THE HANDICAP COMMITTEE
Click here
to view Handicap Test Schedule 2002 !
A Call For
Volunteers
Now for a show of
hands... how many members are tired of having a
club director assign handicaps to the club’s
golfers? My guess is that most hands went up,
except for those who seem to be winning more than
their fair share of tournament prizes. It’s
not that we don’t want to face unending
questions on golfer handicaps the morning of a
competition (which we really don’t relish
the idea), but we want to provide the golfers
with an opportunity to police them. This will be
accomplished by the creation of the APAG Handicap
Committee, which shall be comprised of APAG
members.
Moreover, the use of a
Handicap Committee is required by the USGA in
order for us to classify our handicap
calculations as official USGA Handicap Indexes.
To quote directly out of the United States Golf
Association Handicap Manual, Section 8, the USGA
states that "an essential element of the
USGA Handicap System is the requirement that each
golf club or golf association that issues USGA
Handicap Indexes shall appoint a Handicap
Committee to ensure the integrity of the
handicaps it issues. This Committee shall make
certain that the members comply with the USGA
Handicap System."
The USGA Handicap Manual
continues in Section 8-1 to state that "a
majority of the Handicap Committee shall be
members of the club. Club employees may serve on
the Handicap Committee, but an employee may not
serve as Chairman."
So, our call to the
golfers of APAG: Are there members interested in
serving a one year term as a member of the APAG
Handicap Committee? Once we have a Committee with
six members, a chairman will be selected by those
serving on the committee.
[Editorial note: one
would be surprised by the number of clubs around
the world who purport to issue a USGA Handicap
Index, but don’t have a Handicap Committee
to review the Indexes issued to their members ...
a clear violation of the USGA’s
requirements. Our goal is to follow the
USGA’s guidelines as closely as possible.
Plus it gives APAG members a voice in the
maintenance of their handicaps].
First question of those
considering volunteering a year of their time to
serve on the Handicap Committee will be
"what would be the responsibilities of the
Committee members?" Simply put, the
Committee will ensure that all acceptable scores
are reported by the club’s members and that
the scores are available for review by other
golfers (peer review).
Since the USGA Handicap
Index is to reflect the golfer’s potential
playing ability, the index is generally subject
to change only when the golfer’s scores
dictate an upward or downward change. The index
will not be revised simply from one year to the
next except when affected by new scores entered
into the computer system. There are however,
exceptions based on special circumstances, and
the Handicap Committee can adjust a golfer’s
USGA Handicap Index, outlined as follows in the
USGA Handicap Manual (Section 8.4.b):
(i) Improving
Faster Than The System Can React
A player just taking
up the game may improve too rapidly for his
USGA Handicap Index calculated by the
standard procedure to reflect his potential
scoring ability.
(ii) Numerous
Away Scores Change Handicap Index
If a player's USGA
Handicap Index increases by three or more
strokes due to the posting of numerous away
scores, and subsequent scores at his club
clearly indicate that his increased USGA
Handicap Index is too high, the Handicap
Committee shall adjust his USGA Handicap
Index downward. The Handicap Committee does
not have the authority to refuse to accept
away scores, nor to erase them from a
player's scoring record. (See Decision
5-1b/1.)
(iii) Temporary
Disability
An increase in a
USGA Handicap Index shall not be granted
because a player is temporarily off his game
or has discontinued play. However, an
increased handicap may be given for a
temporary disability
(iv) Failure to
Post
A USGA Handicap
Index shall be adjusted up or down if the
player does not turn in all acceptable scores
or otherwise does not observe the spirit of
the USGA Handicap System. The Handicap
Committee shall determine the amount of
adjustment.
(v) Player
Manipulates Round
If a player
manipulates his scores to influence his USGA
Handicap Index, the Handicap Committee shall
adjust or withdraw his USGA Handicap Index,
depending on the severity of the offense.
(See Section 8-4e.) Examples of manipulating
scores include:
(a) Posting
erroneous scores;
(b) Stopping play
after 12 holes to avoid posting scores;
(c) Repeatedly
playing more than one ball to avoid posting
scores;
(d) Not adjusting
hole scores under Section 4;
(e) Deliberately
reporting more or fewer strokes than actually
scored;
(f) Deliberately taking
extra strokes to inflate a score.
We are very serious
about following the guidelines established by the
USGA Handicap System, and are therefore just as
serious about the creation of a Handicap
Committee to provide our members with the ability
to review and police the club’s score and
handicap records. For all those interested in
serving a one-year term on the handicap
committee, please fax or email APAG with your
desire to serve on the Handicap Committee.
Click here
to view Handicap Test Schedule 2002 !
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