World Handicap System Now Out (2020)

[reidsou]

2 hours ago, Southern by Choice said:

Gentlemen, I’ve been living with this stupid system of hard caps and soft caps for more than a year now.  And it is exacerbated by the Exceptional Score Reduction, which yanks the Low Handicap Index into ridiculously unsustainable levels…and then cements them in place with the aforementioned caps!  I’m a high-handicapper with some wild swings in my scores.  If my HI was allowed to float in keeping with my 8 best most recent scores (or 10 best, as in the previous system), it would be a more accurate snapshot of my skills.  The WHS attempted to "fix" the problem of sandbagging in competition, and the recreational golfer like me was collateral damage.

If you received an ESR that means you shot 7 strokes or more below your HI. The ESR only reduced your HI by 1 or 2. You demonstrated ability at least 5 strokes better than your HI after the reduction. 

[DaveP043]

10 hours ago, iacas said:

The soft cap only slows upward movement. It does not slow downward movement.

I wanted to be sure I am saying this correctly, so I reviewed the USGA report of players who were subjected to the Soft Cap.  In particular, I reviewed a few cases where the player's "capped" Handicap Index went down.  Here's an example:

Low Index:  5.3

Uncapped average of best 8 differentials:  Before:  10.1, after 9.3, Average is reduced by 0.3

Official (soft capped) HI:   Before 9.2, after 9.1.  HI is reduced by 0.1

This is what I mean when I say that downward movement of the official HI is reduced while the Index is within the "soft cap" region.  Any change in the average of your best 8 scores results in HALF that change to your HI, no matter whether its up or down.

10 hours ago, Southern by Choice said:

And it is exacerbated by the Exceptional Score Reduction, which yanks the Low Handicap Index into ridiculously unsustainable levels…and then cements them in place with the aforementioned caps!

Did you prefer the old Tournament Score Reduction?  Under that system, you might have two tournament scores that were good but not unusual in June, but high scores through the poor weather months of the winter could kick in the correction many months later.  And under that system, once you started getting your HI reduced, additional BAD play would only LOWER your handicap, and that could continue for a full year after you shot those scores.  With the WHS, the direct impact of that ESR on your HI diminishes as you post more scores, and is gone once you post 20 scores.  Yes, it does remain in the form of your low HI, but even that never results in your handicap going DOWN, it only limits and eventually caps the upward movement.

[iacas]

19 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

This is what I mean when I say that downward movement of the official HI is reduced while the Index is within the "soft cap" region.  Any change in the average of your best 8 scores results in HALF that change to your HI, no matter whether its up or down.

That's just relying on the math of halving the difference in the 3-5 range above the soft cap, it's not "reducing downward movement." The soft cap reduces UPWARD movement. It doesn't reduce downward movement, by definition. It's still upward over the previous low if you're 3+ above it.

(Hopefully) final example: if you're a 10 that goes to a 14 (soft capped to 13.5), then your next round puts you at a 12.5… you're a 12.5. No slowing of the downward trend there, even though you're still above your 10. And if that round instead puts you at a 9.4, you aren't a 9.7 even though you were "in the soft cap area."

Your way of looking at things is just a math trick, it's not the Rule, and it's confusing to think of it that way. Your way requires a "memory" of the current soft-capped HI, while just reading the rule straight doesn't require any such thing.

The simpler, more literally correct way to look at it is this:

• Calculate the average of the differentials of the best 8 of the last 20.
• If it's > 3 and < 5, add the three and take half of the increase over their previous low HI.
• If it's > 5, cap at 5.

That's it. It has nothing to do with knowing or having a memory of what their "Thursday" index is or was, only their current average and their previous low. That's it. It doesn't have anything to do with "movement" except that it curbs upward movement based on your previous yearly low.

[DaveP043]

16 hours ago, phan52 said:

I am starting to turn things around with the help of my friendly PGA professional. But while I was struggling and my handicap rose accordingly, I got this notification on my USGA GHIN app.

"A soft cap has been applied to this Handicap Index, which suppresses upward movement by 50% after a a 3.0 stroke increase over the Low Handicap Index has been reached." So, even if I continued to struggle to break 90, my handicap could not reflect that.

