05 Jan '10

HANDICAPPING PACKAGE RELEASED SOON

"We now wish to confirm that the first package of changes will NOT become effective on 1 February 2010," said Simon Magdulski, Manager of Rules and Handicapping, GA.

                               IT WILL NOW BE  RELEASED ON APRIL 9.

Golf Australia announced that we would be moving to the USGA Handicap System, with the first package of changes scheduled for 01 February 2010. This package involved three initial changes to handicapping:

1 - calculating handicap using the 'rolling sample' method;
2 - remove daily course rating (CCR) of Australian Handicapping Systems; and
3 - all eligible scores to be converted to and processed as stableford scores.

As a result of implementation processes taking longer than anticipated, “we now wish to confirm that the first package of changes will be delayed and will NOT become effective on 1 February 2010,” said Simon Magdulski, Manager of Rules and Handicapping, GA.

GA will announce on Friday 29 January the new implementation date for the first package of changes, later in 2010, anticipated to be late March or April.

Details of these changes were included in the last newsletter, but can also be checked on GA website www.golfaustralia.org.au  -> Rules & Handicapping  ->Handicapping & Course Rating -> News & Communication.

When we first connect to  Golf Link after the initial package becomes effective, Golf Link will have automatically calculated your handicap for you according to the “rolling sample” method. Initially, any change to your handicap will be immediate. However, later on, changes to your handicap will be made only  periodically (probably fortnightly or monthly). Your score against the AMCR (68) or AWCR (68) will be used as CCR will no longer apply after the implementation date.

Golf Link will use your existing scores to calculate your new handicap. An old score will only be dropped off when it is no longer one of your most recent 20 scores. Golf Link goes back as far as needed to find your last 20 scores - this could be 6 weeks or three years! There is also a method for calculating handicaps of new members who may not have returned 20 scores yet.

The new method of calculating handicaps is quite different to the current method, so some handicaps may change significantly. Your new handicap will be more reflective of your recent scoring trends! While you may be a bit disappointed to see your handicap become higher (or lower), your changed handicap will be a direct result of your recent scoring trends.

General reasons for not adjusting handicaps immediately are:
The purpose of a handicap is to reflect your scoring potential, and a singe good or bad score is not a strong indicator of whether your potential is changing. How often do you have a great score, lose some handicap, and follow up with one of your worst scores!!??
A trend is usually a far more reliable indicator than a one-off event.
A handicap adjustment is not meant to be a penalty for a good score, but its purpose is to achieve a level playing field amongst handicap golfers.

Late in 2010, all scores will be converted to stableford scores for handicapping purposes. GA is encouraging us to calculate our stableford score for a stroke (medal) round in the same way we do for a stableford. This should not create any more work for a player in the stroke round than in a stableford round. I know I usually have to stop myself from entering the stableford score even tho I am playing a stroke! No problem!
 

“If handicaps stayed the same under the new method, we would have no reason to make a change”