HANDICAPPING IN MIXED COMPETITIONS NOTES OF GUIDANCE

It is recommended that the following procedures be adopted when clubs run mixed competitions.

1.                  Singles Competitions

It is recommended that, for handicap purposes all players play off their CONGU® handicap and from tees with a Rated SSS making the competition Qualifying for handicap purposes.

The handicap adjustments are then ONLY APPLIED for COMPETITION RESULT PURPOSES.

In all competitions the Ladies’ handicaps should be adjusted to take account of the difference in the Standard Scratch Scores (SSS) of the courses being used according to the following:

Ladies’_{Competition H/cap} = Ladies’_{CONGU H/cap}  + (SSS_ladies – SSS_men)

It should be emphasised that these are NOT COURTESY SHOTS. The format is really the same as would occur if ever a Men’s Competition were run where some play off the White Tees and some off the Yellow. Unless some adjustment were made to take account of the SSS difference the Nett winner is always likely to be a competitor playing off the Yellow Tees.

(a)   Medal

Scores returned normally. The  Ladies’ Netts are then re-calculated for the Competition Result using the above formula  to get the  adjustment to the Ladies’ Handicap this is then subtracted from the Nett scores as returned to get new Ladies’ Netts for result purposes.  Example:

(b)   Stableford or Bogey/Par

 Again, for results purposes only, the Ladies’ Handicap should be adjusted as above (with the SSS adjustment being added as points to the lady’s returned points). Then an additional adjustment has to be made for the difference in the Pars (as points are scored against Par not SSS) of the two courses.

Additional Par Adjustment = Par_men - Par_ladies   (NB note reversal of Man/Lady is correct)

This should be added to (if the result is minus it is subtracted from) the Ladies’ points as modified by the Handicap Adjustment. Example:

 Clearly if the Ladies’ SSS and Par (eg SSS=73, Par =72) have the same relationship as the Men’s Par and SSS (SSS=71, Par=70) then the handicap and par adjustments will cancel each other out  (SSS=73-71 (+2) and Par=70-72 (-2)). When the relationships are the same, the Ladies’ values will almost always be higher but this does not matter, as points are scored relative to handicap and par so the two adjustments will result in zero overall.

2.                  Pairs Competitions

In all Mixed Pairs competitions it is strongly recommended that the ladies play from the Ladies’ Tees, whatever the format.

(a)                                       Stroke Play, Stableford / Bogey

For Mixed partner better- ball Competitions the ladies’ handicaps should have the recommended fraction (3/4) applied. Then the SSS adjustment, calculated as before, should be added to the fractioned handicap.

For Foursomes and Greensomes the Ladies’ handicaps should have the adjustment added before the partnerships’ handicap is calculated as recommended in Appendix H. If these are Stableford or Bogey  Competitions THE ADJUSTMENT FOR PAR, as applied in singles, SHOULD NOT BE MADE  ( the effect is cancelled out when a mixed partnership is involved). If the partnerships are formed as single sex pairings then the Par adjustment has to be applied.

(b)                                      Matchplay

The SSS adjustment should be applied to the Ladies’ handicaps and then the appropriate fraction applied.

In better-ball Matchplay shots should be taken from the low player. The ladies should have the SSS adjustment applied before this is determined.