Do you think they will suppress any of my downward movement? That's a joke. I know they won't. I believe that this is just another indication of the USGA protecting low handicapped players in net competitions.

 

15 hours ago, Southern by Choice said:

Huh-uh.  The soft cap suppresses only UPWARD movement of your Handicap Index…at least as far as I can determine.  The WHS is happy to see our handicaps go DOWN.

 

7 minutes ago, iacas said:

That's it. It has nothing to do with knowing or having a memory of what their "Thursday" index is or was, only their current average and their previous low. That's it. It doesn't have anything to do with "movement" except that it curbs upward movement based on your previous yearly low.

You and I understand the math the same way, this is a direct calculation with no "memory", outside of the Low Index.  However, both of the other quotes seem to be saying something different, and that's why I chose to reply to them.  The soft cap system suppresses movement in either direction, as long as the index is within the soft cap range.  Once the index improves below that level, it goes down (or up) as it normally would.

[iacas]

Just now, DaveP043 said:

The soft cap system suppresses movement in either direction

No, it doesn't.

And yes, it's a bit of semantics, but you're the one that needs to add qualifiers and the semantics.

A 10 that goes to a 14 and whose next score would drop him to a 12 doesn't see his downward movement minimized even though he was "in" the soft cap. His first stroke down isn't counted at half, so he doesn't end up at 12.5.

Your way of looking at it is needlessly confusing, needlessly qualified, needlessly complicated.

It does not suppress downward movement. If the soft cap is being applied, it's by definition OVER the year-long low index.

[reidsou]

Sort of related: Our handicap committee just turned down a member request to raise his cap. We declined the request because analysis showed he is currently playing to his capped index. I.e. the cap is working correctly. 

[Pretzel]

The only thing I dislike about the new handicap system is that it no longer discards scores that are multiple years old.

I re-joined a club for handicap purposes last August (2020), and hadn't had any posted rounds since 2017. After more than 2 years I was supposed to receive a fresh number and start, at least according to how things previously worked, but instead I was immediately given a handicap index of +1.2 which has remained as my "Low HI" until sometime next September when it finally cycles out of the system.

It's not an issue of the soft cap for me, because I'm currently playing just better than that soft cap. It's primarily an issue because the statewide inter-club match play competition uses your low HI instead of your current HI, so I'm effectively boned there because my low HI is from four years ago. Won my first (and only) match I played in it by sheer luck (my opponent caught a case of the shanks on the back 9), but I'm having to sit out the rest of the season because it has me playing off a +3 course handicap for most of the inter-club venues.

[Southern by Choice]

6 hours ago, reidsou said:

If you received an ESR that means you shot 7 strokes or more below your HI. The ESR only reduced your HI by 1 or 2. You demonstrated ability at least 5 strokes better than your HI after the reduction. 

I won't squawk much about the IMMEDIATE effect of the ESR; it’s the LONGTERM impact it has by creating a false "Low Handicap Index" that sticks around for a whole year…and becomes the anchor for the soft and hard caps.

In March 2020, my HI was 37.2.  ONE MONTH LATER, IT WAS 25.0: DOWN 12.2 strokes after posting 16 scores.

I had posted a flurry of very good scores, and I was ecstatic!  Then the ESR kicked in—and is CUMULATIVE, BTW.  ALL of the 20 most recent scores are reduced by 1 or 2 strokes (depending on how far below the differential) EACH TIME an exceptional score was posted.  Ultimately, my HI dropped to 23.7 before my overall game tanked and scores began to climb.

The effect of those very good scores began to drop off over time as I unfortunately reverted to my prior game. 🙁 Then the Soft Cap kicked in, slowing the upward movement of my handicap…and then the Hard Cap completely halted the upward movement of my Index when it reached 28.7.  The Hard Cap froze my index at 28.7 for four months, while I continued to struggle, playing regularly and posting my scores.  During that time, my ACTUAL handicap hovered around 32, calculated on my best 8 of the previous 20…but of course I was stuck at 28.7.

It's hard to admit these details in such a public golfers' forum, but I’m frustrated by the lack of understanding about the impact of these WHS rules! I EARNED a handicap of 32, and it’s ludicrous that I should lose 3 or 4 handicap strokes because of a system designed to thwart a few cheaters.

