New Jersey Golf Net

VIII. Handicapping

1. The United States Golf Association

(USGA)

A handicap is only an Official

USGA Handicap Index if you get it from a golf club which follows the USGA

Handicap System. The good news is that becoming a member of a golf club

doesn't have to be difficult or expensive.

Many public courses host golf clubs with

modest membership fees. Club membership often entitles you to a few extra

benefits – such as reduced green fees, preferred starting times, as well

as a chance to play in club sponsored tournaments and meet new people.

At the other end of the scale are private clubs that can cost tens of thousands

of dollars per year and may have long waiting lists.

Can't find a reasonably priced golf club

to join or you don't want to feel tied to one golf course? Then consider

joining or forming, a  golf club “without real estate”. The USGA doesn't

require a club to have a course, and the minimum membership is just 10

golfers who have a reasonable and regular opportunity to play golf with

one another. Some clubs call themselves traveling clubs and host regular

outings at different courses throughout the year. Check with the USGA for

specific information on “Forming a Golf Club”.

More information regarding the USGA Handicap

System can be found at http://www.usga.org/handicap/

or you can contact the USGA directly.

I urge all United States based participants

of RSG to consider becoming a member of the USGA.

4. Modified Peoria System

The next best alternative, according

to USGA studies, is to use a hole score selection system, often called

the “Peoria system.” Under this system, a player learns his handicap after

the round is completed. By this method, the committee secretly selects

a par 3 hole, a par 5 hole and four par 4 holes from an 18 hole course.

The par 4's should be representative in length and difficulty with two

chosen from the front nine and two from the back nine. A modified Peoria

handicap is calculated by adding the player's strokes over par on the six

selected holes, and multiplying by 2.8. This will equal the player's allowance

to be deducted from his gross score. The maximum hole score for allowance

purposes is three over par on par 3's and 4's and four over par on par

5's.

5. Callaway System

The Callaway System is a so-called

“one-round” system or “worst-holes” system that compresses the spread of

gross scores when converted to net scores. It is not a reliable handicap

system and produces a result such that the player with the lowest gross

score almost always becomes the low net score winner. Most players with

higher gross scores are given net scores within a few strokes of the winner

so that most players can feel competitive.

By the Callaway System, a player's allowance

is determined after each round by deducting from his gross score for 18

holes the scores of the worst individual holes during the first 16 holes.

The table below shows the number of “worst hole” scores he may deduct and

the adjustment to be made, based on his gross score.

Maximum

Handicap – 50

ADJUSTMENT

-2     

-1       0     

+1      +2                

Deduct from or Add  to Handicap

 

NOTES:

1.

No hole may be scored at more than twice its par.

2.

Half strokes count as whole.

This FAQ is Copyright 1999-2002 by Daniel J. Driscoll, all

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