(Hopefully) Simple question on handicap adjustments after Stableford competition

[Dave Robinson]

Now that I am finally a club member (as opposed to a public course hacker)
and with an official handicap as opposed to the estimated one I've been
using for the last 10 years, I'm starting to get into playing club comps,
and I'd like an idiots guide into how my handicap is adjusted after a
Stableford competition.

I played in a Stableford qualifier yesterday, and scored 32 points; my
handicap stayed the same as a result.

From the competition results sheet I can see the CSS was 71 (against par
70), so am I correct in thinking that scores are then compared against a
notional score of 35 points?

I've heard the expression "buffer zone", so I'm guessing that there is a two
or 3 point buffer zone below the notional 35 pts mark and that I just crept
into that zone.

Would that be a valid summary of the situation?

Dave - looking forward to my first u.s.g event this year with a "real"
handicap

[Mark Myers]

On Mon, 22 Mar 2010 10:39:06 -0000, Dave Robinson said...

Post by Dave Robinson
Now that I am finally a club member (as opposed to a public course hacker)
and with an official handicap as opposed to the estimated one I've been
using for the last 10 years, I'm starting to get into playing club comps,
and I'd like an idiots guide into how my handicap is adjusted after a
Stableford competition.
I played in a Stableford qualifier yesterday, and scored 32 points; my
handicap stayed the same as a result.
From the competition results sheet I can see the CSS was 71 (against par
70), so am I correct in thinking that scores are then compared against a
notional score of 35 points?
I've heard the expression "buffer zone", so I'm guessing that there is a two
or 3 point buffer zone below the notional 35 pts mark and that I just crept
into that zone.
Would that be a valid summary of the situation?

Yes, I believe that is correct.

The size of the buffer zone depends on your hc category, which depends
on your hc. Any handicap reduction if applicable also depends on
category. If you miss the buffer you go up by 0.1 whatever Cat you are.
Categories from memory:
Cat1: 0 to 5.4 ; buffer = 1 ; hc reduction = 0.1 per shot above CSS
Cat2: 5.5 to 12.4 ; buffer = 2 ; hc reduction = 0.2 per shot above CSS
Cat3: 12.5 to 18.4 ; buffer = 3 ; hc reduction = 0.3 per shot above CSS
Cat4: 18.5 to 28 ; buffer = 4 ; hc reduction = 0.4 per shot above CSS

[Dave Robinson]

"Mark Myers" wrote ...

Post by Mark Myers
On Mon, 22 Mar 2010 10:39:06 -0000, Dave Robinson said...

Post by Dave Robinson
Now that I am finally a club member (as opposed to a public course hacker)
and with an official handicap as opposed to the estimated one I've been
using for the last 10 years, I'm starting to get into playing club comps,
and I'd like an idiots guide into how my handicap is adjusted after a
Stableford competition.
I played in a Stableford qualifier yesterday, and scored 32 points; my
handicap stayed the same as a result.
From the competition results sheet I can see the CSS was 71 (against par
70), so am I correct in thinking that scores are then compared against a
notional score of 35 points?
I've heard the expression "buffer zone", so I'm guessing that there is a two
or 3 point buffer zone below the notional 35 pts mark and that I just crept
into that zone.
Would that be a valid summary of the situation?

Yes, I believe that is correct.
The size of the buffer zone depends on your hc category, which depends
on your hc. Any handicap reduction if applicable also depends on
category. If you miss the buffer you go up by 0.1 whatever Cat you are.
Cat1: 0 to 5.4 ; buffer = 1 ; hc reduction = 0.1 per shot above CSS
Cat2: 5.5 to 12.4 ; buffer = 2 ; hc reduction = 0.2 per shot above CSS
Cat3: 12.5 to 18.4 ; buffer = 3 ; hc reduction = 0.3 per shot above CSS
Cat4: 18.5 to 28 ; buffer = 4 ; hc reduction = 0.4 per shot above CSS

Thanks Mark - that would explain it. My current exact h/c is 22.6 which puts
me in Cat4

If the CSS was 71 (par 70) then I guess the buffer zone for me was 31-35
points which means I was comfortably inside it and so stayed unchanged

Looking to get it down a little before Patshull Park!