[DaveP043]

20 hours ago, Pretzel said:

I re-joined a club for handicap purposes last August (2020), and hadn't had any posted rounds since 2017. After more than 2 years I was supposed to receive a fresh number and start, at least according to how things previously worked, but instead I was immediately given a handicap index of +1.2 which has remained as my "Low HI" until sometime next September when it finally cycles out of the system.

I can understand this frustration, and generally agree that scores that old shouldn't really be counted.  I think that was allowed in deference to some of our friends around the world, who for years only posted stroke-play competition scores, and who would have to go back in their records quite a ways to find enough scores posted.  For you, that old HI will be completely gone in just a few months, but I'm sure its been a PITA for the past year.  

As with any change to existing systems, there are a few individuals who experience unintended consequences.  An option is always to appeal to the Handicap Committee, who do have the authority to set your HI at a more appropriate level.  The same would apply to @Southern by Choice, although her HI was based on relatively recent scores rather than years-old data.  

[reidsou]

On 6/29/2021 at 5:34 AM, DaveP043 said:

The soft cap system suppresses movement in either direction, as long as the index is within the soft cap range.  Once the index improves below that level, it goes down (or up) as it normally would.

I agree with iacas. Maybe the way to look at it is the soft cap does not "suppress movement" at all. It is just applied to the 8 score average. 

The halving of differences in the 3-5 stroke above LHI range is a feature of the formula. I.e. when the average A is > LHI + 3 and < LHI + 5. 

HI = A - 1/2 * (A - (LHI + 3)). 

Same for a new average A + x if LHI + 5 > (A + x) > LHI + 3 (where x can be positive or negative). The new HI (HI'):

HI' = A +x - 1/2 * (A + x - (LHI + 3))

Or:

HI' = A - 1/2 * (A - (LHI + 3)) + x - 1/2 * x
HI' = HI + x - 1/2 * x
HI' = HI + 1/2 * x

 

[DaveP043]

6 minutes ago, reidsou said:

Maybe the way to look at it is the soft cap does not "suppress movement" at all. It is just applied to the 8 score average. 

True, any Handicap Index, whether any of the cap calculations are considered, is a "point in time", and is based on the appropriate 20 scores.  What we've gone back and forth over is the semantics involved in the idea of suppressing movement.  I won't reiterate my reasoning, as long as we can all agree on how the calculations are done, I'm good with it.  

[iacas]

47 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

reasoning

Not a good word choice. 🙂

[Pretzel]

On 6/30/2021 at 5:52 AM, DaveP043 said:

As with any change to existing systems, there are a few individuals who experience unintended consequences.  An option is always to appeal to the Handicap Committee, who do have the authority to set your HI at a more appropriate level.  The same would apply to @Southern by Choice, although her HI was based on relatively recent scores rather than years-old data.  

It was appealed by my course's handicap chairman to the CGA, and the CGA said, "Sucks to be you, don't care, get stuffed." About what I expected given previous interactions I've had with that group in the past, they tend to have quite the overinflated opinion of themselves without actually doing anything. They don't even organize their own CGA tournaments in the majority of cases, just slap their name on them.

An unfortunate side-effect, but at the very least there are going to be relatively few folks in my situation. It also won't affect you if you just don't play badly, so I just need to get better is all!

Edited July 1, 2021 by Pretzel

[DaveP043]

5 minutes ago, Pretzel said:

It was appealed by my course's handicap chairman to the CGA, and the CGA said, "Sucks to be you, don't care, get stuffed." An unfortunate side-effect, but at the very least there are going to be relatively few folks in my situation. It also won't affect you if you just don't play badly, so I just need to get better is all!

Or survive until the end September, your soft cap will end.  Of course, playing better certainly IS the preferred option!

[phan52]

On 7/1/2021 at 10:44 AM, DaveP043 said:

Or survive until the end September, your soft cap will end.  Of course, playing better certainly IS the preferred option!

Yup. I have started to play better recently and the soft cap was removed. I am now closer to my low index than I am to the high index that triggered the soft cap. Frankly, I have no problem when my cap is going downward. It means I am playing and scoring better. I usually play for some money and I notice I win more when my index is close to the low index. I was getting hammered as my cap went up. The extra strokes meant nothing. 

