Monday, January 6, 2014

Ask Linda #771-Affect of DQ on handicap


hi ms. Linda!

thanks for your interesting blogs.

background: the tournament committee disqualified a player's game in the third leg of an eight-course, 10-team competition due to "breach of etiquette."
disqualification makes her game null and void? whatever she scores is wiped out? erased?

said player garnered 46 points on a Stableford format. for the next game, the tournament committee deducted seven from her handicap index since she played more than 40 points.

question: since the tournament committee disqualified the player's game, doesn't it mean game never occurred? deducting from results of disqualified game wrong or right?

there are four games to go in the monthly tournament..
thank you and awaiting an enlightening reply...

Lulu from Manila, Philippines

Dear Lulu,

Handicap decisions are not governed by the Rules of Golf. Rules relating to handicaps vary from country to country.

In the United States, a player who has been disqualified from a tournament but has an acceptable score for posting is required to post her score in her handicap record. A player who is disqualified for not signing her scorecard, for example, or for a breach of etiquette (as in your scenario), would be required to post her score.

I am not familiar with the handicap system used in the Philippines, but I suspect that the policy regarding counting an acceptable score from a disqualification would be the same. It would not be “wiped clean,” and would affect the player’s handicap for future rounds.

You need to consult NGAP for handicap information in the Philippines. Visit the website (http://www.ngaponline.net/Handicapping.php) and click on “Contact Us.”

Linda
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