PLEASE FIND HCP POLICY FURTHER DOWN ON THE PAGE

 

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Guidelines for organizers of groups playing handicap adjusting rounds.

 

All qualifying rounds played and reported must fulfil the following conditions:

 

-        A minimum of 6 players must agree that they are going to play a handicap qualifying round. Because of the way our course is set up in the handicap reporting system all men have to play from the same tee position (yellow or blue), but can be combined with women playing from red tee.

 

-        the group shall have an organizer that is responsible for that these guidelines are followed

 

-        the group shall play during the same ”time slot” and thus under the same weather and course conditions

 

-        each player must have a competent marker who must sign the scorecard, but also print his/her name under the signature

 

-        the round must be played with a ”legal” course set-up (tee markers in the correct positions etc). If for some reasons this is not the case (maintenance activities, weather conditions etc), the organizer must decided not to run that round as a qualifying round!

 

-        the round must be played according to R&A Rules of Golf (eg. no ”Gimmies”, preferred lies only if decided by the Club, etc). The play formats are either individual stroke play or individual Stableford.

 

-        all of the players have to give in their scorecards after play to the responsible group organizer

 

-        the organizer shall before handing in the scorecards to Caddy master make sure that the cards are filled in according to guidelines from Caddy master

 

 

Groups that want to play handicap qualifying rounds under the conditions above will through the organizer report this to the handicap committee. The committee will then inform the Caddy master’s office which groups that can use this service.

 

For the moment this alternative is the only way for all players to adjust their handicaps outside competitions organized by the Club or other affiliated clubs. However, we are expecting the Spanish Golf Federation to in the near future introduce the revised handicap rules adopted by the European Golf Association giving us the options to handicap qualifying rounds in the form of Extra Day Scores(EDS). This will mean the opportunity to play in smaller groups (two or more) than stated above, but of course following all other conditions.

 

The Club´s handicap policy will be changed to reflect the above guidelines.

 

                                                                                                                                                              January 10th 2013

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                                                                       ADJUSTING HANDICAPS

 

Our rules for adjusting handicaps can be found in our Handicap Policy, which can be found under ”Information” on the Club´s homepage.

The information below is to clearify some issues and to inform about expected changes in the future:

Our policy is based on the Spanish Federation´s ”Sistema de handicap EGA 2008-2010”. EGA (European Golf Association) has published new handicap rules in the document http://www.ega-golf.ch/030000/documents/EGA-HCP-System2012-2015-FINAL.pdf . The rules in this document have been implemented in several countries, but not yet in Spain. One major change in the 2012-2015 version is the introduction of a way to adjust handicaps, when playing a ”social round of golf” only. We are closely watching when the Spanish Federation will allow us to use this option!

 Meanwhile we will follow our current policy which give us the following options to adjust our handicaps:

a) in competitions organized by our or another golf club belonging to the Spanish federation

b) rounds played in organized groups with minimum 7 players participating and playing from the same tee. The Handicap committee will shortly identify the groups that wish to use this opportunity and make sure that the organizers are aware of the rules that have to be followed in order to use this option. The Committee will then inform Caddymaster which groups that can use this service.

 c) in order to give players with high handicaps more possibilities, the Federation is giving them a third option to reduce their handicap: players with 26,4 and higher may, as an individual, report scores that are reached playing a qualifying round that have resulted in minimum 37 Stableford points. Such a scorecard may be given to Caddymaster for adjustment.

 

The Handicap committee is integrated with the Competition committee and has the following members: Bengt Viebke (President), Gunde Eriksson, Mike Aylett, Erik Bohlin, Klaus Fitz and Lars Hoel.

Villamartin Dec 13 2012

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 HANDICAP  POLICY - Villamartin Golf Club (VMGC)

 

 

Villamartin Golf Club is the member of Valencia Golf Federation and, as such, applies the EGA HCP Slope System using ASC (Adjuste Stableford Competition)

*     Club HCPs are managed by the HCP Committee as appointed by the Board of Directors.

 

*     The Club HCP register is kept by RFEG and visible at their website for all federated members.

 

*      Personal historical report will be printed by Caddie Master at request.

 

 MEMBERS JOINING the System can get a RFEG HCP from the HCP Committee by presenting:-

 

 1) A certified Slope HCP from his/her home country; or

 

2) A certified CONGU HCP from their home country (or from Villamartin under special circumstances); or

 

3) 5 qualifying score cards from Villamartin Golf Course.

 

 Where someone is in possession of more than one handicap the most representative one shall be used.

 

 A QUALIFYING ROUND (4 conditions required)

 

 All qualifying rounds played and reported have to fulfil the following 4 conditions:

 

 *     The round has to be declared as a Qualifying Round before starting the game.

 

*     The Round is played on a legal course (Tee position) and the corresponding Slope HCP used.

