Local Club Handicap

A “Local Handicap” is either a handicap that is above the maximum Handicap Index limit (Section 3-4), a handicap that is revised more frequently than allowed (Section 8-3) or a handicap based on a player’s temporary disability. A Local Handicap is not a Handicap Index and it must be identified by the letter “L” to indicate that it is for local use only. A local handicap is expressed as a number taken to one decimal place and is used to convert to a Course Handicap (e.g, 41.5L). See handicap type, trend handicap, and Section 3-3.)

WHY DO WE USE A LOCAL HANDICAP?
As previously noted, the Board of Directors for years has fielded numerous complaints from members regarding the frequency of a few members to place higher in MTMGC tournament play than their handicaps would indicate possible. Although there is a tournament factor in place in the USGA handicap system (Section 10-3), it is widely contested as ineffective in providing fair tournament play and considered susceptible to manipulation.

The Board has agreed that some form of Local Handicap is warranted, as authorized by the USGA Handicap Manual. The handicap committee, with exhaustive analysis, considered numerous options. A software program has been developed as a tool for determination of a Local Handicap.

This system measures the performance of members in local MTMGC competitive events (only those played at the Mission Trails Golf Course) and is less likely to be manipulated. This system will be implemented and maintained by the Handicap Chairman and the Tournament Chairman. More importantly, it will finally provide us a fair and effective system for leveling the field in our club tournaments.

WHAT IS A LOCAL CLUB HANDICAP?
The program computes a Local Handicap based upon performance in designated MTMGC tournaments. All MTMGC tournaments will play to the lower of USGA or Local Handicaps, however only tournaments depending on individual Low Net results will be used in the computation of the Local Handicaps. Best/Better ball or other team events will not be posted as T-rounds or used in computing Local Handicaps.

WHAT IT IS NOT:
THIS SYSTEM WILL NOT REPLACE OR EFFECT ANYONE’S USGA/SCGA INDEX IN ANY WAY. IT WILL ONLY COMPUTE A LOCAL HANDICAP FOR USE IN OUR MTMGC TOURNAMENTS. MEMBERS ARE STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR ACCURATE POSTING OF ALL SCORES OF ROUNDS PLAYED IN ACCORDANCE WITH USGA & SCGA HANDICAP REGULATIONS.

HOW WILL IT WORK?
A player will have no more than the most recent 10 local tournament rounds in his history. As a new tournament round is input, old tournament data which will total more than 10 tournament rounds will drop out of the queue. Rounds older than one year will not be part of the scoring record. If the MTMGC events are two days, in the program they will recorded as two distinct rounds. The effect of the Local Handicap becomes more apparent as the number of rounds increases up to the maximum of ten. The Local Handicap is computed by averaging a member’s adjusted gross tournament score difference over the course rating of his best 50% of tournament round scores, thereby reflecting his local MTMGC scoring potential. The MTMGC Local Club Handicap issued to a player by the Tournament Chairman prior to each club tournament will be the lesser of this Local Handicap or his current SCGA index.

WHO WILL MANAGE THIS SYSTEM?
Responsibility for maintaining the system will be that of the MTMGC Handicap Committee, in conjunction with the MTMGC Tournament Chairma. This system will go into effect starting with the November 2009 Chiefs.

Jim Southard
MTMGC Handicap Committee