[Paul Schmitz-Josten]

Post by Dave Robinson
Thanks Mark - that would explain it. My current exact h/c is 22.6 which puts
me in Cat4
If the CSS was 71 (par 70) then I guess the buffer zone for me was 31-35
points which means I was comfortably inside it and so stayed unchanged

<nitpicking>
Am I right to think that the result of CSS - par is rather "add one point
to the Stableford score" than "reduce the magic line of 36 points"? The
outcome being the same, your score for handicap adjustment would be 33,
leaving you well within the buffer zone (32 - 36).
</>

Post by Dave Robinson
Looking to get it down a little before Patshull Park!

Best of luck!

Paul

[david s-a]

Post by Mark Myers
On Mon, 22 Mar 2010 10:39:06 -0000, Dave Robinson said...

Post by Dave Robinson
Now that I am finally a club member (as opposed to a public course hacker)
and with an official handicap as opposed to the estimated one I've been
using for the last 10 years, I'm starting to get into playing club comps,
and I'd like an idiots guide into how my handicap is adjusted after a
Stableford competition.
I played in a Stableford qualifier yesterday, and scored 32 points; my
handicap stayed the same as a result.
From the competition results sheet I can see the CSS was 71 (against par
70), so am I correct in thinking that scores are then compared against a
notional score of 35 points?
I've heard the expression "buffer zone", so I'm guessing that there is a two
or 3 point buffer zone below the notional 35 pts mark and that I just crept
into that zone.
Would that be a valid summary of the situation?

Yes, I believe that is correct.
The size of the buffer zone depends on your hc category, which depends
on your hc. Any handicap reduction if applicable also depends on
category. If you miss the buffer you go up by 0.1 whatever Cat you are.
Cat1: 0 to 5.4 ; buffer = 1 ; hc reduction = 0.1 per shot above CSS
Cat2: 5.5 to 12.4 ; buffer = 2 ; hc reduction = 0.2 per shot above CSS
Cat3: 12.5 to 18.4 ; buffer = 3 ; hc reduction = 0.3 per shot above CSS
Cat4: 18.5 to 28 ; buffer = 4 ; hc reduction = 0.4 per shot above CSS

Given that all this is correct in the CONGU environment readers will be
interested to learn that as Australia starts to move into the USGA type
handicap arena (in packages) from April 9 this year ALL scores, whether
Par, Stableford or Stroke events, will be automatically reduced to
Stableford scores for the purpose of handicap calculations in accordance
with the USGA rolling sample method. The 'rolling sample' method applies
96% of the average of the lowest ten scores recorded over the most
recent twenty qualifying rounds as the handicap index. The first
component of the package introduction of the new system on April 9
starts with the rolling sample method of handicap calculation, as does
the elimination of the daily 'CCR' (Calculated Course Rating, which I
think is similar to your 'CSS' detail)....only the ACR (measured
Australian Course Rating) will apply in future. For the moment, handicap
adjustments will be immediate but later in the year these will be
adjusted on a two weekly basis (or similar) to eliminate the effect of
just one or two stellar rounds in the interim period.

We are presently re-rating every course in the country in USGA terms for
the purpose of introducing the USGA 'Slope' system ...at the moment
managing two or three courses a week. Melbourne district alone has over
one hundred courses to deal with.....over four hundred in Victoria! This
program will obviously take some time, we don't expect to complete this
until early 2012.

cheers
david

[Paul Schmitz-Josten]

Post by Mark Myers
Cat1: 0 to 5.4 ; buffer = 1 ; hc reduction = 0.1 per shot above CSS
Cat2: 5.5 to 12.4 ; buffer = 2 ; hc reduction = 0.2 per shot above CSS

Shouldn't the cat limit be 4.5? At least this is the number in Germany...

Ciao,

Paul

[Mark Myers]

On Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:09:09 +0100, Paul Schmitz-Josten said...

Post by Paul Schmitz-Josten

Post by Mark Myers
Cat1: 0 to 5.4 ; buffer = 1 ; hc reduction = 0.1 per shot above CSS
Cat2: 5.5 to 12.4 ; buffer = 2 ; hc reduction = 0.2 per shot above CSS

Shouldn't the cat limit be 4.5? At least this is the number in Germany...

Not using CONGU in the UK.
http://www.congu.com/template2.asp?pid=51&parent=33&parent2=51

But I have incorrectly defined Cats 3 & 4.

[JPW]

Dave,

A little further insight to the handicapping system. Take the case
that you quoted…..32 Stableford points against CSS of 71.

You obviously know that it is possible for you to score zero points on
any hole by virtue of a particularly bad hole. The beauty of
Stableford is that this disaster can be ignored wrt the competition
but handicaps cannot be ignored as they are based on points total. Let
me give you a hypothetical example.

