Kennedy Mens Club – HANDICAP INFORMATION

There are major changes this year as the World Handicap System is now being used, beginning in 2020. The Handicap Committee strongly encourages all members go to USGA Rules of Handicapping website (https://www.usga.org/handicapping/roh/2020-rules-of-handicapping.html) and familiarize yourself with the new terminology.

World Handicap System Highlights:

·      Daily Revisions 

Your handicap will now be revised daily when you play. Due to this, it is the player’s responsibility to post his score as soon as possible on the day of play.

·      Round type notations have changed (needs work- GHIN app is down)

Notations indicating the type of round played have changed.

C: Competition (this replaces T – Tournament)

N: Nine holes (this replaces C – Combined)

H: Home

A: Away

Net Double Bogey replaces ESC (Equitable Stroke Control)

• The Net Double Bogey adjustment is more consistent from hole to hole than the ESC procedure.
• For example – Using the ESC procedure, a player with a Course Handicap of 21 would have the same maximum score (8) on each hole – regardless of the Par or difficulty of the hole.

• By factoring in Par and Stroke Index values under the Net Double Bogey procedure, adjusted hole scores will be more precise and reflective of each player’s demonstrated ability.
• Net Double Bogey is calculated in the following way. If a player has a 15 handicap and they are playing a par 4 that is the 13th handicapped hole, the maximum score for that hole that can be posted is a 7.
  Par (4) + Double Bogey (2) + Handicap for Hole (1) = 7
• While this is a change for all who have used the USGA Handicap System, Net Double Bogey has been used successfully in many parts of the world – as it is the equivalent to zero points in the Net Stableford format of play.
•  Hole-by-hole posting on GHIN.  We strongly encourage members to take advantage of this new feature. When posting hole-by-hole, any adjustments for maximum hole scores will be done automatically.  There are additional benefits do using this feature including stats collection (fairways, putts, etc.)
  

·       Low Handicap Index

• You will now see this number when you log into the new GHIN app. A player's Low Handicap Index represents the demonstrated ability of a player over the 12-month period preceding the day on which the most recent score in their scoring record was played. It represents a reference point against which a player's current Handicap Index can be compared for other possible handicap adjustments. The Low Handicap Index is an official component of a player's handicap scoring record. A Low Handicap Index is only established after a golfer has posted at least 20 acceptable scores.

·       Hard and Soft Caps

The World Handicapping System is designed to limit the upward movement of a Handicap Index. These caps are based on the golfer’s Low Handicap Index. There are two trigger points built into the system:

• The Soft Cap - The soft cap is triggered when the difference between a player's newly calculated Handicap Index and their Low Handicap Index is greater than 3 strokes. When a player's new Handicap Index increase is greater than 3.0 strokes, the value above 3.0 strokes is restricted to 50% of the increase.
• The Hard Cap - The hard cap triggers to restrict a player's Handicap Index to never increase more than 5.0 strokes above their Low Handicap Index

There is no limit on the amount by which a player’s Handicap Index can decrease.

The soft cap and hard cap procedures start to take effect only after the Low Handicap Index has been established.

·       Playing Conditions Calculation (PCC)

The Playing Conditions Calculation (PCC) is a daily calculation within the handicap system that compares actual scores made at each course to the expected scores of the players who made them. If the composite of scores is significantly higher or lower than what’s expected, an adjustment will be applied automatically to the score differential calculation of those who played that day. The PCC can result in an adjustment of -1.0, 0.0, +1.0, +2.0, or +3.0.   

•  A 0.0 adjustment means the course played as expected.

•  A -1.0 adjustment means the course played easier than normal.

•  A +1.0, +2.0 or +3.0 adjustment means the course played more difficult than normal.

The calculation is designed to be conservative and will result in no adjustment on most days. If it is applied to a particular round, you will see this as a notation on your scoring record in the GHIN app.

