Australia to Adopt World Handicapping System.

[Dotty]

That would cut out 70% of the field at most clubs Dotty, you will do anything to win wont you ??

Less time on the course = more time ordering meals and drinks = more income.

Slow play is affecting the club's bottom line, meaning higher annual subs and higher green fees.

[LeftyHoges]

And if I tie his legs together, I can run faster than Usain Bolt.

Are you absolutely sure of that?

Maybe we need a 9 hole cut. If you don't finish within 120 mins from teeing off, then you can't play the second nine.

Not the worst idea in the world.

[Dotty]

Are you absolutely sure of that?

You're right. I probably also need to borrow Stephen Hawking's wheelchair.

[BUSHY]

Less time on the course = more time ordering meals and drinks = more income.

Slow play is affecting the club's bottom line, meaning higher annual subs and higher green fees.

That’s a good idea. Our club had a few days where the Saturday Comp was an AM and PM shotgun start with the intention to get more people in the clubhouse together. I think it was quite successful however I don’t think you could do it all the time.

[AndyP]

And if I tie his legs together, I can run faster than Usain Bolt.

Maybe we need a 9 hole cut. If you don't finish within 120 mins from teeing off, then you can't play the second nine.

Actually they need more 9 hole comps. Good for those new to the game, and those of us that can't dedicate the time for full rounds. They allow handicapping from 9 hole comps, but if there are many around, I haven't seen them.

[Ferrins]

Happy to play off 54 at the Vic Champs to help gauge reaction.

[jimandr]

[QUOTE=Dotty;1372793

Maybe we need a 9 hole cut. If you don't finish within 120 mins from teeing off, then you can't play the second nine.[/QUOTE]

This is a fantastic idea.

I'll make sure I'm in the first group, then, when on the 18th with stopwatch in hand, I'll study my last putt until 119 minutes and 50 seconds, then hole the last putt. Hey presto, everyone is DQ'd except me. and I win. If I do it 8 times (or 10, or whatever it is for the maximum number of NCR's in golflink) then everyone else gets a 3 month suspension.

All I'm reading in this thread is whinge whinge whinge about the favourite hobby horse topic of the poster. As far as I can see, there is no impact for Australia except the max handicap of 54. Other countries are moving into line with us, it appears.

Yes, it is possible for people to submit fictitious scores from alleged social games to manipulate handicaps. But in the real world, who is going to do that, and why? (except the guy who appears to have done exactly that and paid a large sum to get himself a start in the web.com event in Colombia recently). Perhaps in the US where people like to hustle others in pick up games at the local country club, but in Australia I can't see it happening.

As to the max 54 handicap, the logic of this misses me completely. How many people regularly play golf at a standard where they never break 120? Most who play at that standard at all are twice a year golfers who don't want or need a handicap, not people who are desiring to play comps but can't reach the handicap threshhold. The only exceptions I can see are the 80 year olds who can't hit it 100m. Surely there aren't so many in that category that they need more handicap. My one real concern about this is an even worse situation that we have now with new players getting their first handicap. If our hypothetical new player starts on 54, they will shoot 60 points every second week as they rapidly improve. Or if they can't be competitive off 54, they'll give the game up anyway.

Still, in final washup it doesn't matter what we think. The decision has been made. I think we'll be able to live with it.

[Daves]

This is a fantastic idea.

I'll make sure I'm in the first group, then, when on the 18th with stopwatch in hand, I'll study my last putt until 119 minutes and 50 seconds, then hole the last putt. Hey presto, everyone is DQ'd except me. and I win. If I do it 8 times (or 10, or whatever it is for the maximum number of NCR's in golflink) then everyone else gets a 3 month suspension.

All I'm reading in this thread is whinge whinge whinge about the favourite hobby horse topic of the poster. As far as I can see, there is no impact for Australia except the max handicap of 54. Other countries are moving into line with us, it appears.