In your 32 points you may have scored a zero points on, say, the first
hole by virtue of taking an 11 against a par of five with you
receiving one of your strokes. So scoring on that hole could have been
a birdie 4 gets 4 points, a par 5 gets three points, a bogey 6 gets
two points, a double bogey 7 gets 1 point and anything beyond that
gets Nil points. So your score of 11 obviously gets nil points.

But in handicapping any strokes in excess of the score when you
achieve nil points are ignored. So assuming that you scored 92 strokes
(not points) then it will be reduced by that amount above nett double
bogey on the first hole. ie 92 will be reduced to 89 (your score minus
a nett double bogey 11-8).

So you should never assume that there will be no handicap reduction
if you put in a stableford score which contains a very bad hole. In
fact if you do have such a bad hole it is better to pick the ball up
and not delay play for the computer will ignore a zero return and
automatically give you a nett double bogey. (for handicapping
purposes.)

This is more adequately and succinctly described in Congu Unified
Handicapping System appendix B.

Good luck

Pat

[Dave Robinson]

"JPW" wrote ...

Post by JPW
Dave,
A little further insight to the handicapping system. Take the case
that you quoted…..32 Stableford points against CSS of 71.

[snip]

Hi Pat. Thanks for that. Yes I was aware of the double bogey adjustments
etc, though it was nice to have it confirmed.

Funnily enough your hypothetical scenario almost exactly matched the
reality! The 1st hole was in fact a two shot hole for me on which I
magnificently managed to achieve a zero return, and almost repeated the
performance on the second hole! It made the 32 points total more satisfying
for me after such a disastrous start!

Dave

[Paul Schmitz-Josten]

JPW in <22966021-60a2-438e-9fd7-***@19g2000yqu.googlegroups.com>:

(Desaster holes get zero points)

Post by JPW
But in handicapping any strokes in excess of the score when you
achieve nil points are ignored. So assuming that you scored 92 strokes
(not points) then it will be reduced by that amount above nett double
bogey on the first hole. ie 92 will be reduced to 89 (your score minus
a nett double bogey 11-8).
So you should never assume that there will be no handicap reduction
if you put in a stableford score which contains a very bad hole.

Excuse me: Stableford results exclude the scores of these desaster holes
already by application of nil points.

Post by JPW
In
fact if you do have such a bad hole it is better to pick the ball up
and not delay play for the computer will ignore a zero return and
automatically give you a nett double bogey. (for handicapping
purposes.)

In a Stableford comp: Yes!
In a medal: No (DQ pending)!

I suppose that your thoughts come from the offical way of HCP adjustment by
CONGU (20.2 and note after 20.4). The terms of (a) "Nett Differential" and
(b) "Nett Double Bogey Adjustment" seemingly are used on the results of
medal stroke play where the player's total strokes are adjusted by (b)
before (a) will be calculated against the SSS (or CSS if applicable),
(a) being the relevant number for handicap alteration.

Stableford points calculations already include (b), thus from there only
the CSS adjustment must be applied in order to evaluate a Nett Differential
for handicap alteration - see Appendix D of CONGU.

After a quick check on the buffer zone (CONGU 20.3) handicaps may be
modified according to CONGU 20.5 and 20.6 or Appendix E, the latter being
useful when the handicap passes a class limit.

I hope I didn't confuse the matter ;->

Ciao,

Paul

N.B. The German equivalent to CSS is CSA (Competition Stableford
Adjustment). The procedure is similar to CONGU, App. B, with some
differences:
- as a pre-condition, Stableford points are used as the basis for HCP
alterations (giving the same results from a different approach).
- CSA is a number which will modify the players' Stableford results for
handicapping purpose (e.g. by virtue of a CSA of + 1 a result of 36 ponts
will enter the HCP calcs as 37),
- in adaption to the German HCP ranges, HCP class 4 is always included in
the calculations (reminder: no distinction in unions by gender),
- there are no "reduction only" cases,
- CSA can range from +3 to -1 while the CSS correction is limited to zero,
- the percentages are taken from results of 35 points and higher,
equivalent to nett scores to the SSS +1(!) or better (CONGU: SSS+2).
In the first year of CSA (2007) it was 34 points (SSS+2) yet modified in
the following year bowing to numerous protests against this new influence
to handicaps. (Must be of utmost importance to some people's lives ,-> )