Linda, I play in tournaments where I give up strokes to the
field because the majority of the entrants play from the white (men's) tees. I
have had the rule quoted to me and I accept that. However, I had my match play
game today and my competitor played white tees and had a 22 HC. I play gold's
and from those tees I am also a 22. However they used the adjustment rule and I
gave up two strokes, so he had a 22 and I had a 20. I have difficulty accepting
this rule application. Is the adjustment correct on match play? And yes, I
lost by two.
Regards,
Lou from Dawsonville, Georgia
Dear Lou,
Warning to all my
foreign readers: This question pertains to the USGA Handicap System, and may
not apply in your country.
Yes. Two calculations are necessary to determine how many
strokes a player will have to give to (or receive from) his opponent in match
play when they are playing from different tees.
Your Course Handicap® (CH) is derived from the Slope Rating®
of the Gold tees; your opponent’s CH is derived from the Slope Rating of the
White tees. Apparently your Handicap Index® from the Gold tees translates to a
22 CH, and your opponent’s to a 22 CH from the White tees.
Since the two of you are playing from different tees, a
second calculation is necessary. Your 22 CH is based on the Slope Rating for an
easier course (the course played from the Gold tees). Your opponent’s 22 CH is
based on the Slope Rating for a more difficult course (the course played from
the White tees). When players are not competing from the same tees, the
difference in Course Rating® (CR) must be taken into account. Apparently the
difference in CR at your course rounds off to 2 (e.g., the CR from the Gold
tees is 69.2 and from the White tees is 71.5). Since his CR is higher (more
difficult), you must give him two strokes.
The Slope Rating gives the two of you identical Course
Handicaps (22), but the Course Rating tells you that he is playing a course
that is two strokes harder.
Linda
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