Handicap Procedures and Controls
The World Handicap System as adopted by United States Golf Association (USGA) is the official handicapping system of the Southern California Golf Association (SCGA) and therefore also of the Los Verdes Men's Golf and Country Club (LVMGCC).
The World Handicap System includes the Rules of Handicapping and the Course Rating System. Its purpose is to enhance the enjoyment of the game of golf and to give as many golfers as possible the opportunity to:
Obtain and maintain a Handicap Index,
Use their Handicap Index on any golf course around the world, and
Compete, or play a casual round, with anyone else on a fair and equal basis.
This is achieved by:
The establishment of Course Ratings and Slope Ratings for each set of tees of all golf courses based on length and playing difficulty of the respective hole.
Limiting the maximum score per hole for handicap purposes to ensure a player’s index continues to reflect a player’s demonstrated ability.
Applying a uniform calculation method for updating an Index for all acceptable scores submitted.
Reviewing a player’s Index on a regular basis to ensure it continues to reflect the player’s demonstrated ability.
Assessing the impact of playing conditions, using the scores of all players on a course on a specific day and applying adjustments when necessary. – If playing in a heavy storm makes a player shoot higher than his normal performance on the course, the posted score would have an unfortunate impact on his Handicap Index. However, if all players on that course on that day have similar unusually high scores, his posted score may be subjected to an automatic adjustment along with the posted scores of everybody else!
Each member is responsible for the correct posting of his adjusted gross score of all rounds played anywhere. However, when so communicated by the Tournament Chair or Captain, Club Tournament scores are posted by the club via Golf Genius.
LVMGC uses the GHIN computer system to collect and record scores and to calculate handicap indexes. After each round a golfer must check his score, make the proper adjustments using the Net Double Bogey system for each hole, and post his adjusted gross score online or via the GHIN App.
The Club encourages members to always post their scores on a hole-by-hole basis and not as a total score. By using the hole-by-hole posting method, players do not have to manually calculate any score adjustments. The GHIN App will automatically validate scores based on the Net Double Bogey rule!
A golfers Index is updated daily, so members are expected to post their scores the day of their outing, if possible. Besides offering the most convenient way to post a score, the Golf Handicap Information Network (www.ghin.com) offers members access to their Index in real time as well as to that of any other player with an established Handicap Index.
The Board recommends downloading the GHIN Mobile App, as this replaces the printed Membership and Handicap Index cards of the past.
Apple:
Google Play:
When to Post a Score:
To post an 18-hole score, you must play at least 13 holes that adhere to the Rules of Golf. To post a 9-hole score, you must play at least 9 holes.
If a match ends with remaining holes, and you play the remaining holes, you must post the actual scores for those holes. If you don't play the remaining holes, you must use the hole-by-hole feature for the holes played and the Expected Score Differential for the un-played holes will be added by the GHIN system,
You can still post a score if you play holes out of order, as long as you meet the minimum-holes played requirement (9 holes for a 9-hole score or 13 holes for an 18-hole score).
If you play both match play and stroke play at the same time, the score you post will be determined by your stroke play score, even if you concede a stroke in the match.
You can use distance-measuring devices that provide distance information only.
When NOT to Post a Score:
If most of the holes played are not in accordance with the Rules of Golf, the score should not be posted.
If you exceed 5 holes not played or not played under the principles of the Rules in an 18-hole round, the score should not be posted.
If holes are not played due to fading light, weather, injury, or other reasonable reasons (e.g., a course being out of play for maintenance), you should still post a score for the holes played, and the Expected Score Differential for the un-played holes will be added by the GHIN system.
Scores from solo rounds are not acceptable unless a "witness" accompanies the player and can attest to the score.
Scores – Incomplete Rounds
A basic rule of handicapping is that all rounds played at any course (except for "scores not acceptable" as defined in the above) must be posted.
18-holes:
For an 18-hole score to be acceptable for handicap purposes, a player must play at least 13 holes. If a player plays more than 9 holes but fewer than 13, all surplus hole scores are disregarded, and a 9-hole acceptable score must be submitted (holes 1 – 9).
If at least 13 holes are played, the player must post the played holes on a hole-by-hole basis. The un-played holes will be calculated based on the “Expected Score Differential” by the GHIN system based on the player’s current Handicap Index.
9 Holes:
One 9-hole score is no longer combined with another 9-hole score to create an 18-hole Score Differential, before it is counted for handicap purposes. This allows any 9-hole round to be considered in the player’s Handicap Index calculation right away.
When a player posts a 9-hole score, the system automatically calculates an 18-hole Score Differential for the round, based on the player’s 9-hole Score Differential and the Expected Score Differential based on their current Handicap Index.
Therefore, this methodology requires golfers to play all 9 holes instead of the previous minimum of 7 holes. If 7 – 12 holes are played, a 9-hole acceptable score must be submitted (holes 1 – 9)!
This leads to a more consistent and comparable Handicap Index for golfers who post 9-hole scores and avoid being dependent on the order in which scores are combined.
Important: The Expected Score Differential is based on the player’s current Handicap Index. It does not change based on how or where the 9-hole round was played!
Scores – Incomplete Holes
When the format of play allows a player to start a hole but not complete it (Better-Ball and Match Play), the score to be recorded for handicap purposes must be the “most likely score”, which is equal to:
The number of strokes already taken on the hole, plus
Any penalty strokes incurred during the hole, plus
The number of strokes the player would most likely require finishing the hole.
