What does The Club do to maintain the integrity of players’ handicap indexes?
As part of The Club’s mandate to provide a fair and equitable playing field for all players, we regularly conduct reviews of the handicap indexes of our members. Review of all players’ scoring records will be conducted prior to all Club sanctioned competitive events. These measures, as well as multiple opportunities for peer review, are important elements establishing equitable, competitive play at The Club.
What is Equitable Stroke Control (ESC)?
When scores are posted as hole-by-hole, ESC is automatically calculated. ESC is the downward adjustment of individual hole scores for handicap purposes. This process is in effect to make handicaps more representative of a player’s potential ability. ESC sets a maximum number that a player can post on any hole. The maximum score a player can post on any hole is net double bogey.
What is a Handicap Differential?
A Handicap Differential is the difference between a player’s adjusted gross score and the Course Rating of the course on which the score was made. The Handicap Differential is calculated using the following formula:
[(Adjusted Gross Score – Course Rating) x 113] / Slope Rating
The result of the formula is then rounded to the nearest tenth (one decimal place)
What do Course Slope and Rating mean?
Course Rating is an evaluation of the playing difficulty of a course for a scratch golfer. This evaluation is based on normal course and weather conditions, playing distance and other obstacles to the extent that they affect the scoring ability of a scratch golfer.
Slope Rating indicates the measurement of relative difficulty of a course for players who are not scratch golfers compared to the Course Rating. Slope Rating is computed from the difference between the Bogey Rating (playing difficulty for the bogey golfer) and Course Rating.
What scores do I have to post for Handicap purposes?
Fair handicapping depends upon full and accurate information regarding a player’s potential scoring ability as reflected by a complete scoring record. Every player must be responsible for posting ALL acceptable scores, on the day the round was played, as outlined below. All scores, where at least nine holes have been played under The Rules of Golf, on courses with a Course and Slope Rating must be posted.
- Scores from both match play and stroke play must be posted.
- A player who is disqualified from a competition but has an acceptable score must still record an ESC adjusted score for handicap purposes.
What score do I post for holes that I didn’t finish?
NEW FOR 2024
You must post a hole-by-hole score with your score for any hole designated as not having been played. In the Golf Canada Score Centre, this is done by entering a hole score of zero “0”.
Beginning in 2024, when you play 10-17 holes, a Score Differential will be created based on the holes played. For the remaining holes not played, your expected Score Differential will be added to that value to produce an 18-hole Score Differential.
To facilitate this change, when you play between 10-17 holes, you are required to post your scores hole-by-hole so the appropriate Score Differential can be calculated.
What score do I post for holes that I didn’t play?
When between 10 and 17 holes are played, the player must indicate which hole(s) were not played. The system will automatically produce an 18-hole score based on the Score Differential of the holes that were played.
How are 9 hole scores treated?
When a player posts a 9-hole score, the system will automatically calculate an 18-hole Score Differential for the round. This will be based on the player's 9-hole Score Differential and expected Score Differential based on their current Handicap Index.
Does the Club require hole by hole score posting?
Although The Club does not require players to use the hole-by-hole method of posting scores, it is much preferred as this method automatically calculates Equitable Stroke Control (ESC) and facilitate superior peer review, an important aspect of maintaining a level playing field for competitive play.
What is a CURRENT and ACCURATE Handicap Index?
CURRENT: Players must post scores from ALL rounds played (nine or eighteen holes, including match play), ALL competitive events and ALL other rounds. Scores MUST be entered as soon as possible after a round is completed and must be entered on the date the round was played. All scores must be accurately entered prior to any Club event.
ACCURATE: All scores entered must be from the slope and rating for the correct set of tee blocks played. All Tournament Scores must be entered as Tournament Scores. All scores must be entered utilizing Equitable Stroke Control or ESC. The preferred method of posting scores is the Hole by Hole Method which automatically calculates ESC.
Who should I contact about Handicapping questions or issues?
Please email: ogchandicapcommittee@gmail.com
For an overview of handicapping subjects, please visit the Golf Canada website