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USGA Handicap

Castpro

Castpro

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Jul 12, 2012
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NC
Handicap
10.4
A few days ago I joined the Carolinas Golf Association to establish my handicap. I entered the saved scorecard data and this morning I received my handicap!! I was a bit surprised at thenumber.

My scores range from a best of 90 (twice) to a couple ofscores over 100 with an average of 96.7. I was thinking the handicap would come in around 24-25 but to my surprise it came it at 20.1. I knowcourse rating is figured in, but I guess I'm just not putting it alltogether. Can you guys put it into layman's terms for me how handicap is figured?

I'm on a mission to break 90, scored 93 twice this week.

Thanks,

Tommy
 
Castpro said:
A few days ago I joined the Carolinas Golf Association to establish my handicap. I entered the saved scorecard data and this morning I received my handicap!! I was a bit surprised at thenumber.

My scores range from a best of 90 (twice) to a couple ofscores over 100 with an average of 96.7. I was thinking the handicap would comein around 24-25 but to my surprise it came it at 20.1. I knowcourse rating is figured in, but I guess I'm just not putting it alltogether. Can you guys put it into layman's terms for me how handicap is figured?

I'm on a mission to break 90, scored 93 twice this week.

Thank,

Tommy
Click to expand...

Course rating and slope play the biggest factors in determining your handicap. You have to remember that the handicap system isn't based on your average score, it's based on your "potential" to score.
 
Also, it only takes your best scores. How many you have entered determines how many it counts towards your index.
 
It will fluctuate quite a bit at first until you get 20 rounds entered. Then it will factor the 10 best rounds out of the last 20 played and give you a truer number. The initial number you got isn't bad, it just isn't as accurate until all the rounds go in.
 
Thanks for asking this question! And thanks @Smallville for the link. Ya learn something every day...
 
you have to remember that if one in competition were to give up strokes to a lesser ability player than it would only be fair to give up strokes based on what the potential of the lesser ability player has and not his average scores. Thats how i understand it.
 
If you have 20 scores it is the average of your 10 best handicap differentials times 0.96. It is very possible to have a handicap that seems better than 90% of the scores you have shot.
 
Last edited:
SaskeyInWash said:
If you have 20 scores it is the average of your 10 best scores times 0.96. It is very possible to have a handicap that seems better than 90% of the scores you have shot.
Click to expand...

Not exactly. It is more than just your average scores. You also have to take into consideration the course difficulty.

If your average of your ten best is 90 but you play on a very easy course from the forward tees, and another guy also has the same average of 90 but plays all his rounds from the tips at Bethpage Black, who do you think will have the lower handicap?

It's also possible to have a handicap worse than you would think comparing to the scores you shot, if the course you play is very easy.
 
So, each consecutive year do you start over re-establishing your handicap?
 
Smallville said:
If your average of your ten best is 90 but you play on a very easy course from the forward tees, and another guy also has the same average of 90 but plays all his rounds from the tips at Bethpage Black, who do you think will have the lower handicap?
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That's why it is officially a handicap factor. Mine right now is 13.8 On the lowest slope course (55) I would have an effective handicap of 7 and on the highest slope of 155, I would have a factor of 19.

Slope was added to allow for the differences in difficulty and length of golf courses. That's why an 80 at one course can raise your factor and an 80 at another can lower it.
 
Thanks for the replies. I'm learning every day!!
 
Handicaps are a particular interest of mine. Here are some things which I hope will help you to understand some of what's going on with handicaps. The reason your index is so low is that only two or three of your lowest scores are used in the calculations.

Proper terminology: that 20.1 is your handicap index. The handicap index is used to determine your course handicap for any particular course. The course handicap is determined by referencing your handicap index in a look-up table of the slope rating of the set of tees you are using.

Your handicap index is not an average of your scores, it is 96% of an average of score differentials. The differential is determined using your score, the slope of the course and course rating.

Once you have a course handicap, it is very good to "shoot your handicap". e.g. If my course handicap is 7 on a par 72 course with a 70.2 course rating, I would have to shoot 77 to shoot my handicap, the course rating plus course handicap. From observation of many course handicaps, it seems that we shoot our handicap or better only about 3 times in the twenty most current scores.

To start with here is all you need: your handicap index (20.1) and the slope of the course you play. Then go to this link and fill in the boxes: http://www.usga.org/handicap/slope_calculator/
 
Sorry, I meant average handicap differential not scores. I updated my original post.

Smallville said:
Not exactly. It is more than just your average scores. You also have to take into consideration the course difficulty.

If your average of your ten best is 90 but you play on a very easy course from the forward tees, and another guy also has the same average of 90 but plays all his rounds from the tips at Bethpage Black, who do you think will have the lower handicap?

It's also possible to have a handicap worse than you would think comparing to the scores you shot, if the course you play is very easy.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks guys, great information.

On a side note, yesterday I accomplished a golf milestone set for 2013. Broke 90 (shot 89) on my home course of Olde Point Country Club. It felt great!!

Tommy
 
I just ran my numbers as I finally have 10 saved scores to enter. I was shocked to see my handicap index at 3.2, when I would have said I was a 7 or 8. I have one score that I believe is the reason for the 3.2. I am interested to see where I am at once I have 20 scores and one round doesnt make your handicap.
 
Castpro said:
Thanks guys, great information.

On a side note, yesterday I accomplished a golf milestone set for 2013. Broke 90 (shot 89) on my home course of Olde Point Country Club. It felt great!!

Tommy
Click to expand...

Congrats!
 
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