Handicap

Pick Your Partner Pairing List Rev A

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The updated Pairing List for the Pick Your Partner Special Event has been posted to the Metro Seniors web site. There were numerous changes over the last week, so be sure to look at the list. Or you can click here.

A reminder that the event is a 7:30 am Shotgun Start at Missouri Bluffs GC. SE committee members will be ensuring that we follow social distancing rules during the registration, cart loading, and lunch. Be sure to have your face mask on while you register and are getting ready to start and when you finish and get your lunch. We have asked the course to space out the carts and all carts have dividers.

There have been several questions on how the handicaps are calculated since handicaps are pretty low with our Special Events adjustments. Handicap calculations start with your handicap guide (index) posted on Our Golf Stats from week 25 & 26 June. Your Course Handicap is based on the course Tee Slope, Tee Rating, and Tee Par. We will be playing the Green Tees. The Green Tee Slope is 107, Tee Rating is 64.6, and Tee Par is 71. The standard USGA Slope for calculating handicaps is 113. So Missouri Bluffs Green Tee Slope is fairly low. And the Tee Rating of 64.6 is also low.

The formula for calculating Course Handicap is: Hdcp Guide X (Tee Slope/113) + (Tee Rating – Tee Par). Hdcp Guide X (107/113) + (64.6 – 71). So your Handicap Guide is lowered because of 107/113 and because the Tee Rating is less than Tee Par, you wind up subtracting the result, -6.4. Thus you wind up with a pretty low Course Handicap. Then you take 35% of the low team member handicap and 15% of the next lowest handicap and you get a pretty low team handicap.

See you all tomorrow and have a great time.

Handicap Changes in 2020

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There has been much discussion about the proposed handicap changes in 2020 as well as many things written about the changes and how to understand them. This is a synopsis of the changes and how they will affect Metro Seniors in 2020.

Max Handicap Guide

In 2019 the maximum handicap guide was 36.4 for males and 40.4 for females. In 2020, this will be increased to 54.0 for both males and females. What impact will this have to Metro Seniors? Only to D Flight, where those who really had a higher handicap guide than 36.4.

PS – If you had a max handicap guide of 36.4 at the end of 2019, you may start 2020 with a higher handicap guide due to this change.

Number of rounds considered for handicap guide

In 2019 we used the lowest 8 out of your last 16 rounds (no earlier than 2017). The USGA changed their usage to 8 of the last 20 rounds, so we changed ours to be a similar percentage, by using the lowest 7 of your last 16 rounds. In addition, all scores prior to 2018 will disappear from our records.

Course Handicap in 2020

The change in 2020 revises the formula by replacing the Course Rating delta between the Back and Forward tees to Course Rating – Course Par. This will not impact your competitiveness against others, but it will decrease the strokes you might receive at a particular course. As an example, a 10 handicap golfer at Gateway National might have received 11 strokes in the past, but only 6 in 2020. But ALL golfers will be similarly impacted, losing 4-8 strokes from the strokes they received in 2019. Net scores better than par will be an exception, not the rule. Another way to put it is that handicap guides will not change; course handicaps will.

Clear as mud? Bob Zaruba will discuss this briefly at the Annual Meeting on March 24th, then the entire Handicap Committee will be available after the meeting to answer any additional questions.

Portable Course Handicap Calculator

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Metro Seniors (through OurGolfStats) does all the work to generate your Course Handicap for each week of competition for Divisions 1 – 5. Simply login to OurGolfStats through your Division and Click on Reports #2 Course Handicaps and Net Score Worksheet. Each Division, all courses, all players.

How to use OurGolfStats? CLICK HERE

However, we know some of you play more than Metro Seniors. Want to know your course handicap anywhere, any time? There’s an APP for that. (Actually a web page.)

This is a simple online calculator. Enter the current Handicap Index (or Guide). Enter the course information for the specific tees (rating, slope and par). and “CALCULATE”. Output is the course handicap.

Click on image to get to page. Bookmark the page in your browser on your Smartphone to take it with you anywhere.