THE FOLLOWING ARE USGA SCORE POSTING GUIDELINES:

Holes Not Completed & Match Play - The proper posting procedure for unfinished holes, players picking up before finishing the hole, and conceded strokes is to record the score that the player ‘most likely’ would have received if they had played the ball into the hole. There is no limit to the number of unfinished holes a player may have in a round. Scores from match play matches should be posted using this procedure even though sometimes putts are conceded or the ball is not always holed.

Holes Not Played – If a player does not play a hole, the score to be recorded for handicap purposes must be par plus any handicap strokes the player is entitled to receive on that hole. This procedure should be followed for up to five un-played holes on any 18-hole round or three un-played holes on any 9-hole round, and the scores must still be posted.

Net Double Bogey has replaced Equitable Stroke Control (ESC) – The mandatory procedure to be used when reducing unusually ‘high’ hole scores for handicap purposes is now called ‘Net Double Bogey’. Using this procedure makes handicaps more representative of a player’s potential ability. Net Double Bogey is calculated as follows:

Par of the hole + Double Bogey (2) + player handicap strokes for hole

For example: Assume that a player with a course handicap of 15 scores a 9 on the 13^th  handicapped hole, which is a par 4. Net Double Bogey is calculated as:

Par (4) + Double Bogey (2) + Handicap for Hole (1) = 7

The maximum score for that hole that can be posted is a 7.

KENNEDY MENS CLUB HANDICAP POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

The Kennedy Mens Club Handicap Committee has defined the following policies and procedures to clarify the processes that should be followed by all members of the Kennedy Mens Club Handicap system. The Handicap Committee consists of golf club officials as well as playing members of the club. The Handicap Committee has adopted many of the USGA guidelines and rules as presented in the USGA Handicap System Manual.

“The purpose of the USGA Handicap System is to make the game of golf more enjoyable by enabling players of differing abilities to compete on an equitable basis. The system provides a fair course handicap for each player, regardless of ability, and adjusts a player’s handicap up or down as the player’s game changes. At the same time, the system disregards high scores that bear little relation to the player’s potential ability”.

The Handicap Committee has final decision making responsibility for any and all handicap related issues and is empowered to oversee all handicap related issues including:

• Provide handicapping information and/or training as required.
• Monitor scoring at KENNEDY MENS CLUB events.
• Monitor posting of scores for all rounds for KENNEDY MENS CLUB members.
• Maintain the Members Club Handicap
• Directly contact KENNEDY MENS CLUB members regarding infractions.
• Players who fail to comply with the KENNEDY MENS CLUB handicapping system rules will be adjusted accordingly, following USGA handicap guidelines.
• Adjust handicap indexes as The Handicap Committee deems appropriate.
• Maintain documentation for the following events:
  
• Contact with KENNEDY MENS CLUB members regarding failure to post a score.
• Warning letters (emails) that are issued to a member upon an infraction.
• Notifications when a member’s handicap index is modified.
• Notifications when the modification is removed. 

SCORE POSTING PROCEDURE

Proper posting of scores is essential to maintain a competitive balance in all Kennedy Mens Club events. The Handicap Committee intends to provide playing conditions in which all participants have an equal opportunity to compete and win in any event they play. The following rules will apply to all Kennedy Mens Club handicap members for all rounds of golf played, which include both tournaments and casual play. The Kennedy Mens Club Handicap Committee reserves the right to modify a player’s handicap index, delete scores, or post “penalty” scores if it is determined a player has failed to post scores accurately and in accordance with the posting guidelines.

Submission of Scores:

All rounds during the active season (in Colorado: March 15 – Nov 14) that are considered acceptable for handicap purposes must be posted. Also please post your scores if you are playing in a state that uses year round posting for the USGA (ex. Arizona). In general, these are rounds where you have played your own ball. This includes 9 and 18 hole casual rounds and match play, Examples of rounds that are not acceptable and would not be posted are scrambles, shambles, or alternate shot formats.

Tournament Scores – Acceptable scores from Kennedy Mens Club tournament events will be posted by the Kennedy Mens Club Handicap Committee.

