

How are these various calculations performed? I.e. what is the "expected score", etc.? 

Just an algorithm.

6 hours ago, Double Mocha Man said:

I read somewhere (might have already been discussed here) that weather and course conditions will now factor into your daily handicap.  Who reports that info?  Me?  Or does the app/website monitor Accuweather and the course forwards the conditions?  Wind, rain, snow... the heat of a mid-day round in Phoenix in July...

It's just an algorithm.

[reidsou]

20 minutes ago, iacas said:

It's just an algorithm.

Thanks for the response. Do you know what the algorithm is? 

[RemyM]

The PCC adjustment is from -1 to +3.  There has to be at least 8 scores posted timely for the day for PCC to apply.  Scores posted after the day will not be included in the PCC calculation but will be effected by the PCC.  Attached is the PP from my golf association.

WHS-MGA-2019.pdf

[RemyM]

The other interesting thing is the stroke allocation for determining where you get your strokes for net double bogey will come from the last rating done at the course, so the stroke allocations on scorecards are no longer accurate for the handicap system.  They did say that the new app will allow hole by hole entry that will show the correct strokes.  Interesting thing in the CGA documentation that multiple PCC adjustments will indicate that a course may need to be re-rated.  I have found a big inconstancy in course ratings in my opinion.