As we reach the end of what has been a very challenging year, we would like to wish all our golfers a safe and healthy Festive Season.
In this month’s newsletter, we would like to remind golfers of some of the important components of the handicap system.
Playing off the correct Course Handicap
During the end-of-year summer holiday season, we see a lot more golf being played than at any other time during the year. Consequently, there are more scores captured on the system and your Handicap Index is likely to change more frequently.
Players are able to easily check their HIs and enter scores on the HNA Handicaps & Tournament App, through the handicap terminals at golf clubs or online via the HNA website.
Is there a time limit for the entering of scores?
All scores must be submitted within 24 hours of the completion of the round. The period of 24 hours is taken from 23h00 on the day of play to 23h00 the following day. Scores not returned during this period will result in a penalty score.
If golfers are planning on playing two days in a row, they must enter their first day’s score before 9 pm so that they will be playing off the correct Handicap Index and Course Handicap the following day.
Failure to do so could mean that the player was playing their second round off the incorrect Course Handicap – and they may be excluded from competition prizes.
What is the penalty for entering my score late?
If you fail to enter your score within the 24-hour window period allowed for a score entry, a penalty score will be awarded as soon as your late score is captured into the system. This is done to ensure all handicaps are up to date and to curb handicap manipulation.
A Penalty Score is equal to the lowest differential of the player’s last 20 recorded scores, or such penalty as the club handicapper may decide, based on the circumstances around the failure of the player to enter the score.
The Penalty Score will be considered in your Handicap Index calculation until it falls out of your most recent 20 scores.
What can I do if I entered my score incorrectly?
The onus is on the player to ensure their scores are entered successfully and accurately. They can do so by visiting their ‘Handicap Record Sheet’. If a score doesn’t show here, then it hasn’t been entered successfully and will have to be resubmitted.
If you have submitted an incorrect score, your home club’s handicap administrator will be able to correct the entry for you.
What is my Low Handicap Index (LI)?
You can find your Low Handicap Index on the left-hand corner of the landing page of the HNA Handicap System App or website. Essentially, this is the lowest HI you have achieved over a rolling 365-day period. The Low HI is determined after a player has submitted 20 scores and is used as the basis for determining the maximum that your HI can increase over a period of 365 days (this maximum is 5).
In order to slow down the rate of an HI increase, or to put a cap on the increase, there are two mechanisms used in the WHS system:
Soft Cap (S): This is a mechanism that has been introduced to prevent a player’s Handicap Index from increasing too rapidly. Should the player submit a score that would see the his/her Handicap Index increase by more than three strokes above their Low HI, the Soft Cap will kick in – limiting the increase above 3 by 50%.
Hard Cap (H): This is another mechanism that will limit by how much a player’s Handicap Index can increase. Kicking in after the application of the Soft Cap, the Hard Cap is an upper limit that prevents a player’s Handicap Index from increasing to more than five strokes greater than their Low Handicap Index.
It is important to note that there is no limit on the amount by which a player’s Handicap Index can decrease.
What qualifies as an exceptional score?
If your score differential is between 7.0 and 9.9 strokes better than your HI, you will have submitted an exceptional score and the system will cut your HI by 1 stroke. If your score differential is equal to or greater than 10.0 strokes better than your HI, then the system will cut your HI by 3 strokes.
What is the Playing Conditions Calculation (PCC)?
A player’s performance in a round is measured against the Course Rating and Slope Rating of the tees that were played. However, these values are based on normal playing conditions and factors such as weather or course set-up can make a course play harder or easier than normal.
When abnormal course or weather conditions cause scores to be unusually high or low on a given day, a Playing Conditions Calculation (PCC) will adjust Score Differentials to better reflect the player’s actual performance. This mechanism works by a statistical procedure which evaluates acceptable scores submitted each day and compares them to the expected scores of those players. The PCC is calculated automatically by the handicap server, so there is no additional work for players or club administrators.
Symbols that may appear next to your score in your scoring records:
Can I enter scores for rounds played outside of South Africa?
Yes, scores can be entered for courses that are not registered on our system. These can be entered on the system after selecting the ‘Foreign/Other’ option during Step 1 of the score-entering process.
Quote of the Month
“Golf can best be defined as an endless series of tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle.” – Unknown.