About Indus Golf

Handicap

Indus Golf League Handicap By Laws

Indus Golf League handicaps adheres to the USGA Handicap rules, with the noted exceptions listed below.

The USGA Handicap System™ enables golfers of all skill levels to compete on an equitable basis.

The USGA Handicap Manual can be found at the following link:

http://www.usga.org/playing/handicaps/manual/handicap_system_manual.html

Two basic premises underlie the USGA Handicap System, namely that each player will try to make the best score at every hole in every round, regardless of where the round is played, and that the player will post every acceptable round for peer review. The player and the player’s Handicap Committee have joint responsibility for adhering to these premises.

Under the USGA Handicap rules, The Handicap Index formula is based on the best Handicap Differential(s) in a player's scoring record. If a player's scoring record contains 20 or more scores, the best 10 Handicap Differentials of the most recent 20 scores are used to calculate the Handicap Index. As the number of scores in the scoring record decreases the percentage of scores used in a scoring record decreases from the maximum of the best 50 percent. If the scoring record contains 9 or 10 scores, only the best three scores (30 to 33 percent) in the scoring record will be used. Thus, the accuracy of a player's Handicap Index is directly proportional to the number of acceptable scores posted. A Handicap Index must not be issued to a player who has returned fewer than five acceptable scores.

A player who has posted fewer than 20 scores has a Handicap Index that is based on a lower percentage of scores than the 50 percent ideally used (best 10 of the last 20). The accuracy and reliability of the USGA Handicap System improves as the number of acceptable scores approaches 20. A handicap based on 20 acceptable scores is more representative of a player's potential ability than one based on fewer than 20.

An alternate calculation is used to determine the Handicap Index of a player who has two or more eligible tournament scores with tournament score differentials at least 3.0 better than the player's Handicap Index. (See Section 10-3.)

The Handicap Committee is authorized to modify or withdraw a Handicap Index of a player who does not return all acceptable scores, or does not otherwise observe the spirit of the USGA Handicap System. The Handicap Committee has the authority to increase the Handicap Index of a player who, because of exceptional circumstances, has a Handicap Index that is too low. The Handicap Committee must review a Handicap Index that is modified, reduced, or withdrawn at each revision.

Indus league exceptions are as follows:

Exception #1:

a) Indus League only maintains 18 hole handicap indexes, 9 hole handicap index for it’s members are not maintained. (See Table #1)

 

TABLE 1

• # of 18 hole rounds turned in
• # of scores used in Handicap Calculations
• 1
• 1
• 2
• 2
• 3
• 2
• 4
• 3
• 5
• 3
• 6
• 3
• 7
• 4
• 8
• 4
• 9
• 4
• 10
• 5
• 11
• 6
• 12
• 6
• 13
• 7
• 14
• 7
• 15
• 8
• 16
• 8
• 17
• 8
• 18
• 9
• 19
• 9
• 20
• 10
• 

Indus Golf has the responsibility to promote fairness among all payers of varying levels(i.e varying handicap ). With the large variance of players (i.e handicap 2 - 30), it becomes more important to continually review the fairnesss of our method for Handicap calculations, while maintaining a close correlation to the USGA Handicap calculations. Exception #2 below describes instances where a modified method has to be done.

• # of 18 hole rounds turned in
• Handicap Variance between your last round vs your handicap Index
• # of scores used in Handicap Calculations
• 1 – 6
• > = 4
• Best 2 scores
• 7-10
• > = 6
• Best 3 scores
• 11 – 14
• > = 8
• Best 3 scores
• 15 – 19
• > = 9
• Best 5 scores
• 

Example: Handicap used to calculate handicap Index are:

• 1    2    3    4     5 
• Handicap Index   
• Your Last round  
• 25.2  29.7  32.3  20.5  34.2
• 27.24
• 19.06
• 

• Based on Exception #1 (5 rounds turned in, 3 best scores used) = 27.24
• Handicap for this players last round is 19.06, hence based on exception #2, the last round variance and his handicap index is > than 4 (19.06 - 27.24 = 8.18) thus we would use his best 2 scores as his handicap index.
• New handicap index would be : 20.5 + 19.06 = 39.56/2 * 0.96 = 18.99
• 

ESC(Equitable Stroke Control)

ESC applies to all Indus Golf Association sanctioned events(tournamnets, league rounds etc).

To determine the Equitable Stroke Control limits for your round, you must first know your course handicap. Once you've determined your course handicap, you can check the chart down below (which should also be available at golf courses) to determine the ESC limits.

Your course handicap will be listed in your scorecard, based on your handicap, you max score will be determined by the table below.

Eg. Vish has a 17 handicap listed on his score card, he is on a par 3. If Vish has reached 7 strokes, please pick the ball and proceed to the next hole. Mark 7 down on your score card. On any hole, if you have a 7 please pick your ball up and proceed to the next hole.

Here is the chart that shows Equitable Stroke Control limits:

Equitable Stroke Control Chart

• Course Handicap
• Maximum Score
• 0-9
• Double Bogey
• 10-19
• 7
• 20-29
• 8
• 30-39
• 9
• 40 or more
• 10
• 

Exception #3:

Max handicap for Indus golf association members will be 30.