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Russell Middlet...
Handicap: 36
Essex
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 387
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On another golf forum I've got the option to calculate my handicap using the USGA method. The odd thing is that my handicap is currently 14.2, but in the US I'd be a 22.2! I cannot believe that my handicap is so far apart for the two golfing authorities. Can anybody explain quickly how they work out their handicaps. Russ
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,955
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Hi, not 100% how the us works but i believe the courses are graded. So you being 14.2 on one course may make you a 16 or a 12 on other courses due to the difficulty of the course. I'm interested as well, hope the us chaps can put us right.
regards
Steve
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TheSocialGolfer
Handicap: 36
Essex
Pro Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 782
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There are in fact only a few, subtle, differences so I'm surprised that the difference comes out at 2 shots!
Both PGA & USPGA calculate revisions to a handicap based on assessment of the entire 18 hole score (with 2 over par being the maximum score - whether you scored 6 or 16 on a par 4 you will be 'assigned' 6) and based on 'no trivial adjustment' (so your handicap is not adjusted if your overall score is within the declared 'band').
Our currrent method is based on the CONGU defined methods (Confederation of Golf Unions) but we are currently reviewing the option of merging our approach with the USPGA approach to create a hybrid which will standardise handicaps across TSG members.
Hope that helps. -- 04/02/2009 20:26:11: post edited by TheSocialGolfer.
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,955
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Posted by TheSocialGolfer on 04 Feb 2009, 20:24 There are in fact only a few, subtle, differences so I'm surprised that the difference comes out at 2 shots!
Both PGA & USPGA calculate revisions to a handicap based on assessment of the entire 18 hole score (with 2 over par being the maximum score - whether you scored 6 or 16 on a par 4 you will be 'assigned' 6) and based on 'no trivial adjustment' (so your handicap is not adjusted if your overall score is within the declared 'band').
Our currrent method is based on the CONGU defined methods (Confederation of Golf Unions) but we are currently reviewing the option of merging our approach with the USPGA approach to create a hybrid which will standardise handicaps across TSG members.
Hope that helps. -- 04/02/2009 20:26:11: post edited by TheSocialGolfer. The difference is 8 shots and - as I understand it - there are almost no similarities between how USPGA and CONGU handicaps are calculated. In addition to a SSS (called Course Rating) all US courses have a Slope Rating. These, together with the starting handicap are used to 1) calculate the number of shots the player receives in the round and 2) recalculate the handicap following the round. While courses in Scotland and Ireland are rated for Slope (allowing US golfer to play off their correct handicaps) the English Golf Union gave up on the exercise so no English courses are rated for slope. As such it is impossible to correctly calculate a USPGA handicap in England. The discrepency is most likey because someone has guessed a slope rating that makes the courses harder than the average. (Oh, and USPGA handicaps are a rolling average of the last 10 rounds - including social, partial and competition rounds - rather than a simple one-off adjustment based on the infrequent "qualifying" competitions) Wikipedia (unsurprisingly) has a good explanation en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golf_handicap
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Russell Middlet...
Handicap: 36
Essex
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 387
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Thanks for the answers. I did know that American golf courses had an additional rating (slope) but I wasn't sure how this was worked out. Russ
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TheSocialGolfer
Handicap: 36
Essex
Pro Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 782
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Our information came from Mary Kemp of the USGA. Who advised that, pretty much as described by Colin, the British 'SSS' equates almost exactly to the USGA 'Rating' but they then apply a second 'leveller' ie 'Slope' which is used to make minor adjustments on a per game/per course/per tee used basis. Plus their handicap adjustment bands are wider than those applied by CONGU (the British system applies a maximum double bogey for handicap calculation purposes whereas the USGA applies a maximum dependent on the band of your current handicap). See www.usga.org/playing/handicaps/handicaps.html for the detail but the wiki description is, as always, excellent. With a difference of 8 shots I tend to look at the Rating/SSS declarations for the courses rather than the 'Slope' and/or what score was applied for hole 'blow outs'. What we probably need is one of the US members (preferably one who 'knows' both systems) to give us a heads up -- 05/02/2009 09:30:24: post edited by TheSocialGolfer.
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John Kroll
Handicap: 18
Illinois
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I need a good source on how to establish a handicap. Any help?
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,955
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Hi, why dont you enter your scorecards on this site and it will generate a handicap for you. regards steve
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TSG
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