Fit to a “T”
With the heart of the tournament season in full swing, now is the perfect time to review the many aspects of the T-score reduction process and dispel a few myths.
The most important point to remember is that an NCGA/USGA Handicap Index is supposed to represent a golfer’s “potential” ability, not his actual, current or average ability.
“Potential,” for these purposes, is identified by an examination of a golfer’s top 10 performances of their 20 most recent rounds, AND, by a comparison of this best 10 of 20 calculation with the two best T-scores recorded within the past 12 months (longer for golfers who play fewer than 20 rounds per year).
Specifically, it is the “gap” between the best 10 of 20 figure and two lowest T-scores that is examined. If the T-scores are sufficiently low, additional calculations are made which factor in the size of the gap and the total number of T-scores recorded within the past 12 months. The calculations can call for an automatic reduction of the best 10 of 20 figure.
One of the cornerstones of the reduction process is the following table. It charts the odds of a golfer teeing it up and playing to or outplaying his handicap (i.e., recording a net score equal to or lower than the Course Rating). The values in the table are the odds of shooting a net differential EQUAL TO OR BETTER THAN the number in the left column.
Odds Table
| Handicap Index Ranges | |||||
| Net Diff | 0-5 | 6-12 | 13-21 | 22-30 | >30 |
| 0 | 5/1 | 5/1 | 6/1 | 5/1 | 5/1 |
| -1 | 10/1 | 10/1 | 10/1 | 8/1 | 7/1 |
| -2 | 23/1 | 22/1 | 21/1 | 13/1 | 10/1 |
| -3 | 57/1 | 51/1 | 43/1 | 23/1 | 15/1 |
| -4 | 151/1 | 121/1 | 87/1 | 40/1 | 22/1 |
| -5 | 379/1 | 276/1 | 174/1 | 72/1 | 35/1 |
| -6 | 790/1 | 536/1 | 323/1 | 130/1 | 60/1 |
| -7 | 2349/1 | 1200/1 | 552/1 | 229/1 | 101/1 |
| -8 | 20111/1 | 4467/1 | 1138/1 | 382/1 | 185/1 |
| -9 | 48219/1 | 27877/1 | 3577/1 | 965/1 | 359/1 |
| -10 | 125000/1 | 84300/1 | 37000/1 | 1650/1 | 874/1 |
It should come as no surprise that playing to one’s handicap is an uncommon event. After all, a golfer’s worst 10 of 20 rounds are thrown out entirely and normally only 4 of the best 10 meet or better the standard. In short, a golfer only has around a 1 in 5 chance of playing to or better than his handicap.
Depending on handicap level and frequency of play, shooting five strokes under one’s handicap can be a once-a-year or even once-a-decade kind of occurrence. It’s these types of scores that can trigger an automatic reduction.
Now let’s clear up some of those misunderstandings in the form of a Q & A.
- Is the NCGA the only association calculating handicaps in this manner?
- No! Every single handicap in the country is computed in this exact manner.
- Should all tournament scores be posted with a T?
- No. The NCGA recommends that the T not be applied to routine weekly or monthly events of little significance. Flooding a golfer’s record with such T-scores will reduce the effectiveness of the process and make it more difficult to identify those golfers who save their best play for the most important tournaments.
The T should be reserved for significant events that pack the greatest prestige or prizes, such as annual events, club championships, member/guests, NCGA qualifiers, etc. This includes individual, partnership and team events. Ask yourself the following question: If you felt your club had a problem with some members who were inclined to “massage” their handicaps, which tournaments would they gear themselves up for? These are the tournaments that need the T.
- Will one low T-score trigger a reduction?
- No. Every golfer is entitled to their best round of the year. It’s when two odds-defying rounds occur in a 12-month period that the additional calculations are triggered.
- Is a golfer’s Index “frozen” at the reduced level?
- No. A fresh calculation is made each month. As the gap between the best 10 of 20 figure and two low T-scores moves and the total number of T-scores from the past 12 months changes, the Index can change.
- How long will the reduction remain in place?
- Normally, when one of the T-scores expires (becomes more than 12 months old), the reduction is lifted.
- How come some reductions don’t take effect until months after the T-scores were recorded?
- Remember, the first step in the process is the best 10 of 20 calculation. The gap between this figure and the two low T-scores will remain narrow as long as the T-scores are among the 20 most recent rounds. In many instances, it is not until they work their way out of the most recent 20 that the gap widens and a reduction kicks in.
- I just seem to concentrate better in tournaments and produce lower scores. Why should I be penalized?