 

*     The Round must be played according to R&A golf rules (no Gimmies etc…).

 

*     The Score Card must be kept by a competent marker and the Card confirmed by his signature.

 

 The Qualifying Score Cards shall be handed over to the Caddie Master or an authorized competition organizer. The course (tee colour) played must be indicated on the scorecard.

 

Yellow and Blue courses are currently available for men and Red course for ladies.

 

Individual players using this service must have HCP higher than 26, 4 (appendix 1). They cannot submit more than 1/week with a maximum of 10/year. Only HCP reducing results are accepted until that level.

 

Rounds played within any organized group of min 7 players (appendix 2) are not considered as individual rounds (i.e. no limitations).

 

CLUB COMPETITIONS (members only)

 

 

*     Only the registered RFEG HCP shall be used in Club Competitions.

 

Villamartin November 5th 2011

The Board

 

 

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Appendix 1:

 

RFEG hcp adjustment and register system applies ASC (Adjuste Stableford de Competicion) and requires group of 7 or more players to input the results.

 

ASC adjustment is calculated for groups of 15 or more players only.

 

ASC adjustment is not calculated if all players of the group belong to category 5 and 6.  (HCP>26, 4)

 

Cards of individuals and groups of less than 7 players shall be left to Caddy Master. Those will be revised and confirmed by Club HCP Committee before update. All this may take few days before shown on the register.

 

 

Players are strongly recommended to mark their License NR on the card. This in order to avoid mistakes updating persons with similar names on the register.

 

 

Limitation of HCP>26,4 and others for individual qualifying rounds are set by Sistema de Handicap EGA &18.1 -&18.6. The reason that this is only applicable to Category 5 and 6 is so as to encourage the reduction of handicaps to Category 4 as quickly as possible. This 26.4 limit is also the maximum handicap accepted for Federation competitions.

 

 

Appendix 2:

 

An organized group is a group of 7players or more with a responsible person looking after the 4 preconditions when playing qualifying round.  Organizers are asked to leave the cards to Caddie Master a.s.a.p.

 

 

Appendix 3:

 

Web address:  http://www.rfegolf.es/paginasservicios/serviciohandicap.aspx

 

 

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Q & A for Handicap policy and adjusting HCP`s

 

 

Definitions:

 

RFEG: Real Federación Española de Golf  (The Spanish golf federation)

 

Player(s): Fully federated members in RFEG.

 

 

 

1.   Why should I be a member of the Spanish Golf Federation (RFEG)?

 

a.   Members paying annual maintenance fee have to be annual members of RFEG to be able to play the course.

 

Only members of RFEG with HCP registration have HCP in Spain and can participate in club competitions.

 

Family members playing with half green fee are considered as temporary players and can pay € 1, 50 every time they play. They do not have HCP in Spain.

 

b.   You would be covered for insurance against loss of clubs etc and any accidents caused by you, or to you by a third party. You would also not have to pay each time you play.

 

c.   Update of your Spanish HCP.

 

 

 

2.   How can I change my HCP at Villamartin?

 

a.   Individual players with HCP above 26, 4 can give their signed scorecard with all needed information (incl. LV number and tee played) to the Caddy master. The Club HCP committee will control it and give it back to the Caddy master for update in the RFEG.

 

b.   Players with lower HCP than 26,4 should hand in their score cards to the Caddy master and will be updated after a qualified round being a part of a group of 7 or more people playing from the same tee (yellow, blue for men or red for ladies).

 

 

 

3.   How should I fill in my scorecard?

 

a.   In addition to name, date, HCP, scores per hole, also fill in the tee you have played (yellow, blue, red), your LV number and signature from player/marker.

 

b.   And please: write so others will understand!

 

 

 

4.   Can I register my score and give the card to the Caddy master when playing together with a friend/husband/wife?

 

a.   Only if your HCP is above 26, 4. You can give 1 card/week or maximum 10/year.

 

 

 

5.   When playing in a group of less than 7, can I then give the scorecards to the Caddy master for registration?

 

a.   Yes, if you have a HCP above 26, 4. If your HCP is below 26, 4, the Caddy master will not accept your scorecard.

 

 

 

6.   Who are members of the Club HCP committee?

 

a.   The committee is headed by Heikki Harjuvaara, and the other members are: Bengt Viebke, Erik Bohlin, Caro Minas, Peter Bekel and Svein Hilmersen

 

 

 

7.   What does ASC (Adjustable Stableford Competition) mean for me?

 

a.   When playing a qualifying round in a group of more than 15 players, your HCP will be adjusted not only based on your own results, but influenced by the other players according to a certain model. Your own result (HCP points) can be increased by 1, 2 or 3 points or decreased by 1 point dependent on the general results in the group.

