Hole Handicap Assignments

[Dan Bock]

Has anyone been a part of choosing hole handicap assignments for a golf course?  Did you choose difficulty or differential as the method for assignment?  What was the reasoning?

According to USGA, differential should be used for the following reason:

“A handicap stroke should be an equalizer and should be available on a hole where it most likely will be needed by the higher handicapped player to obtain a half in singles or four-ball match play.  Difficulty in making par on a hole is not an effective indicator of the need for a stroke.”

At my club, we used to use difficulty as the method of hole handicap assignment.  Last year, we had all 18 greens redesigned and 1 hole lengthened from a par-4 to par-5.  We used this as a time to redo the hole handicaps and we are currently debating the method.  We have tried differential for the last year and most don't like it - probably a lot just because it is different.

As an example, the 18th hole (an easy par 5) went from the 18 handicap to the 4 handicap - it was and still is the easiest relative to par, but the differential rank is 4.  Most hate giving a shot on the last hole and the easiest.

Any comments about the process would be welcome.

Thanks in advance

[A.G._Crockett]

As an example, the 18th hole (an easy par 5) went from the 18 handicap to the 4 handicap - it was and still is the easiest relative to par, but the differential rank is 4.  Most hate giving a shot on the last hole and the easiest.

Dan,
This part of your post cuts right to the heart of the matter and the misunderstanding about hole handicaps.  You say #18 is an "easy" par 5; easy for whom?  It almost certainly IS easy for the low handicappers at the club, and almost certainly isn't for the lesser players.  That's why a stroke is probably necessary to equalize.

By contrast, mid-length par four might be somewhat harder for the low handicappers to par, but NOT have a low handicap number since it may well be harder for everybody to par.

Par 3's, then, would rarely have low handicap numbers; not because they are "easy", but because they are relatively less likely to require a stroke for equalization.  Imagine that the toughest hole on your course, relative to par, is a par three that EVERYBODY bogeys.  It is 190 yds. to a smallish green, but with no water or bunkers.  Very few players hit and hold the green, so better players end up in the same situation as mid to high handicappers off the tee most of the time.  You assign a very low number to the hole based on difficulty, and now you have the high handicapper lying zero with a relatively easy chip and two putts; he can win the hole without having hit a single decent shot!

I play a fair amount of handicapped match play, and I always find it interesting that I seem to win as many or more of the holes where I am giving a stroke as I do the ones where we are playing straight up.  That tells me the holes are properly handicapped, even though it doesn't appear so at my course if you view it through the "difficulty" lense.

[Dan Bock]

Thanks for the reply.

The 18th is actually the easiest for both groups relative to par - the differential is #2.  We have done score tracking hole by hole for the last few months - twice actually with the same results.  

As you may know, generally you break the scorers into 2 groups - low and high handicaps.  Our Group A has an avg handicap 5.6 and group B has average of 23.6.  On our #18 which if it were a par 4 (and should be at 480 yards downhill, downwind with little trouble), people would be clammering for the stroke.  

The other issue has to do with a hole (#3) where there is a large difference between the middle and back tees so that the hole is relatively difficult from both when people play the correct tees.  This leads to a small differential, but a high difficulty - it ends up having a 13 handicap and everyone complains that the hole is too hard for a 13.  However, if a low handicap plays a higher from the same tees (say 12 apart for arguments sake), there is no stroke given but probably should be.

I completely agree with your scenario about the par 3.  I think the main obstacle is the fact that everyone thinks of #1 handicap as the toughest hole and that is a tough thing to change.

I say let's let everyone choose where they want their strokes before we start and let's go play - I don't think it matters as much as most think.  If you get 9, you can have them all on the front 9 and I'll take my chances and press on #10 tee.

[A.G._Crockett]

Whoa!  Way cool idea for a tournament!  Play full handicaps, and by the flip of a coin let the winner choose where the strokes will come before the first ball is ever hit!  I can give you 5 shots one each on the first five holes, or pick the holes, etc., if I win the flip.  I could even leave all five until the last 5 holes, hoping I'd close you out!

[Tom Huckaby]

Dan:

As per the USGA advice, par isn't supposed to have much to do with this, if anything.

Stroke allocation is based on head to head match play. The gist of the USDGA advice is that the longer the hole, the more chance for the high 'capper to screw up, thus the more the stroke is needed.  This is why par fives generally get the low numbers, par threes the high ones.  It has nothing to do with the par of the hole, although the long approach shot and thus likelihood to miss the green on par threes (as an equalizer) does factor in a bit - as AGC described - it's primarily based on length.

If the differential on your #18 between group A and group B really is the 2nd least, then it ought to get 17 stroke allocation.  It just would be VERY weird that any 480 yard hole would work out this way.  And it's not difference v. par, but difference from each other that you measure...

But if it does work out that way, then that's the way it is and you go with it.

TH

[Dan Bock]

Tom-

Actually, for the 18th hole the differential is the 2nd highest and the difficulty relative to par for both groups is smallest.

I agree - however it works out, but there are a lot of complaints from long time members who are used to the way it used to be.   And the fact that it is the 18th hole makes it worse since that is where much money is won or lost.

Dan

[Tom Huckaby]

Dan:

Well, I just have to believe your people are also too caught up in the par contest.  As a relatively low 'capper myself (5), I am licking my chops at them making that the 17 stroke hole - I will seldom if ever lose, as I'll almost never give a stroke.  I'd also LOVE to get a stroke from the scratch on that hole.

However, if the differential is 2nd highest, than 2 stroke hole it should be; although that can and perhaps ought to be fudged a bit since you don't want the lowest stroke holes to so often go unused, as would be the case in normal match play.  I believe that's in the USGA guidance also, isn't it?

In any case, it's still curious to me that the differential is the 2nd highest and the difficulty relative to par for both groups is smallest.

This could be explained by the mental aspects of this... neither group fears the hole any more, now that it's called a par 5... for the A's it became a birdie hole, for the Bs it allowed more cushion.

So maybe you just factor this in also and fudge a little?  You have good reason to make it the 4 if not higher already, being #18... I can see taking it to #6 just to allow for this mental ease.

And remember, all of the USGA stuff is just guidance - in the end, you guys make the call.  So all of this speculation is allowed for also!

TH