- Baloney! The System is based on the concept that a golfer is going to attempt to score his very best on every hole of every round played. It does not contemplate a golfer who can call upon a “higher gear” at will. The problem with the logic of such a golfer is that they want their handicap based on the higher scores, which would give them a distinct advantage over the rest of the field when they call upon their “A” game. Why do such golfers object to an Index that reflects this “A” game?
- My game goes bad in the winter and peaks in the summer. Why should I be penalized?
- Such a golfer would have a distinct advantage over the field when his game turns around. Without a reduction, his handicap will be at its highest level just in time for the lower scores. Again, a Handicap Index is supposed to represent a golfer’s potential ability. Has such a golfer’s potential changed that much, or are they just off their game for a short period of time? The answer should be obvious.
- Shouldn’t the golfer’s Index at the time the T-score was recorded be factored in?
- Absolutely not! What a golfer’s Index was at the time of the round has no bearing on pegging their potential ability.
- Does an R next to an Index indicate that the golfer is a sandbagger?
- The System certainly catches its fair share of baggers, but the R should not be perceived as a scarlet letter. It’s merely an indication that the golfer has exhibited a greater potential ability than their best 10 of 20 figure would imply.
- I recently had some major surgery, which has severely impacted my game. Some pre-surgery T-scores are causing a reduction. What can I do?
- Clearly these are exceptional circumstances and a reduction is not appropriate, but the calculations don’t know this. Contact your club’s Handicap Committee. It is the one and only authority that can intervene on a golfer’s behalf. If it feels there are medical circumstances that warrant action, they can instruct the NCGA to “override” the reduction and restore the best 10 of 20 figure. Such a request must be submitted in writing to the NCGA Handicap Department.
Requests for an override for any other sort of reason requires further explanation. After all, by issuing an override a club is proclaiming that this particular golfer’s Index should be computed in a different manner than that of every other golfer in the country. That is a quite a proclamation!
I can’t tell you how many clubs I’ve seen that have put an override in place only to regret it. I’ve seen golfers secure an override from a sympathetic committee member for no valid reason only to shoot more low T-scores as soon as the reduction has been lifted. Such clubs have a lot of explaining to do to the rest of the golfing community.
In conclusion, at this point in time, less than 1 percent of NCGA members have a T-score reduction in effect. That very fact should open up a club’s eyes to how extraordinary the T-scores are. Two once-a-decade scores in a 12-month period in important tournaments are too much!
Director of Course Rating and Handicapping Jim Cowan can be e-mailed at jcowan@ncga.org.
hi,
July 30th, 2007 at 6:24 pmi played in a tournament on saturday 7/28…i checked last night and saw that my score was not posted, so i posted tonight…and then saw that my score had been posted…so i have posted duplicate scores for saturday 7/28…could you please delete one of them for me?
thanks much.
joseph baem
#2576728
Hi, I posted my 08/04/07 tournament score at a wrong course. It was at Callippe Preserve golf course in Pleasanton, not California golf course.
August 10th, 2007 at 10:31 pmDo you know, assuming that one is a beginner or very poor golfer, what can the maximum index get to? I have heard that it is 36, but wanted to be sure.
August 18th, 2007 at 11:47 amI posted my recent score as “Away” instead of ” Tournament” 8/12/07 Roddy Ranch and 8/19/07 Summit Point. Could both of them changed both of them to tournament? If possible could you change them for me?
Thanks
Dave Ung
August 20th, 2007 at 6:13 am4326953
Posted a score that was wrong and want to correct it as soon as possible. What do I need to do?
August 20th, 2007 at 10:43 amThanks
I posted my club championship scores as normal rounds, I forgot to use T for tournament scores. Can this be updated - corrected?
Thanks
August 26th, 2007 at 7:11 amSimple answer to these questions is ONLY USE “T” scores to establish a “T” handicap.
August 30th, 2007 at 8:35 amI usually play nine holes, and when I posted the last two they combined for considerably more strokes. Can you fix this for me?