Yes, it is possible for people to submit fictitious scores from alleged social games to manipulate handicaps. But in the real world, who is going to do that, and why? (except the guy who appears to have done exactly that and paid a large sum to get himself a start in the web.com event in Colombia recently). Perhaps in the US where people like to hustle others in pick up games at the local country club, but in Australia I can't see it happening.

As to the max 54 handicap, the logic of this misses me completely. How many people regularly play golf at a standard where they never break 120? Most who play at that standard at all are twice a year golfers who don't want or need a handicap, not people who are desiring to play comps but can't reach the handicap threshhold. The only exceptions I can see are the 80 year olds who can't hit it 100m. Surely there aren't so many in that category that they need more handicap. My one real concern about this is an even worse situation that we have now with new players getting their first handicap. If our hypothetical new player starts on 54, they will shoot 60 points every second week as they rapidly improve. Or if they can't be competitive off 54, they'll give the game up anyway.

Still, in final washup it doesn't matter what we think. The decision has been made. I think we'll be able to live with it.

We have a number of 85+ yo regulars, many of whom are playing off 36 or thereabouts. And a number of newish golfers that are (still) off Maximum. Reviewing our last mid-week comp, there were three 36 handicappers that scored 23 points or less (one made a whole 8pts! He is well into his 90s). There were 12 players in a total field of 147 that had a hcp of 30 or more. The best of them scored 33 points and was in position 53/147. None of them won a prize, not even a golf ball in the run down. And as far as I know, none of them are considered slow players, despite their lack of mobility.

[Courty]

I understood from something I read the other day that under the new system scores would be assessed against Par, not the DSR. Although it's possible I misread... can't find the article again now.

Here's the official release detailing the proposed changes from the current Australian system:

1. There will be a Hard Cap of 5 strokes as per GA’s current regulation. There will also be a Soft Cap currently set at 3 strokes which will be a new regulation for Australia. The Soft Cap will allow a player normal increases in their GA Handicap unless it increases to 3 strokes above their best GA Handicap from the previous 12-month period. Above this point the GA Handicap will only be permitted to increase by 50% of the calculated amount. [Example: A player’s '8 of 20' calculation is 17.2. Their best GA Handicap within the trailing 12-month period is 11.2. Their GA Handicap is 15.7 (ie 11.2 + 3 + (50% of 3)).] Modelling indicates that the Soft Cap will impact up to 20% of the total number of handicap calculations performed by GOLF Link each year. The introduction of the Soft Cap will reduce the percentage of players impacted by the Hard Cap from 5% down to less than 1.5%. GA has been aware for some time that our existing system produces a competitive advantage to the inconsistent player over the consistent player and we have been looking for a way to soften this outcome. The Soft Cap will improve this situation and will improve the equity of Australian handicapping.Click here to see a Q&A on the new Soft Cap regulation.


2. The Daily Handicap calculation will be changed to incorporate the difference between the Scratch Rating and the Par. This is all that needs to happen to enable 36 Stableford points (or net par) to become the equitable measure of whether a player has played to their handicap, irrespective of the course or set of tees. To determine a WHS Daily Handicap GOLF Link will start by performing the exact same calculation as currently occurs under the existing GA Handicap System. And then it will simply adjust this amount by the difference between the Scratch Rating and the Par. This change will eliminate the significant complexity involved with scoring for multi-tee and mixed gender competitions, and as a result will be beneficial from a game participation and engagement perspective.

From here

[pt73]

This was the bit that caught my eye:

GA has been aware for some time that our existing system produces a competitive advantage to the inconsistent player over the consistent player and we have been looking for a way to soften this outcome.
The Soft Cap will improve this situation and will improve the equity of Australian handicapping.

[Grumpy8]

Was speaking to our club manager yesterday , he doesn’t think Aus Golf will be adopting 54 max cap . Plus he thinks the soft cap is good and should help even things out . Can’t help thinking with all these changes how much we are going back to the old system . .2 or more off your cap for every shot under you are and only .1 back no matter how shite your round was . If only they can work out how to allow for variations in course conditions and apply it to nett results

[PeteyD]

Old system was penal and decidedly crap. Mind you all handicap systems are crap to some extent. Be interesting if Aus Golf modify the terms, makes world handicapping system a bit incorrect.

