Upcoming OGA Events:

Twin Hills Junior
July 1-2, 2008

State Amateur
July 14-17, 2008

Senior & Super Senior Stroke Play
June 28-29, 2008

Handicap Revision Dates:

June 13

June 27

July 11

July 25

OGA Newsletter
July 2008

• Let’s talk about USGA Handicap Indexes…What is an index and what does it mean? It is a common misconception that one’s handicap index is the difference in their average score in relation to par. This is incorrect. An USGA approved handicap index is measures one’s scoring ability in relation to the course rating of the set of tees that you are playing. A Handicap index is not a handicap for any golf course, rather it is a “portable” figure which is used to determine one’s “course” handicap. This allows one to have a handicap for any set of tees at any course that has established an USGA Course Rating and Slope.

• An USGA Course rating is the “target score” for a scratch golfer for a given set of tees. If a scratch player is playing a set of tees which has a Course rating of 75.2, than his/her target score would be a 75 even though par may be 70. Conversely if the course rating was 68.2 their target score would be 68. Furthermore one should only shoot their “target score” 25% of the time. The goal of an index is to establish one’s potential scoring ability not to give an “average.” Next we have “slope”, this as a mathematical equation measuring the level of difficulty, for a given set of tees, for a “bogey” golfer compared to a “scratch’ golfer. The higher the slope, the harder the course for the bogey golfer.

• Example; golfer A has an index of 0.4 and golfer B has an index of 18.4. On Monday they played golf course X from a set of tees with a course rating of 70 and a slope of 113, par was 72, so player A had a “course handicap” of 0 resulting in a target score of 70 while Player B had a “course handicap” of 18 given him a target score of 88. Under these conditions golfer B would be entitled to 18 shots from golfer A, notice how the “target score” was based on the course rating and not par. On Wednesday they played a set of tees on golf course Y, the course rating was 72.7 and the slope was 140, par was 70. Player A’s “course handicap” was still 0 while Player B’s was now a 23, again the slope determined that this set of tees was much more difficult for the bogey golfer. Since their target scores are determined from the course rating and NOT par, player A had a target score of 73 while Player B had a target score of 96 resulting in player B now receiving 23 shots instead of 18 like on Monday. This scenario can and often does happen at the same golf course. It is all determined from what set of tees one plays.

• Lets now throw a curve at you. Let’s say that the previously mentioned tees were at the same golf club and par was 70. Player A chose to play the “back” tees with a course rating of 72.7 and slope of 140 while player B chose the “forward” tees with a course rating of 70 with a slope of 113. Player A has a course Handicap of 0 while Player B has a course handicap of 18, however Player A now has a target score of 73 while Player B has a target score of 88. Player B is now entitled to only 15 shots due to the difference in course ratings… This can all be very confusing and this is a big part of what the Oklahoma Golf Association is here for. Please feel free to send us an email or give us a call anytime you have a question regarding handicap indexes. Next month will tackle index reductions and the ole’ “Tournament Scores” reduction….-Steve