Handicapping

[SIMMER]

Can someone explain to Birdieman why all golfers must use Equitable Stroke Control (ESC) when entering their scores for handicap purposes?


http://forum.golfresource.net/showthread.php?t=9104

[zoic]

The purpose of ESC is to prevent people from sandbagging. Essentially, I can only take 2 over par on any given hole, so ESC eliminates your bad holes, lowers your handicapp to a level (potential) it should be if you do not have blow up holes, and in essence prevents your from playing to it unless you play well. Bad days do not count so badly that way.

[jvincent]

Here goes.

First you need to understand that a handicap is a measure of a golfer's POTENTIAL. As such it is geared to be somewhat lower than your average score.

ESC is one of the ways this is accomplished since it takes away your "blowup" holes.

ESC is also a way to prevent artificial inflation of handicaps. Take for example the golfer who pars 1-17 but doesn't want his handicap to go down. So he plays stupidly on 18 and records an octople bogey on 18. This is clearly not a true measure of a players potential.

[BC MIST]

Here goes.

First you need to understand that a handicap is a measure of a golfer's POTENTIAL. As such it is geared to be somewhat lower than your average score.

ESC is one of the ways this is accomplished since it takes away your "blowup" holes.

ESC is also a way to prevent artificial inflation of handicaps. Take for example the golfer who pars 1-17 but doesn't want his handicap to go down. So he plays stupidly on 18 and records an octople bogey on 18. This is clearly not a true measure of a players potential.

Attended an RCGA handicap certification seminar last week at the Hunt Club, from which we learned many interesting things about handicaps. Officially, we earn a Handicap Factor by entering ALL our scores. From the RCGA handicap manual, "A handicap determined from scores to which ESC has NOT been applied may NOT be termed a Handicap Factor.

If a golfers Handicap Factor is legitimate he will play to his handicap 25% of the time. Most golfers believe that they will play to it more often this. In checking through my '06 scores I found that I have played to my handicap 24% of the time.

Scores that are unacceptable for handicapping purposes are:
1. fewer than 7 holes played.
2. Games played during the inactive season. In Ottawa, our active season is officially April 1 to November 30. If you play Calabogie/Prescott in March, you may not use these scores.
3. When you don't play by the Rules of Golf.
4. Play a course less than 3000 yards.
5. Condition of competition is that the maximum number of clubs is less than 14.
6. Scores on a course with no RCGA course or slope rating.
7. When artificial devices are used during the execution of a stroke.
8. When a golfer uses non-conforming clubs or balls.

[mpare]

You've intrigued me Lyle. What is the thinking behind not entering scores made during the "inactive" season?

[Kilroy]

I was told by the Handicap and Course Rating Coordinator for the RCGA that the season in Ottawa was April 15 to Oct 30. Unfortunately I can't find that on the RCGA website.
mpare:
It is to prevent high scores in the worst of conditions to inflate your 'cap. Scores for rounds played outside your region where the season is active ( Myrtle, Florida) should be entered.

[jvincent]

I was told by the Handicap and Course Rating Coordinator for the RCGA that the season in Ottawa was April 15 to Oct 30. Unfortunately I can't find that on the RCGA website.

mpare:
It is to prevent high scores in the worst of conditions to inflate your 'cap. Scores for rounds played outside your region where the season is active ( Myrtle, Florida) should be entered.

I know that for the GAO the active season is April 15 to Oct 30.

Ottawa is funny since it falls under the jurisdiction of the QGA which may have a different active season, which would be odd since the average weather in Ontario is generally warmer than Quebec when you factor in southern Ontario.

[Kilroy]

Eastern Ontario is the area we discussed. Specifically Ottawa.

Nov 30??? That seems late to me.

I have emailed the RCGA to get all the dates for the regions in our network. Stay tuned.

[BC MIST]

I was told by the Handicap and Course Rating Coordinator for the RCGA that the season in Ottawa was April 15 to Oct 30. Unfortunately I can't find that on the RCGA website.

mpare:
It is to prevent high scores in the worst of conditions to inflate your 'cap. Scores for rounds played outside your region where the season is active ( Myrtle, Florida) should be entered.

The dates you mentioned above make sense while the ones we were given do not as it is usually too cold in the late fall to make a score meaningful, if one can play at all, and in early spring, extreme wet conditions and fuzzy, bumpy greens, render a course almost unplayable.

When the instructor, Matt, mentioned these dates, there were a number of "gasps." Perhaps he was incorrect. Anxious for the clarification. The dates would make sense for parts of the GAO, but there is no where in Quebec for an April 1 to November 30 season.

[leftylucas]

So if I played yesterday and have a handicap of 15, do I adjust for triple bogeys? I took a nasty 6 on a par 3 so should I have only taken a 5 and reflected this in my adjusted score?

[jvincent]

From the GAO website:

Inactive Handicap Season
What is an Inactive Handicap Season? You may have seen information at your club or at a golf club which states you are not permitted to post scores that have been made within your province because it is before or after the active Handicap Season (Inactive Season). You might have asked yourself, “what is this Handicap Season?” I get asked this question quite often every year.

