Handicapping

The golfshake.com system currently only calculates golf handcaps for UK and Ireland using a similar system to the UK handicapping system and for US using a similar system to USGA. We are currently working on updating the system to include EGA and AGU.

UK handicap

The following requirements are needed to allow the system to calculate your golf handicap :

• The round played must be 18 holes.
• The course/tee played must have the scorecard SSS (Standard Scratch Score) stored n the golfshake.com system.
• A golf handicap will only be set once 3 rounds have been added based on the above criteria.
• Once the first 3 rounds are added, the handicap will be calculated as an average of these rounds.
• Your golf handicap will be adjusted accordingly based on the following information relating to the UK system.

The handicapping system is based on current game performance. Your last round score will generally affect your golf handicap.

Unlike The ESC under USGA , the UK system allows (nett +2) maximum for men and (nett +3) for women, on any hole if a male player of handicap 17 shoots 8 on a par 4 SI 1, the maximum score allowed for that hole is 7.

Standard scratch for the course  somewhat resembles Course Rating in the USGA system. ( 71,73,72 etc.). The calulatons are then started as follows :

Gross Score = Number of strokes - Standard Scratch

Adjusted Gross Score = Gross Score - hole adjustments described above (max double bogey)

The following golf categories are then used :

Category	Handicap Range	Buffer Zone	Reduction per Shot	Increase per Round
1	0.1 - 5.4	+1	-0.1	+0.1
2	5.5 - 12.4	+2	-0.2	+0.1
3	12.5 - 20.4	+3	-0.3	+0.1
4	20.5 - 28.0	+4	-0.4	+0.1

So for example the followng apples :

• Determine the Rounds Net Score. e.g. Gross Score - Current golf handicap
• Determine what Category this Golfer falls into based on current handicap.
• If Net Score is greater than Golfers Category Buffer Zone then simply add 0.1 to Golfers Handicap
• If Net Score Ranges from 0 to Buffer zone handicap is then unchanged.
• If Net score is negative then for each shot less than 0, the Golfers Handicap is reduced by the amount specified by the category he/she is currently in.

Your starting handicap of 24 puts you in Category 4.  Following are the adjustments made to your handicap based on subsequent rounds submitted :

Score	SSS	Gross Score	Hcp	Net Hcp Score	Hcp Adj	New Handicap
94	72	22	24	-2	2*  0.4=0.8	23.2
95	71	24	23.2	+1	0 (within buffer zone +4)	23.2
100	71	29	23.2	+6	+0.1(outside buffer zone +4)	23.3