email dated 1/11/2020

Dear Braids United members,

The new WHS is now upon us, going live tomorrow, and hopefully you have all managed to get to grips with the main elements. The Player Reference Guide, already emailed to you, is a good summary, and the videos in the link circulated by Derek are useful. Further information incorporating some additional features of WHS can be accessed on the Scottish Golf website. Below is a basic summary, together with an indication of how the new system will affect club fixtures over the next couple of months.

Basic stuff you should know

All courses, and different sets of tees, have been allocated a Course Rating (CR) and a Slope Rating (SR). The Course Rating equates to the expected score by a scratch golfer (to one decimal place), and the Slope Rating relates to the difference between scores expected by a scratch and bogey golfer. A course with a standard relative difficulty has a slope rating of 113. Course Rating and Slope Rating for the Braids No.1 course played from the white tees are 68.2 and 115.

You need to know two things to enable you to step out and play in club competitions (and anywhere else too). Your Handicap Index (HI) and your Course Handicap (CH).

Your Handicap Index is the average of the best 8 out of your last 20 scores (if you don’t have 20 scores over the last three years, it is worked out pro-rata). These scores are expressed as the Score Differential which is your Adjusted Gross Score (after application of the maximum of net double bogey on any hole as at present) relative to the difficulty of the course on the day which will usually be the Course Rating (think SSS). However, the Course Rating may be adjusted up or down using the Playing Condition Calculation or PCC (think CSS). Every time you play and submit a score it will be added as the most recent of your 20 scores; the oldest one will drop off and your Handicap Index will be recalculated. You will be able to view your current Handicap Index and associated playing history on the Scottish Golf app or the Scottish Golf website. You will also be able to see your Handicap Index on Handicap Master, and we will find out on Monday whether your playing history will also be displayed there. As mentioned in my previous email, I would encourage all members to download and register for the app (you will first need to register on the SG website and you will need your CDH number); even if you don’t use the app for anything else, it looks like being the easiest way to keep up with your current Handicap Index. Handicap indexes will be updated every night around midnight, and you must know your updated Handicap Index before you play again.

You use your Handicap Index to determine your Course Handicap:

Course Handicap = Handicap Index x Slope Rating/113

But don’t worry, you don’t need a calculator; just refer to the course conversion tables which will be posted at the first tee (tables for the Braids No.1 and the Wee Braids are attached; they are displayed on the window at the starter’s box and will be posted in the clubroom and locker room). So, for example, if you have a Handicap Index of 15.5 your Course Handicap on Braids No.1 from the white tees is 16 while on the Wee Braids from the White tees it is 15. Your Course Handicap is what you write on your card (if we were using cards at the moment) and is used to determine, for example, your net double bogey score for a hole in strokeplay and where you get shots in a stableford round.

I’m afraid it doesn’t quite end there. For competition purposes only (but not handicap index calculation) you will have a Playing Handicap (PH):

Playing Handicap = Course Handicap x Handicap Allowance

For singles strokeplay or stableford (i.e. most of our club competitions), the handicap allowance is 95% (it’s supposed to make the competition more equitable for low and high handicap players, but don’t ask me to explain that one!). All you have to do, though, is enter your gross score, and the software does the rest. Different formats of play have different handicap allowances (see table attached), and we will keep you up to date when different competitions come around – for example the upcoming Two-Man Scramble and Winter Foursomes.

Finally, note that there is a change in how scores are reported for holes that are not played. If you cannot play a hole for a valid reason, for example the hole being closed or failing light, you should mark the hole as NP (not played). A score of net par will then be used for this hole. If you exceed your maximum hole score for handicap purposes, and the format of play allows (eg stableford), you do not need to complete the hole - but this should be indicated by NR and the score for handicap purposes will be net double bogey.

How will WHS affect club competitions?

SG have been very clear that there are no active/inactive seasons in GB & I, and therefore if a competition is played on a measured/rated course they are strongly suggesting that the scores should be used for handicap purposes. Rounds played in November on the No.1 course will therefore be qualifying rounds. We are assuming that, as usual, a composite course will be in operation from the beginning of December. At the moment, there is no Course Rating or Slope Rating for the composite course, so if these are not forthcoming there can be no qualifying competitions played on it. We have already decided to “ring-fence” the Winter League as a stand-alone competition run on Saturdays throughout December/ January/February, with the usual handicap movements up or down depending on weekly performance; so this competition will be outside of WHS. Decisions will be taken about the monthly medals and seasonal competitions in due course.

Acceptable Scores

What were called supplementary scores are now referred to as Acceptable Scores from General Play. Essentially, you can submit a score from any round you play on a properly measured/rated course, whether it’s a society outing, a bounce game or whatever. You must pre-register your intention to submit a score before you play, and your score will have to be verified. We will provide more information on how we will handle these scores when we see exactly how the various platforms are configured to deal with them. Note, though, that it is still perfectly ok to play a round of social/casual golf without submitting your score for handicap purposes.

If you have any questions relating to WHS, please ask either myself or another Council member and we will do our best to answer them. Meantime, let’s hope for a smooth transition!

Regards,

Wilf (Captain)