 

 

 

8.   Why always use ASC  at VMGC?

 

a.   This is not a Club de Golf Villamartin decision! Villamartin is a member of the Valencia Golf Federation and as such, we have to follow the RFEG decision for HCP adjustments in Spain. The system is used by most countries in Europe.

 

b.   It is only in groups with more than 15 players where ASC is used. Individual players and players in groups between 7 and 15 players are adjusted individually without any influence from the other players.

 

 

 

9.   I play in a group with 7 others. Can we register our score cards at the Caddy master?

 

a.   Yes, by following the rules in the Handicap policy for qualifying rounds, and when all players play from the same tee (yellow, blue or red).

 

 

 

10. When do we have to leave scorecards to the Caddy master for registration?

 

a.   As soon as possible after you have played.

 

11. When will the Caddy master do the registration?

 

a.   As soon as he can, preferably the same day.

 

 

 

12. How can I find my actual RFEG HCP?

 

a.   Ask the Caddy master.

 

b.   Visit the RFEG website:

 

i. Click on “Services”

 

ii.           Click on “Handicaps”

 

iii. Then fill in your LV number or your name.

 

c.   Visit the RFEG Web site by following this link, and fill in your LV number or name.  (http://www.rfegolf.es/paginasservicios/serviciohandicap.aspx)

 

 

 

13. What can I do if I believe that my HCP is wrong?

 

a.   Consult the Caddy master. He can check all updates done in RFEG.

 

b.   Consult the Club HCP committee when you find major differences from what you find as your “correct” HCP.

 

c.   Consult the Club HCP committee if you have been sick for a period, or if you have become more or less disabled since you first established your present HCP.

 

 

 

14. How can I check that rounds played/cards given to the Caddy master is registered in the RFEG?

 

a.   Consult the Caddy master. He can if needed print your update/registration history in the RFEG. Date of last update is also shown next to your HCP on RFEG website. Please note: This date might not be your last registration. If you have done registrations that do not change your HCP, only the last update/change of your HCP will be shown. The Caddy master can inform you about all registrations.

 

 

 

15. What could happen if I continue to play on a too high HCP?

 

a.   If you do not regulate your HCP based on your quality of play (by lowering HCP), the Club HCP committee might ask you for documentation, or you have to present a number or scorecards from qualifying rounds to the committee for control. The committee will decide what should be your playing HCP.

 

 

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CSA or ASC

 

APPENDIX D

 

COMPETITION STABLEFORD ADJUSTMENT (CSA)

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

The USGA course rating states: “The USGA Course Rating and Slope Rating must

 

reflect conditions normal for the season(s) when most rounds are played”.

 

However, often there are rounds played when either the weather or the course

 

conditions are not normal and within the EGA Handicap System these rounds

 

directly affect handicaps. The CSA calculation was developed to determine when the

 

conditions deviate so far from normal that effectively the “normal conditions Rating”

 

does not apply and an allowance should be made to compensate.

 

The CSA system is based on the very successful system of Competition Scratch Score (CSS) which was developed by the British “Council of National Golf Unions” and introduced in 1989.

 

In the CSA calculation, the performance of the field of players is compared with

 

the calculated expected performance of these players under normal conditions. If

 

the variation from the expected is outside set limits an adjustment is made to the

 

Stableford scores of all players dependant on how large the variation is.

 

The expected score is varied according to proportion of each Handicap Category in the field. When conditions deviate from normal the CSA can adjust Stableford scores upwards (+1, +2 or +3) or downwards (-1), and, if conditions are extreme, can even result in the scores counting for Reduction Only with no increase being applied.

 

Like in the first two editions of the EGA Handicap System the adoption of CSA will remain optional. However, the introduction of CSS in Great Britain and Ireland and CSA in a few continental countries was so successful that the positive results on handicapping can not longer be neglected.

 

The EGA strongly recommends the National Associations to adopt CSA as from the 1st of January 2007.

 

 

 

DEFINITION

 

The “Competition Stableford Adjustment” is an adjustment factor to be made to a player’s Stableford score following each round of a Qualifying Competition pursuant to clause 20.6.

 

 

 

PROCEDURE

 

The CSA shall be calculated at the conclusion of each round of a Qualifying Competition by following the procedure set out below.

 

 

 

 Number of competitors including No Returns

			Percentages			Rounded %
Category 1	A		Ax100 / D	F		I
Category 2	B		A+B x 100 /G	G		M
Category 1+2	A+B			M-I=J		J
Category 3+4	C		100 minus box M			K
Total A+B+C	D			Total I+J+K		100
Number of Stableford scores of	E		E x 100 / D		H	L
34 or 35 (see note 6.) points or
more in Hcp. Categories 1, 2
and 3 + 4

 

 1. Enter in boxes A, B, and C the number of competitors, including No Returns,

 

from each of the Handicap Categories 1, 2 and 3 + 4.

