There are many different handicapping options available when setting up a tournament. The options available to you will depend on the format, competition, and balls being used.
In this article, we will discuss the various handicapping options for your tournaments.
Handicap Options:
When setting up a tournament, you can select the handicap method (as shown below).
The following options are available:
Gross: Do not compute Playing Handicaps.
Net: Compute each player's Playing Handicap using the standard method of computation.
Net (off Lowest): Typically used for Match Play tournaments, play off the lowest ball in the competition (e.g., singles, Four-Ball, etc.). The player with the lowest Playing Handicap in the competition receives zero strokes and all other players Playing Handicaps are adjusted by the same amount. For instance, there is a singles match being played between Player A (5 PH) and Player B (8 PH). Player A will receive zero strokes, while Player B will receive 3. Note: This adjustment is made before playing handicaps are rounded for single and four-ball formats.
Callaway 15: The Callaway Scoring System is used when players do not have established Playing Handicaps. Scores from the round will determine each player's Playing Handicap. Players will not know their Playing Handicap until after the round is completed. If you select "Callaway 15", a Playing Handicap will be computed using scores from holes 1 thru 15. For more information on the Callaway Scoring System, Click Here.
Callaway 16: Same as the Callaway 15 option, except scores from holes 1 thru 16 will be used to compute a Playing Handicap. Click Here for more details.
Peoria: Similar to the Callaway System, Peoria is also used when players do not have established Playing Handicaps. Scores from the round will be used to determine the Playing Handicaps. When selecting this option, you will be asked to secretly select the holes used to compute the Playing Handicaps. For more information on the Peoria System, Click Here.
System 36: Similar to the Callaway and Peoria methods, this method also handicaps the unhandicapped. Click Here for details.
Average: Available for scramble tournaments. Use the average of all the Playing Handicaps for a team.
50% of Average - Ambrose: Available for scramble tournaments, divide the average Playing Handicap of the team by two.
25%+20%+15%+10% (USGA): Available for foursome v. field scramble tournaments, take 25% of the A players Playing Handicap, 20% of the B players, 15% of the C players, and 10% of the D players to compute a team Playing Handicap for that foursome where the A players have the lowest handicap to the D players have the highest handicap.
For Details on handicapping threesomes in a scramble, Click Here.
For details on handicapping fivesomes and sixsomes in a scramble, Click Here.
20%+15%+10%+5%: This option is often used when playing a scramble format among foursomes. We will take 20% of the A players Course Handicap, 15% of the B players, 10% of the C players, and 5% of the D players Course Handicap to compute a total scramble handicap for that foursome.
For Details on handicapping threesomes in a scramble, Click Here.
For details on handicapping fivesomes and sixsomes in a scramble, Click Here.
35%+15%: Available for pair v. field scramble tournaments, take 35% of the A player's Playing Handicap and 15% of the B Player's Playing Handicap where the A players have the lowest handicap, and the B player has the highest handicap.
10% of Total Handicap, Rounded to Tenths - Texas Scramble (UK WHS Users Only): Available when playing a foursome v. field scramble, take 10% of the combined Playing Handicap rounded to the tenth decimal.
60%+40% Chapman/Greensomes/Scotch or Pinehurst: Available for pair v. field scramble and alternate shot tournaments, take 60% of the A Player's Playing Handicap + 40% of the B Player's Playing Handicap where the A players have the lowest handicap, and the B player have the highest handicap.
50% of Sum - alternative drives: Available for alternate shot stroke play tournaments (and suggested when partners are required to alternate tee shots), take the combined Playing Handicap of the team and multiply by .5.
40% of Sum - selected drives: Available for alternate shot stroke play tournaments (and suggested when partners both play tee shots and select the best ball), take the combined Playing Handicap of the team and multiply by .4.
50% of Difference - alternative drives (Foursome Match Play): Available for alternate shot match play tournaments (and suggested when partners are required to alternate tee shots), take the difference of the combined Playing Handicaps between the teams and multiply by .5 to determine the allowance for the higher-handicapped team.
40% of Difference - selected drives (Foursome Match Play): Available for alternate shot match play tournaments (and suggested when partners both play tee shots and select the best ball), take the difference of the combined Playing Handicaps between the teams and multiply by .4 to determine the allowance for the higher-handicapped team.
% of Total Handicap: Available for alternate shot and scramble tournaments enter the percentage of the combined Playing Handicap used to compute the team Playing Handicap.
% of Individual Playing Handicaps: Available for alternate shot and scramble tournaments, enter the percentage of Playing Handicaps to be used for the A, B, C (if appropriate), and D player (if appropriate) where the A players have the lowest handicap to the B player have the highest handicap.
Handicap Allowance:
Along with all of these Playing Handicap options, you will also be able to enter the Handicap Allowance (percentage of Playing Handicap) to be used (as shown below).
For Handicap Allowance recommendations for certain competitions, Click Here.
Advanced Handicap Options:
There are also advanced handicapping options available in your tournament setup (as shown below).
These options will allow you to manage more advanced handicapping options (e.g., max handicap, decimal handicaps, etc.). Click Here for the details.