Handicaps Network Africa (HNA) has to date successfully transferred the handicaps of more than 120 000 of the country’s 160 000 golfers onto its revolutionary new handicap system.
Cuan Chelin a Director of HNA said, “HNA’s new system has immediate benefits to golfers. Most importantly it ensures that all golfers’ scores are entered and calculated on the same handicap system no matter where a golfer plays. In addition to this scores can be easily captured on the terminals in golf clubs around the country and will reflect immediately on the website as well as at all other terminals across the country”.
HNA took over managing handicaps when the company was formed as a joint venture between the South African Golf Association (SAGA) and Super-Brands (Pty) Ltd. In terms of the agreement HNA manages the capturing and recording of handicaps, while SAGA continues to set the standards for the calculation of handicaps. HNA took over this function from the National Golf Network (NGN).
Chelin said that another benefit of the new system was that golfers could log their scores on the internet. All registered golfers will be provided with a pin number which will enable them to enter their scores on the hna.openagency.co website. The site offers a wide range of functions including golfing news, fixtures, equipment updates, coaching tips to improve your game and improved statistical information.
When capturing a round on the new handicap system golfers have the option of entering either a total score for the round or their hole-by-hole scores, “this is a useful feature for golfers who want to track the history of their performance on particular courses or holes, as well as compare their averages per hole with that of their peers”, said Chelin.
The new system has been rolled out to golf clubs around the country; over 300 hundred of these receiving state of the art touch screen terminals. “HNA has been working tirelessly to ensure the integrity of all historic data uploaded onto the new system as we value each and every score record of all golfers in the country. One vital benefit of this system is that instead of data being stored on individual computers at each club we have a centralised server that operates nationally. This means that data on the internet site and all terminals is up to date at all times and all rounds played by golfers whether at their home club or any club anywhere in the world can be entered on the system and will immediately reflect on their scoring history.
“We are well on our way to completing the switchover and we assure golfers that the new system and website will offer them a comprehensive service with new features being added from time to time” said Chelin.