September 27th, 2007 at 8:43 amTo Joseph Baem, Jack Pai, Dave Ung, JD Cantu, W.S. Wilson,
October 3rd, 2007 at 10:34 amI apologize for the delay in responding but I was only recently made aware of this new feature within our website. Any and all score corrections, deletions, etc., must be directed to your club. Your club has the necessary software to perform any of the above mentioned transactions. Thanks Jim Cowan
Kevin Grauman,
October 3rd, 2007 at 10:40 am36.4 represents the maximum Handicap Index for Men (40.4 for Women). Recognize that this 36.4 can translate into a Course Handicap that you play with that is much higher when you play a course with a high Slope Rating. For example, a 36.4 would find that he receives 43 strokes when playing from the White tees at Poppy Hills. Thanks Jim Cowan
Paul Bross,
October 3rd, 2007 at 10:46 amThere is no movement underfoot within the USGA Handicap System for the development of a T-handicap made up exclusively of tournament scores. The vast majority of golfers do not play in tournaments on a regular basis. Consider a golfer who plays in three tournaments a year. What is a better representation of his current potential ability, a non-tornament round posted last week, or a tournament score posted seven years ago? I’ll take the more recent score. Thanks Jim Cowan
Geraldine Peterson,
October 3rd, 2007 at 12:54 pm9-hole scores are combined as follows: the two 9-hole scores are added together as are the two 9-hole Course Ratings; the two 9-hole Slopes are averaged. Hopefully you posted 9-hole scores properly against the proper 9-hole ratings (not 18-hole ratings). Funny things can happen to 9-hole scores depending on where they are posted and the order that they are received. If I play 9-holes today, tomorrow and the next day, there is no guarantee that today’s and tomorrow’s 9-hole scores will be combined. It all depends on how frequently the golf courses that the scores were posted at submit their scores. Most NCGA clubs send in scores on a daily basis so consecutive scores are usually combined. If a club experiences problems or does not transmit daily, different nine than you were anticipating could be combined. Perhaps this is the cause of the higher score than you were expecting. In any event, I would direct you back to your club. They have the necessary software to edit or delete a score in your record. Thanks Jim Cowan
I played Spring Valley on 10/03 and after I recorded a 100 score. Actually, I shot 94. Can you correct this?
Bob Merrick
October 5th, 2007 at 12:02 pmHello, I messed up and triple posted a round score on 9/5/07 (Santa Teresa Golf Club). The two I need deleted are the 9.1 differential scores. My club representative is not helping me with this and as a result, my index is way too low. Thanks!
October 5th, 2007 at 8:48 pmRegards the comment above: “In short, a golfer only has around a 1 in 5 chance of playing to or better than his handicap.” Say what?
First of all, using proper statistical anyalysis of any game of chance, like the roll of a die, the statistics starts over with each roll. 1 in 5, then 1 in 5, then 1 in 5, etc… Therefore for your statement to be true the following is certainly true:
NO golfer would ever better his/her handicap and therefore it would then be EXPECTED that every golfer gets “worse” over time, or at least to not improve.
Statistically, this ‘may’ make sense for near scratch handicapers, but not bogey handicapers. Seems these ‘odds’ and T-adjusted handicaps are made to ‘protect’ the lower handicapers.
No matter how you “do” the math, the idea that that golfers cannot compete with their own handicap is not natural or real. The envisioned goal for ALL golfers is improvement and that is a continual betterment of their handicap.
Whatever happened to the ‘rules’ (versus this “total score and slope” entry only) that seem missing regarding adjusting one’s hole score according to one’s handicap, ie, if a 10-14 handicaper, one cannot mark scorecard greater than double bogey on any hole (if memory serves). Seems this set of ’statistics’ and odds reflect entering gross scores unedited hole-by-hole…
thanks for your reply
December 16th, 2007 at 12:20 pmleland
Thank you for your comments, Leland. Given the fact that a handicap is based on just the upper 10 scores of a golfer’s 20 most recent rounds and the fact that handicaps are based on 96% of the difference between adjusted scores and the Course/Slope ratings (and not 100%), a golfer cannot play to their handicap with any regularity. To do so would mean that the handicap would be in a constant state of decline. Most golfers can view the referenced 1 in 5 ratio for themselves by examining their January 1st Handicap Index and the differentials of their 20 most recent rounds. In most cases golfers will find precisely 4 of the 20 rounds where they recorded a differential equal to or lower than the level of the issued Handicap Index. Thanks again - Jim Cowan
January 3rd, 2008 at 4:29 pmi played a roseville golf club tournament at diamond oaks on 02/02/08
February 4th, 2008 at 4:12 pmand shot a 94. on one hole i had a 9. my handicap was posted as a 15.
i deducted 2 strokes (9-2=7) and posted my score. however i then saw that some club member had posted the score as 94 which i believe was wrong. also the course he posted was lincoln hills????!!!! wrong. how and who should correct this?????!!