A most likely score is defined as a “reasonable assessment made by the player” based on the most likely score from that spot more than half the time. The following guidelines should be used:
If the ball lies on the putting green no more than 5 feet from the hole, add one stroke.
If the ball lies between 5 feet and 20 yards from the hole, add 2 or 3 additional strokes depending on the position of the ball, difficulty of the green and the player’s ability.
If the ball lies more than 20 yards from the hole, add 3 or 4 additional strokes depending on the position of the ball, difficulty of the green and the player’s ability.
Like for any hole, also the score for an incomplete hole is subject to the Net Double Bogey rule.
Rules of Handicapping, Adjusted Scores, etc.
Before a Handicap Index Has Been Established:
For a player submitting his first scores to obtain an initial Handicap Index, the maximum score for each hole played is limited to Par + 5 strokes!
After a Handicap Index Has Been Established (after three 18-hole scores):
For all players with an established Handicap Index, the maximum score for each hole is limited to Net Double Bogey!
Net Double Bogey = Double Bogey +/- any handicap strokes received or given back on a hole, or put differently:
Par of the hole + 2 strokes +/- any handicap strokes the player receives on that hole!
Net Double Bogey:
The World Handicap System retired the Equitable Stroke Control (ESC) system two years ago and replaced it with the much simpler and more equitable rule: Net Double Bogey!
Net Double Bogey prevents the occasional bad hole from impacting a golfers Handicap Index too severely. As mentioned, the Club highly recommends hole-by-hole posting in the GHIN to take advantage of the automatic adjustments provided by the system.
Net Double Bogey is the maximum allowed hole score for handicap purposes for all players.
Temporary Index
The concept of a Temporary Index has been discontinued by the World Handicap System.
Penalty Assessments (Local Rules)
During the regularly sponsored club tournaments the player is responsible for his score on the scorecard. He is also responsible for posting his correctly adjusted gross score on the GHIN computer. The tournament committee will correct scorecards for errors in addition and net score as relates to the tournament. The Handicap Committee will review the cards for proper score adjustment and correct posted scores for the tournament for any posting errors.
During tournament or regular play, a warning or penalty may be assessed on a player for:
Failure to Post
Scorecard omissions such as first and last name, date, scorer's signature, attester's signature, SCGA number, handicap not indicated, tees used, etc.
Failure to return a scorecard.
Posting a tournament score as Home (H) instead of Away (A) or by omitting Tournament (C).
Failure to make proper adjustments prior to posting
When there is an error in addition indicating a higher score than the player actually incurred, and that gross score was adjusted and posted.
No penalties will be assessed by the handicap committee for scorecards incorrectly added resulting in a lower score than the player actually incurred. The incorrect lower score may be corrected or may be allowed to remain.
Handicap Increases and Decreases (USGA Rules: Section 8-3d.)
Arbitrary Penalty:
Based on analysis, and at the discretion of the Handicap Committee, a player's handicap may be reduced, or frozen, when normal computation methods produce a handicap obviously too high for the individual's ability. Example: A player scores consistently better in tournaments than what his index would indicate is his "normal" playing ability.
USGA/SCGA Penalty Policy
Continued violations or deviations by an individual player from written or stated policies of the USGA, SCGA or local Handicap Committee may result in a player’s suspension from tournament play by deletion of his handicap index.
Summary:
Under no circumstance shall these provisions be utilized to artificially control one's index. If these provisions should be used for such purposes, the Handicap Committee may adjust the player's index arbitrarily downward.
All games played by a member of the LVMGC must be recorded on a score card containing the first and last name of each player, the SCGA identification number of each player, the handicap of each player (if one exists), the number of strokes taken on each hole, and the gross, net, and adjusted score for each player. The card should identity which set of tees were used and be signed and dated by the player keeping score and attested by another person present during the round. The score keeper is responsible for the safe keeping of such score card in case a copy is requested by the Handicap Chair.
Immediately following the completion of each round (same day), a player must post his adjusted score on the GHIN computer, online, or via the GHIN App. Indices are updated daily, so failure to comply with this rule might cause issues in future rounds.
Definitions
Adjusted Gross Score:
A player’s gross score minus any adjustment under the Net Double Bogey rule. The adjusted score shall be used for index calculation purposes only.
Net Double Bogey
The downward adjustment for handicap purposes of an unusually high score on an individual hole or number of holes.
Gross Score
A player's actual score before it is adjusted by his handicap,
Negative Handicap
The number of artificial strokes a player receives from the course to adjust his scoring ability to the common level of scratch or zero-handicap golf.
Positive Handicap
The number of artificial strokes a player gives back to the course to adjust his scoring ability to the common level of scratch or zero-handicap golf.
Net Score
A player's score after his gross score has been adjusted by his Course Handicap.
Course Rating and Slope Rating
The Course Rating and Slope Rating make up the evaluation of the playing difficulty of the course for the scratch player and for the bogey player under normal playing conditions.
The effective playing length is determined from the measurement of each hole, adjusted for the impact of roll, wind, elevation changes, altitude, doglegs and forced lay ups.
In addition to the effective playing length, the following obstacle factors are evaluated on each hole for both the scratch player and the bogey player:
The Course Rating is calculated from the effective playing length and obstacle factors for 9 or 18 designated holes and is expressed in strokes to one decimal point and represents the expected score for a scratch player.
The Bogey Rating represents the expected score for a bogey player.
The Slope Rating represents the difference between the Course Rating and the Bogey Rating.
A golf course of standard relative difficulty has a Slope Rating of 113.
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