GOLF HANDICAP 101

Ever wonder what the difference is between your index and your handicap? Or why your handicap might vary from one golf course to another? Marla Smith, HVWGC Handicap Chair for the 2005 golf season, helps us answer those question in her article from the July 2005 Fairway Divots.

The USGA handicap system is designed to allow all players with an established handicap to compete with one another (no matter what tees they play from) on an equal basis. Below is a short explanation of how it works.

DEFINITIONS
Index is a number based on your play, course and slop rating and allows you to play with equitably on any course from any tee. Your index is what is listed on your index card and on the Golf Association of Michigan website (www.gam.org).
Course Rating is a number evaluating the course specific difficulty in terms of strokes to complete a round for scratch golfers assuming normal course and weather conditions. Rating and slope numbers are found on your golf score card specific to tees and sometimes gender.
Slope Rating is the USGA's mark that indicates the measurement of the relative playing difficulty of a course for players who are not scratch golfers, compared to scratch golfers. It is expressed as a whole number from 55 to 155. For more info see www.usga.org/playing/handicaps/course_ratings/course_rating_primer.html
Course Handicap is calculated from your index and the slope rating for the course on which you are playing.

ONCE YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED AN INDEX (which Handicomp does for us after we have submitted our golf scores), then you are ready for:

PLAYING THE GAME
You have an index and want to play against another player. How many strokes can each of you take from your gross scores to get to a net score?

Each Course Handicap is calculated by: index multiplied by slope divided by 113. Most courses have a conversion table so you do not have to do the math - - just ask them. So, if you have an index of 33 and play 18 holes from the red tees:

• at Pineview with a course slope of 115 your course handicap is 33.6 or 34 strokes [33x115/113=33.6 (34)]
• at Cattails with a course slope of 122 your course handicap is 35.6 or 36 strokes [33x122/113=35.6 (36)]
• at Brookside with a course slope of 111 your course handicap is 32.4 or 32 strokes [33x111/113=32.4 (32)]

The take away message is: to have the best reflection of your playing ability, post every time you play. I have seen the system work time and time again with players of unequal ability come down to a dead heat with the handicap system in place. It really does work!