World Handicap System Update

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Some of you might have noticed your handicap for 2020 is NOT the handicap that you finished 2019 with and wondered why.  The reasons are twofold:

In the past we have calculated your handicap by using the best 8 of your last 16 rounds.  For some of you, that may encompass a number of years’ scores.  As of January first of every year we drop off the oldest year considered.  So on January 1, 2020, we dropped off all scores from 2017 and kept only 2018 and 2019 scores.  Those two years will be utilized throughout 2020 to amass your 16 latest scores.  For most of you this should have no impact.

The second reason is the has to do with the new Handicap system from the USGA.  There are a number of items that will be discussed at the March meeting, but the one that affects your handicap as of 1/1/2020 is that we now consider the top 7 scores of the 16, no longer the top 8 scores of 16.   

So please come to the Annual meeting on March 24 at 1:00 and I will briefly go over the new handicap rules.  After the meeting, myself and the entire Handicap committee will be available for more questions.  That committee is:

– Division 1 – Dave Wicks

– Division 2 – Chris Schuster

– Division 3 – Bob Roussin

– Division 4 – Joe Lerch

– Division 5 – Ron Platt

Thank you and I look forward to seeing you at the March Meeting

Bob Zaruba

Handicap Chairman

2020 Special Events

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The Special Events Committee has finalized the Special Events for 2020. Sign up for the 2020 Special Events will be opened up on 1 January 2020. There are a number of changes for next year and are listed below:

  • All players will play from the same designated tee box. See link below
  • To help speed up play, Special Events will be limited to 128 players. Except the Founders’ Day event at Whitmoor CC that will stay at 144 players.
  • All Special Events will be team events
  • Cancellations – any approved refund requested will be issued within about 60 days after event is over.  Refunds requested after August 1 will be issued by check at the end of each calendar year.  The $2 credit card fee is not refundable.
  • There will be no extra shots for teams that end up short players due to cancellations or no shows
  • There will be two new courses next year
    • Pevely Farms GC, Find Your Swing
    • Cardinal Creek GC, Scott AFB, 4-Man Best Ball
      • Note: Special requirements for the event at Scott AFB.  To be granted cleared access to Scott AFB, Missouri players must have a Real ID driver’s license, Passport, or Military ID.    No exceptions.  Illinois players can use their current driver’s license.  A list of all players with Name (must match driver’s license/Passport/Military ID), driver’s license/Passport/Military ID number and date of birth must be provided to security at Scott AFB.  Metro Seniors will provide this data.  Click Here for Missouri Real ID information.

Instructions for each event can be found by going to the Metro Seniors site Home Page.  Click on Schedules and Results on the top tool bar.  Scroll down to Special Events and open up Confirm – Wait – Pairings – Instructions.  Click on the individual event to read the instructions.

Listed below are the links for the 2020 Special Events:

Schedule and Rules

Designated Tees and CTP Holes

Special Events Handicap Calculations

Special Events Course Directions

Course Handicaps – Tool

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We get asked about handicaps all the time.  Always a topic of discussion.

We have several posts and pages about handicaps on this website.  The real technical explanation can be found (CLICK HERE). 

Calculating handicaps guides (similar to GHIN) is simple in concept but requires manipulation of a fair amount of data.  The data is best handled in a spreadsheet or database for the best control and computation.  Calculating a Course Handicap is simpler, but still requires course, tee and player data.

To make this easier, I have a little tool that might help.  Following spreadsheet requires only 2 data items input – a Handicap Guide (example 19.4) and the first 3 letters of the course (example – inn for INNSBROOK).  Below is a PDF file as example.

Download (PDF, 11KB)

Once input the sheet presents the course and tee data (Forward and Back) and it calculates course handicaps for each tee for the specific input Handicap Guide.

This can be downloaded to a smartphone.  If you can open and input to spreadsheets on your phone, you can run your handicap anywhere, anytime.

Please note – this uses current data for most of our 2018 courses.  It must be updated for the 2019 season  In addition I’ll be adding the Special Events courses and the Metro Plus courses.

If you are interested in getting a working copy, send me an email at

pres.metro.sr@gmail.com

Update of Forward vs Back Tees – Where is the money?

