Handicap Calculation

Also See: Week One Handicaps

After the weekly scores are entered, and the Weekly Report is Saved, you can Click on the "GLS Handicaps" button from the toolbar to calculate and post new handicaps. Most of the handicap parameters are set during League Setup, however, the Handicap Formula is set or changed before Handicap Calculation. This is done in case your league uses a different formula during the first week or two. When you set or change the Handicap Formula it is changed in the Leagues Table and appears as the Current Handicap Formula the next time Handicaps are calculated.

You can select from 5 different formulas. In order to compensate for leagues that play on courses with different total par on each nine, GLS  maintains a Table named "AdjOverPar." This table holds the number of adjusted strokes over par for each player for each week, thus equalizing the effect of two nines with different total par. The first two formulas are based on this table. Formula # 1 is the most widely used.

Handicaps can be determined using the following formulas:

1 (Average Adjusted Strokes Over Par for the Rounds Used) times Handicap Percent

2 Average Adjusted Strokes Over Par for the Rounds Used

3 (Adjusted Average Score minus Course RATING) times Handicap Percent

4 Adjusted Average Score minus Course RATING

5 ((((Adjusted Average Score minus Course RATING) times STANDARD SLOPE (113)) divided by Course Slope) times Handicap Percent) (similar to "USGA"® format)

The Percent of Handicap Used can also be changed "on the fly." If your league wants to establish a handicap based on one round, for example, you may want to set the percent to as low as 70% or 80% for the first round or two and return it to 96 or 100% for subsequent rounds.

Your League will have to decide how, if at all, to Adjust Scores. This decision is usually based on the overall "seriousness" of the league players. Some leagues do not adjust scores, thus the Actual Score and Adjusted Score are the same. Other leagues want to adhere to the strictest interpretation of the USGA Handicap System, which, by the way is nearly 100 pages in length, and doesn't mention golf leagues.

Golf leagues use the full gamit of possible handicap parameters...  At one extreme: "Do Not Adjust Scores," "Use All Rounds Posted," "100% of Handicap," and "No Maximum Handicap." At the other extreme: Use "Equitable Stroke Control" to Adjust Scores," "Use Lowest 1 Round of First 6," as low as "80% of Handicap Used," and a scratch league with "Maximum Handicap = 0."

The closest you can come to a USGA handicap with "9-Hole" GLS, is to select the following options during League Setup. 1. Adjust using "Equitable Stroke Control" 2. For rounds used select "Use 'USGA"® format" 3. Enter 96% of Handicap Allowed. 4. Set Maximum Handicap to 18 strokes for 9 holes. Then during GLS Handicap Calculation, select formula 5: (((AVE minus RATING) x STD) / SLOPE) x PERCENT). For this setup you must REMEMBER to include the 18 Hole Slope Rating and 18 Hole Course Rating during Course Setup.

Substitute Player Handicaps

Golf Leagues that allow substitute players have many ways to determine their handicap. If not established, GLS will automatically calculate a sub handicap taking the subs "ADJUSTED SCORE" for the round less "PAR" times the "SUB PERCENT." If a sub has an established handicap it will be posted. Sub scores are adjusted using the same method as regular league members.

You can decide the number of adjusted sub rounds to use for handicap calculation as follows:
1. Use the same methods as Regular league members;
2. Use ALL Rounds posted;
3. Use the LOWEST HALF of all rounds posted; or
4. Determine the handicap after EACH round using that round only.

Selection 4 calculates sub handicaps "on-the-fly" when the sub score is posted. When using this method substitute handicaps do not appear on the Handicap Report because they are not establishing a handicap... It is based on their current score only.

Selection 1, 2 or 3 will result in sub handicaps being calculated along with regular league members each time you run the league Handicap Report and will appear on this report. Also, subs can have a different "Percentage Used" than regular league members.