The R.C.G.A. Handicap System Manual defines the season as; “An inactive season is the period of time determined by the authorized golf association having jurisdiction in a given area during which scores made there will not be accepted for handicap purposes.” The RCGA Handicap Manual further explains that “Scores made at any golf course observing an inactive season may not be accepted for handicap purposes. Scores made by a player at any golf course in an area observing an active season must be posted for handicap purposes, even if they are made during the time when the area where the golfer posts scores is in an inactive season.” What does this mean, a score made at a club in an inactive season, may not be posted for handicap purposes.
You are probably asking yourself “why aren’t scores accepted all year round?” The answer is simple, Ontario isn’t blessed with “golf” weather all year round. Here is a good example to support why we have an Inactive Season. It is late fall (November), you just finished hitting your drive right down the middle of the fairway. Content with the shot, as you walk up to the area you just hit to, you seem to be having a little trouble finding your ball, the problem is all those leaves on the ground hiding it. After 5 minutes, you still can’t find your ball, under the Rules of Golf, you have to proceed to play the ball as lost, under penalty of one stroke you must go back to the tee and hit another ball. This will be your third stroke (contrary to the belief there is a “leaf rule” where you get to drop where you think your ball ended up with no penalty). Imagine this happening on 3 or 4 holes for the day! It would very quickly inflate your score, and if this were to happen over several rounds, and you had to post these scores it will inflate your handicap too. Not all courses in Ontario have top notch million dollar maintenance practices to clear all leaves for ideal playing conditions, so we have to implement a date that best fits all GAO members to help keep handicaps accurate. In Ontario, our Active Handicap season is April 15 to October 31. The season dates are evaluated by the GAO Course Rating Committee every year.

[jvincent]

So if I played yesterday and have a handicap of 15, do I adjust for triple bogeys? I took a nasty 6 on a par 3 so should I have only taken a 5 and reflected this in my adjusted score?

If your "Course Handicap" where you played was 15, you are correct.

[Kilroy]

Here is the reply form the RCGA

Hi Dan, Active Seasons are set by the provincial golf association.

The QGA (which includes all clubs east of Brockville) are now saying their Active Season is April 1 – Nov 30. I think this is too long, but they are sticking to it.

Toronto and London, being part of the GAO, have an Active Season of April 15 – Oct 31.

Matt

Matt MacKay, Handicap and Course Rating Coordinator

I am shocked at this. I think the April 15 - Oct 30 makes far more sense.

[jvincent]

That's just f'ing stupid.

[Kilroy]

Follow up:

Thanks Matt. Did the QGA change that recently? That season is totally out of touch with reality. Most courses here open after and close before those dates and are certainly not in playable condition on opening or closing day!

They changed it this year. I’m not sure why???

[LobWedge]

Maybe the QGA knows something about global warming that we don't...

[BC MIST]

Here is the reply form the RCGA
I am shocked at this. I think the April 15 - Oct 30 makes far more sense.

This just adds more fuel to the "Let's get out of the QGA(Golf Quebec) fire. I still predict that within 5 years the OVGA will be a satellite of the GAO and with an April 15 to October 31 active season.

[jvincent]

Also worth noting is that according to the OVGA website the active season here is April 15-Oct 31.

Since they are the lowest level regional body I will assume that their rule trumps the QGA.

[Kilroy]

Not acording to the RCGA who stated that it is decided at the provincial level.

[jvincent]

Not acording to the RCGA who stated that it is decided at the provincial level.

But if we are in the province of Ontario, then should we not be governed by the GAO rules?

Who decided that the OVGA should be affiliated with the QGA and not the GAO?

[spackler]

Can I assume most people will be declaring a practice round most times they play after Nov 1?

[Kilroy]

Who decided that the OVGA should be affiliated with the QGA and not the GAO?

Not sure "who" matters as much as "why?"

[jvincent]

Not sure "who" matters as much as "why?"

I think both questions apply.

The RCGA being the ruling body in Canada, sanctions the provincial golf associations.

The OVGA being a regional body has aligned itself with GC (Golf Quebec) for some reason and it has member courses on both sides of the border. To me, this doesn't make sense and presumably the RCGA would have some say in this.

Ultimately I don't really care why this is, but it really doesn't make any sense and results in confusion since most people would assume that the GAO governs golf in Ontario, which strangely enough is where Ottawa is located.

[BC MIST]

But if we are in the province of Ontario, then should we not be governed by the GAO rules?

Who decided that the OVGA should be affiliated with the QGA and not the GAO?

Common sense dictated that it would be a lot easier to drive to the Montreal district for various QGA tournaments than to Toronto/Windsor. Also, as we have a large number of golf clubs in the province of Quebec, but adjacent to Ottawa, it also falls that membership in QGA is more reasonable than GAO. In principle, it should not matter as the Rules of Golf are governed by the parent RCGA and not by any province, and the handicapping system is universal. Well, almost universal.

[Shivas Irons]

Common sense dictated that it would be a lot easier to drive to the Montreal district for various QGA tournaments than to Toronto/Windsor.

Is this same practice used in other provinces? e.g. do places such as Dryden and Kenora fall under Manitoba's umbrella ?
Also, the dates QGA are using for 'active' season makes no sense at all. We're lucky if we are even golfing on April 1st.