This month we review a few issues that have come up through the implementation of the World Handicap System (WHS).
Allied to the WHS Rules, which came into effect on the 1st January 2020, we also have some score-entry procedures that are linked to the WHS rules that you should be aware of.
Opening/Registering a round before playing:
Golfers are obliged to make sure that a round is opened on the HNA system, either via the Club on the Club System, the Handicap Terminal at the club, on the HNA website or the free HNA phone app, before playing their round. Rounds that have been opened after the round has been completed will be flagged on the system and reported to the club’s Handicap Committee for further investigation.
Entering a score on the HNA System:
Once the round has been completed, golfers are requested to enter their scores on the day of play. This can be done on the Club Terminal, HNA website or on the free HNA phone app. This will ensure as many scores as possible will be taken into account when calculating the Playing Conditions Calculation overnight.
Penalty for Late Score entry:
Failure to enter a score by 11pm on the day following the round will result in a penalty score being applied by the system. The penalty score will be equal to the player’s lowest differential from their previous 20 scores entered on the system. The penalty score will be designated as such on the player’s scoring record.
Not entering a score when playing again the following day:
If golfers are planning on playing two days in a row, they must enter their first day’s score on the day of play so that they will be playing off the correct Handicap Index and Course Handicap the following day.
Failure to do so would mean that the player was playing their second round off the incorrect Course Handicap – and they could be excluded from competition prizes. Although the late-score entry penalty is only applied by the system after 24 hours, golfers are obliged to play off their correct Course Handicap, which means all valid scores should be in their Handicap Index before they play.
Foreign Rounds:
All foreign rounds played on a course with an official World Handicap System Course and Slope Rating should be entered on the HNA system – provided the round was an acceptable round in terms of the WHS Rules.
The round can be entered either via the HNA Phone App or the website while traveling, or on the player’s return to the country on the Club Terminal. Any Playing Conditions Calculation (PCC) applicable to the tee played on the day the round was played should be added to the players Adjusted Gross score when entering the round on the HNA system. There is no late score entry penalty for a foreign round.
Neighbouring SADC countries:
Members of the South African course rating team have spent the last year rating all the golf courses in the SADC countries. These volunteers are to be commended for all their efforts in assisting these countries. Most of the countries have gone live on the WHS system, using the HNA network, while Mauritius and the Seychelles will be going live in the next few months.
If you visit any of these countries, you will be able to look up your Course Handicap on the HNA phone app and enter scores on the app or the website, the same way as you do in South Africa.
WHS Rules
For those of you who didn’t want to download or read the full WHS Rules, below is a short summary of it:
- All 9- and 18-hole Adjusted Gross scores, including match play, must be entered on the handicap system.
- Using your Course Handicap, the maximum score on a hole is Net Double Bogey or Net Two Over Par.
- Your Handicap Index is based on the average of the best 8 of the last 20 scores.
- The Playing Conditions Calculation (PCC) is calculated overnight and may adjust the Course Rating of the Tee by -1 to +3 strokes, depending on adverse weather conditions or course setup.
- Your Low Handicap Index is recorded for the previous rolling 12 months.
- Soft Cap: Your Handicap Index is restricted from moving up by 50% of the increase over 3 strokes.
- Hard Cap: Your Handicap Index is capped at no more than 5 strokes higher then your Low Index over the last 12 months.
- Exceptional Score: If your score differential is between 7 shots and 9.9 shots lower than your Handicap Index, then your Handicap Index will be reduced by 1 shot.
- If your score differential is 10 shots or more below your Handicap Index, then your Handicap Index will be reduced by 2 shots.
For any queries, please refer to the full WHS Rules, which can be viewed here.