[BUSHY]

Was speaking to our club manager yesterday , he doesn’t think Aus Golf will be adopting 54 max cap . Plus he thinks the soft cap is good and should help even things out . Can’t help thinking with all these changes how much we are going back to the old system . .2 or more off your cap for every shot under you are and only .1 back no matter how shite your round was . If only they can work out how to allow for variations in course conditions and apply it to nett results

Just spoke to our GM and he said the same thing regarding the 54 max.

[Steve57]

The managers comments obviously stem from this on the Golf Australia website.

http://www.golf.org.au/newsdisplay/a...p-system/99811

[BUSHY]

“Will there be a change to handicap limits under the World Handicap System?
There will be a maximum GA Handicap under the World Handicap System of 54 for both men and women. However the WHS will specifically provide the flexibility for Australia to build default handicap limits into our software of 36 for men and 45 for women (which is what they currently are).”

[PapaBravo]

Is it just me, or do other people think this change really is going to have no impact on anything at all ever?

It "might" increase participation rates amongst newer players - but it likely wont because no one who is shooting rounds above 125 has ever thought to themselves "may i should really give competitive golf a go"

It "might" speed up or slow down rounds - but booking tee time management and individual golfers mentalities arent going to change

It "might" see an increase in sandbagging - but those people will be exposed very quickly with the new system

It "might" see a scratch golfer lose to a chopper - but that happens every week regardless

It "might" be a good or a bad move for the sport - but honestly it will affect so very little of the current competition player base, even less impact to the current golfers who are enthusiastic enough to bother with discussion on an online forum.

Let the governing body change what they like if they "think" it might help something. It probably wont, and seems a complete and utter waste of time and resources, but they have to be seen trying to do things to increase member base.

[3Puttpete]

Is it just me, or do other people think this change really is going to have no impact on anything at all ever?

Exactly

[Grumpy8]

The more you hear about it the more it seems to me it is just a tweaking of the system to put every country on the same page .

[3Puttpete]

The more you hear about it the more it seems to me it is just a tweaking of the system to put every country on the same page .

Is the sky no longer falling?

[BUSHY]

Is the sky no longer falling?

It would seem not.

[Grumpy8]

Is the sky no longer falling?

If they don’t adopt the 54 max cap then I don’t give a shite about the rest . I don’t even mind giving some old bloke who can’t and hasn’t played to 36 for a longtime some help if it keeps him playing. My opinion on GA hasn’t changed tho nor has my opinion on some of this stuff increasing no’s etc . ,expressed my opinions and will continue to do so , but yes I am over the shock of having to compete against some bandit who has manipulated himself a 54 cap . Giving 14 shots in match play recently was hard enough giving 47 would be something else ,

[Benje]

Re the old guy who can no longer hit the ball far enough to compete - my club has a red tees competition available, with the score adjusted for DCR/slope into the main comp. That eliminates the worst long carries/slow play effects.

Re the 9 holes - my club has started having 4 times on Wednesday's at near dawn for 9 hole early players. 1st tee for 18 holes, 5th tee for 9 holes. 13th finishes behind the car park.

Both great initiatives.

[3Puttpete]

Is there a slope rating for the 5-13 nine?

[Grumpy8]

Re the old guy who can no longer hit the ball far enough to compete - my club has a red tees competition available, with the score adjusted for DCR/slope into the main comp. That eliminates the worst long carries/slow play effects.Re the 9 holes - my club has started having 4 times on Wednesday's at near dawn for 9 hole early players. 1st tee for 18 holes, 5th tee for 9 holes. 13th finishes behind the car park.Both great initiatives.

Our club has gold tees for that which are in front of the ladies tees , I think age and cap has to add up 90 or 95 , and they adjust the caps by 6 shots or something like that . 9 hole comps early morning and or late evening will be the way things go I think for those that can’t fit an 18 in .

[LeftyHoges]

It'll stop some cheats jumping from 6.7 to 10.0 over a year, which will be nice.