[StuM]

Question on posting a score from league play with a "League Rule".  Our league instituted a special rule for our league.  It is not a rule set by the course, but by our league.  It has not impacted me (yet) but I want to know the proper way to report a score if that rule comes into effect.

Background: Our muni course has many trees with many exposed roots and it is not uncommon for a ball to come to rest between or up against a root.  A few years back one player tried to play the ball (he was going for league champion and it was a close round and did not want to take a stroke) and he fractured his wrist on the shot when the club impacted the root.  After that the league set a "Free Drop" if "on/near a root and fear of injury".  The drop is to be "Along the line" from the pin and you are not to move it sideways to get out from behind a tree.  If you want to take relief other than along the line, you can declare it "Unplayable" and take droop/penalty in accordance with USGA rules and have all options available under the rule.

My question, if this ever happens to me, should I include a penalty in my score when reporting for HCP or do I get the "Free Drop" due to our leagues rule?  I can easily take one score for the league but report the score + penalty for HCP purposes.  I just want to make sure I post scores that are valid under the rules.

[mauricio]

10 minutes ago, StuM said:

Question on posting a score from league play with a "League Rule".  Our league instituted a special rule for our league.  It is not a rule set by the course, but by our league.  It has not impacted me (yet) but I want to know the proper way to report a score if that rule comes into effect.

Background: Our muni course has many trees with many exposed roots and it is not uncommon for a ball to come to rest between or up against a root.  A few years back one player tried to play the ball (he was going for league champion and it was a close round and did not want to take a stroke) and he fractured his wrist on the shot when the club impacted the root.  After that the league set a "Free Drop" if "on/near a root and fear of injury".  The drop is to be "Along the line" from the pin and you are not to move it sideways to get out from behind a tree.  If you want to take relief other than along the line, you can declare it "Unplayable" and take droop/penalty in accordance with USGA rules and have all options available under the rule.

My question, if this ever happens to me, should I include a penalty in my score when reporting for HCP or do I get the "Free Drop" due to our leagues rule?  I can easily take one score for the league but report the score + penalty for HCP purposes.  I just want to make sure I post scores that are valid under the rules.

That's a Local Rule, you play the score you shoot. Forget about adding strokes or not, penalties or not. The local rule says you can get a free drop from the roots. 

[iacas]

4 hours ago, mauricio said:

That's a Local Rule, you play the score you shoot. Forget about adding strokes or not, penalties or not. The local rule says you can get a free drop from the roots. 

You can't just make up Local Rules, though. This is one of the things not understood by most about the Rules of Golf. Now, it just so happens that for this instance…

@StuM, I imagine these tree roots aren't in the fairway or close to it, but maybe they are, and maybe you can institute this approved Local Rule:

https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/rules/rules-2019/rules-of-golf/rules-and-interpretations.html#!ruletype=cp&section=rule&rulenum=8

F-9 Relief from Tree Roots in Fairway

Purpose. In the unusual situation where exposed tree roots are found in the fairway, it may be unfair not to allow the player to take relief from the roots. The Committee can choose to treat such tree roots in the fairway as ground under repair from which free relief is allowed under Rule 16.1b.

In some circumstances where exposed tree roots are also found in short rough close to the fairway, the Committee can also choose to treat such tree roots within a specified distance from the edge of the fairway, (for example four club-lengths or in the first cut of rough) as ground under repair from which free relief is allowed under Rule 16.1b.

In doing so, the Committee can choose to limit relief to interference with the lie of ball and the area of intended swing.

Model Local Rule F-9.1

“If a player’s ball is at rest in a portion of the general area cut to fairway height or less and there is interference from exposed tree roots that are in a part of the general area cut to fairway height or less, the tree roots are treated as ground under repair. The player may take free relief under Rule 16.1b.

[But interference does not exist if the tree roots only interfere with the player’s stance.]

---

Otherwise, yes, I'd add the penalty stroke. Or, better yet, just do away with the Local Rule - what if a player fractures his wrist because he hit a stone, or a fence… or he tears something because he tries to play a shot off a slope or wet grass and slips and falls… are you going to start allowing free relief from everything? The guy should have taken the stroke. He might have lost the championship, but my hunch is he didn't win it after breaking his wrist.