Match Play: Scores for Kennedy match play competition rounds must be posted by the individual players and are not to be posted as a Competition Score. 

All individual players are responsible for the following:

• Posting scores in person (i.e. using the GHIN computer located in the clubhouse or the GHIN app on your phone) immediately following the round is always the preferred method to expose scores for “immediate peer review” per USGA guidelines. This method of reporting scores should be used whenever possible.
• Posting scores accurately to ensure the hole by holes scores meet Net Double Bogey requirements.
• Timely posting – post the score the same day the round was played. If this is not possible the player is required to notify The Handicap Committee. Scores not posted within 48 hours are in violation of posting procedures and subject the player to penalty or handicap adjustment.
• Notifying the Handicap Committee of any discrepancies in handicaps listed within the GHIN system. For example, if an inaccurate score was mistakenly posted, type of score is not correct, or the date of the score is incorrect.

The following are acceptable scores and must be posted for handicap calculation purposes:

• When 14 or more holes are played, post as an 18-hole score using USGA recommended guidelines. Note that ‘Unplayed’ holes should be posted as par plus any strokes to which the player is entitled on that hole. ‘Unfinished’ holes should be recorded as the score that ‘most likely’ would have been made.
• When 7 to 12 holes are played, post as a 9-hole score. Note that posting rules do not allow a “Competitive” score designation when it is only a 9-hole score.
• Rounds played within the Colorado active posting season.
• Scores from all courses with valid USGA Course and Slope ratings.
• Scores in all forms of competition where players play their own ball, such as match play, stroke play and team competitions. The Handicap Committee will decide which scores are to be posted as Competitive scores.
• Scores played under the Local Rule of preferred lies.
• When a player is disqualified from a competition, but still has an acceptable score for handicap purposes (e.g. - failure to sign a score card).

MONITORING SCORES IN KENNEDY MENS CLUB EVENTS

Following Kennedy Mens Club events and after scores are posted and final results are announced, The Handicap Committee will review scores. Exceptional scores shall be noted and may be subject to notification or corrective action.

CORRECTIVE ACTIONS PROCEDURE

At its discretion, The Handicap Committee may take the following actions regarding infractions:

• Failure to properly post scores:
  
• Contact the member to advise them and discuss the situation.
• Send an investigative warning letter (email) to the player regarding the infraction.
• Post the actual score made by the player.
• Post a penalty score equal to the lowest/highest handicap differential in the scoring record.
  
  
• Multiple exceptional competitive scores within a season:
  
• The Handicap Committee will initiate a formal review of the member’s performance that may be cause for handicap index modification. The Handicap Committee is responsible for documenting all reasons for the review.
• Notify the member in writing their handicap index is under review and provide the member with all documentation and relevant circumstances.
• The Handicap Committee will follow the USGA recommendations related to handicap reductions as outlined in the USGA Handicap System Manual.
• The member is always entitled to an appeal meeting with the Handicap Committee before any modification is enacted. The member will have the right and opportunity to present any and all mitigating evidence that they believe relevant.
• If the member chooses to appeal the ruling, The Handicap Committee shall review the appeal and respond to the member in writing of the final decision on the handicap modification.
• The final decision shall include a review process and projected timeline to remove the handicap modification. This process should be created with the intention of removing the modification as soon as is reasonable without upsetting the competitive balance in events.

Fair and accurate handicaps require every player to complete every hole to the BEST of their ability and in the least amount of strokes possible. If a player fails to try their best, or manipulates hole by hole scoring, they are in violation of the rules and subject to penalty by The Handicap Committee. Please do your part to keep our club handicaps accurate to promote fun and fair competition.

PLAYER HANDICAP REVIEW

A player may request that the Handicap Committee perform a handicap review after a period where the player feels their scoring potential does not align with the current Handicap Index. The request and reason for the review must be submitted in writing, via email or letter. Players that have sustained an injury that effects their play may only request a review after posting acceptable scores..