Warren,
February 4th, 2008 at 5:43 pmYou will need to report the error to your club. They have the necessary software to perform any sort of score correction or deletion. Thanks - Jim Cowan
I can see being reduced for 2 months, but I am reduced now for 4 months and probably have to go 2 more months,before the ‘T’ score is bumped out?? Of course this is the start of tournament season and I am being shafted out of 3-4 strokes, because my trend with the scores I posted lately say so,, We should not have to post ‘T’ for Match Play tournaments of any kind…. and I am no sand bagger
April 11th, 2008 at 10:40 amT. Low - Thank you for your comment, though without your name or NCGA/GHIN number I am unable to look up the specifics of your record. Perhaps you can e-mail that info to me. In general, T-scores are retained for a year, in part, so that they can still be a factor a year later when the golfer plays in the same tournament again. And shouldn’t reductions kick in precisely for the tournament season? What would be the point of the System if the same golfer could win the same net tournament year after year with outrageously low scores? I also do not understand your match play comments and why, assuming you are posting properly for concessions and unplayed holes, you feel they should not be factored in. If you play in match play events, why shouldn’t these rounds become ingredients for the handicap you use in match play? Again, if you e-mail me directly I can review your record in more detail. Thanks - Jim Cowan
April 11th, 2008 at 1:36 pmI was posting a score via the internet and experienced some internet connection difficulties. When the score finally posted, I noticed that it had posted the score twice. How can I get that corrected?
April 28th, 2008 at 7:23 amRon - Contact your club’s handicap chairman. Only your club can delete a score.
Thanks,
April 28th, 2008 at 8:08 amWhere on your website and how do I post a score?
May 15th, 2008 at 1:35 pmBurton - On the homepage, on the right side in the green box, you should see “Post a score.” Click this link and you should be all set.
Thanks,
May 15th, 2008 at 1:37 pmI was told I needed to post some scores and I could access any course via the internet. Obviosly I was given wrong info. I don’t want to drive across the state to post a score. I have been away from the game for 2 years and am trying to get started. I was told that my GHIN # 9223-057 was still good. If so, why can’t I post a score on line?. I now belong to the Moffett Field Club. please advise.. Marty Sammon
July 24th, 2008 at 9:54 pmI can comment on T. Low’s postof 4/11 regarding match play scores and posting. Match play is a completely different animal than stroke play, every golfer will tell you that they would do things in match play that they would NEVER do in stroke play because of the possibility of huge individual hole scores for a failed risk. While not an “official” game found in the rules of golf, a skins game is played with the same mindset - go for broke. I know you’ll comment that there’s the possibility in match play where someone might take less of a chance than normal based on what an opponent has done but I would point out that most golf in America is not played in a match play format.
August 25th, 2008 at 3:16 pmI’ve tried to explain to my club pro that the odds of shooting -12 net in a round are slim to none (stroke pay), and they don’t seem to care, so I probably need to just stop playing in the net tournaments. I do have a question for you though…what proportion of the handicap should be used in match play tournaments and best ball tournaments? To use the the full handicap for match play or best ball rounds seems unfair to the lower handicapped player.
August 31st, 2008 at 2:33 pmVince, thank you for your comment. We are going to have to disagree on this subject. One, match play is one of the most common forms of play, that’s precisely what a Nassau is. Two, I just don’t buy that if everyone is playing uber agressive in match play and going for broke that all these shots are going to be rewarded. I think that if we all played more agressive than normal our final scores would be higher, not lower. So if someone scores well in match play, that score should be posted and count in the computation of the golfer’s handicap. Such a round does serve as an ingrediant in pegging the golfer’s “potential” ability, and that is the stated goal of the Handicap System. And besides, what are the alternatives? If you buy into the notion that the two forms of play are completly incompatible, what handicaps would you play with in a match? Surely not a handicap derived from stroke play rounds. Are we supposed to have a match play handicap AND a stroke play handicap? I don’t think so. Again, the Handicap System is going to dictate that match play scores get posted and that proper procedures for unfinished holes and unplayed holes be applied. Thanks again - Jim Cowan
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:24 pmKevin, thank you for your comment. In singles match play you compute the full handicap for both golfers . . . not a proportional amount. The full difference in the handicaps of both golfers are then used (i.e., a 15 playing a 10 would receive five strokes on the five highest rated holes). You will be surprised to learn this, but the advantage in such a match actually goes to the low handicapper, not high. Because handicaps are based on 96% of the difference between, essentially, our adjusted scores and the Course Ratings (and not 100%), low handicappers have an ever-so-slight built-in advantage in match play. It is what is known as the “bonus for excellence,” a built-in incentive to lower your handicap. Better-balls are different. It is recommended that men only receive 90% of their Course Handicaps (95% for women) AND that you limit the gap in handicaps between the partners to eight strokes (otherwise wide gap teams would enjoy an advantage over narrow gap teams). Hope this helps, thanks again - Jim Cowan.
September 2nd, 2008 at 8:35 pm