 

2. Enter the total number of competitors in Handicap Categories 1, 2, 3 and 4

 

including No Returns, in box D. This number shall not be less than 10. If the

 

number is less than 10 no CSA will be applied.

 

3. Enter in box E the number of competitors in Handicap Categories 1, 2, 3 and 4 who have returned scores of 34 Stableford points or more.

 

4. In boxes F,G and H enter the percentages of the adjacent boxes in relation to

 

box D as indicated.

 

5. Round the number in box F to the nearest 10 % and enter the result in box I

 

(5 % upwards).

 

6. Round the number in box G to the nearest 10 % and enter the result in box J

 

(5 % upwards).

 

Note: Occasionally the rounding of boxes F and G will produce a total of

 

boxes I and J in excess of 100. When this occurs, round the number in box G

 

downwards and insert the amended number in box J.

 

7. Enter in box K the total of boxes I and J deducted from 100. The percentage in box K may not coincide with the rounded percentage box C would provide if

 

calculated.

 

8. Round the number in box H to the nearest whole number (0.5 upwards) and

 

enter the result in box L.

 

9. Select the relevant Table: Table A when the total number of competitors in

 

Handicap Categories 1, 2 and 3 + 4 exceeds 30, otherwise Table B.

 

Select the row which contains the percentages shown in boxes I, J and K.

 

10. In the row selected fi nd the column which includes the number in box L. The

 

adjustment to the Stableford score of each competitor is shown in the heading

 

of that column and that number is added to or deducted from all scores before

 

calculating handicap adjustments.

 

11. The heading R/O at the top of a column in the Tables indicates that scores returned shall not result in handicap increases. Reductions of handicap will be made

 

after adding three Stableford points to the Stableford scores of all competitors.

 

12. When a competition has been abandoned for any reason, reductions of handicaps shall be on the basis of Stableford points scored without adjustment. No handicaps shall be increased.

 

13. In the event of all competitors in a Qualifying Competition holding handicaps in Handicap Categories 5, handicap increases and reductions of handicap shall be on the basis of the Stableford points scored without adjustment.

 

14. Handicap Committees are reminded that they do not have a discretion to

 

determine whether a Qualifying Competition shall or shall not be “Reduction Only”.

 

15. CSA may not be applied to Extra Day Scores.

 

National Associations should calculate the CSA, not only for each round of EGA

 

Championships but also for each round of their own National and International

 

Championships, even if the National Association has not adopted the CSA procedure for domestic competitions. The National Association should make these fi gures, along with the relevant Rating(s) of the course(s) used for the Championship, available to all participating players so that they may report correctly their scores, complete with all other required information, to their Home Club. (see also clause 12.21).

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ABOUT COURSE RATING…….

 The base ground for EGA Slope System is Course Rating.

 The target is to evaluate the difficulty of each course and define the number of shots given so that all courses offer an equal challenge for same HCP index.

 Federation specialists make evaluation for one course length and derive other tee positions/course lengths linearly from that. In Villamartin the evaluation was made for the old WHITE (6132m) for Men and the old RED (5259m) for Ladies.

 The evaluation process is based on standardised shot lengths for both the Scratch player and the Club player for Men and for Ladies and other characteristics observing difficulty of hazards, elevations, etc.

 The result is expressed by 2 characters – Course Rating and Slope Value for each length.

This information is seen on Slope Tables and Score Card, often in form of “CR/Slope”

 CR being the ideal score for Scratch Player for that course length

Slope shows the additional difficulty for the Club Player and can be converted as additional shots by dividing with 5.381 for Men and by 4.240 for Ladies. Standard Slope Value is 113 giving 21 additional shots for standard male Club Player and 27 for standard female Club Player.

 Slope Table identifies the allowance for the Club Player over different HCP indices.

HCP index= (PAR-CR) always shows 0 shots on the table.

 CR on the score card gives the player an indication of the difficulty off different Tees and helps him to choose the Tee which suites to his/her skills best.

 Villamartin CRs are 73.0-72.0-70.4-67.7 for Men and 78.2-76.3-73.0 for Ladies

Ladies RED Club Tee is as difficult as Men’s WHITE Back Tee (73.0) according to Slope standard.

 Although the evaluation process made by Federation specialists is complicated, the outcome is very much dominated by the course length. With Villamartin the WHITE CR=73.0 in total but only 1.42 shots come from difficulty and 71.58 shots come from course length.

 CR variation from tee to tee depends on length difference only.

The ratio is 1 shot/ 200.51 m for Men and 1 shot/164.05m for Ladies.

 Length tolerance for legal qualifying course is +/- 100 meters in total, but not more than +/- 9 meters per each Teeing Ground.

 The Slope System does not consider the influence of shorter shots with higher age.

Shorter course is in practice easier to play for short hitter despite of less shots given by the system.

 28/4 2010.     Heikki Harjuvaara