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Dick Jones, our Handicap Chairman, is a master at analyzing data.  He just completed his annual analysis of money winnings by Forward / Back Tee Position for 2018.

The results again tell us that our handicap system does a great job of keeping the selection of Forward or Back tees fair and consistent as measured by money winnings.

In 2015 we opened tee selection for Forward or Back to all members (A-D flights). Since then the % of players moving to Forward tees has increased (as we get older?).  Is more money won by Forward players?   NOPE!

The data for 2015 through 2018 shows almost an identical match of % Forward Players with Money Winnings by Forward Players.  This covers 8400 to almost 10,000 rounds of golf each year.

Summary Data from “Move Up Analysis”
by Dick Jones 11-2018
    
YearTotal Member Rounds PlayedMembers Playing ForwardMoney Won by Forward Players
2015840436.0%39.7%
2016856153.8%49.9%
2017987156.0%53.7%
2018971664.6%62.4%

The full data includes all flights in all divisions and all courses for all these years.  His database goes back to 2013.

The details for division by year show essentially the same range of %Forward, % Money Forward.  As the samples get smaller the variation increases.  But the trends and relationship is still very strong.

What does this mean???

You can pick Forward or Back without trying to game the system.  As long as you follow the rules and report your scores correctly, your Handicap Guide will calculate a fair and virtually equivalent handicap between either of the Forward or Back tees.

Perhaps issues like weather, course conditions, and how you feel may come into play.  On a cold or wet day, the ball won’t go as far; Play forward for more fun.  If you have a cold, Play Forward.  Just remember, your competition will be doing the same, so it is still fair.

In past posts we covered tee selection from other perspectives.  

Which Tees – Forward or Back

USGA and PGA Tee It Forward program recommends tee selections by course yardage depending on your AVERAGE driving distance. Note this is not the best drive you ever made, but what you typically see on the course.

Here is a link to the PGA / USGA article.  CLICK HERE

Here is some information from 2016

FYI – If you want to see ALL the data, we will be happy to share the data spreadsheet.  If you like this kind of stuff, perhaps you could volunteer to analyze some of our burning questions.  With 10,000 rounds each year we have a huge data base.

Which Tees – Forward or Back

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Which tees do you chose for weekly tournaments?  Does it make a difference in winning flight prizes?

Overall Metro Seniors Members have mostly chosen the FORWARD tees.  63% of rounds to date in Division 1 through 5 have been recorded from the Forward Tees.

But how did the flights choose?  Summary for all Divisions:

  • A Flight – 33% Forward
  • B Flight –  60% Forward
  • C Flight – 75% Forward
  • D Flight – 87% Forward

Apparently many of you understand that FORWARD can be more fun.  Compared to 2016 data, we have as much as 50% MORE members playing FORWARD in all flights.   CLICK HERE TO SEE THE 2016 DATA

How about the Divisions?

Most Divisions match up closely to the overall data.  The major exception – Division 2 has fewer playing forwards only 48%,  Division 4 has slightly more playing forward at 71%.

If I play FORWARD, will I win more flight prizes?

NOPE!  The data for prize money totals for FORWARD tees matches fairly closely to the total money distribution for each flight in each Division.

Why are prizes and net scores for Forward and Back tees so close?

The Handicap System levels the playing field.  Forward Gross Scores are slightly lower as would be expected.  But the Handicap is also lower.

Average Net Scores for B, C, and D Flights for Forward rounds are within 0.1 of the averages for all rounds.

Average Net Scores for A flight Forward Tees are about 0.5 more (72.8 vs  72.3).  So may be a slight scoring advantage for A Flight to play from the BACK tees.  This is probably due to the wider range of handicap range for A Flight (4 to 15).  Significantly more 10 to 15  handicap A’s play Forward and will have higher gross and net scores.

Which Tees should I use?

Which tees make your game more fun?  Which tees give you a regular opportunity for you approach shot to give you a green in regulation?

We STRONGLY recommend that all players in the C and D flights play from the FORWARD tees.  You will still be competitive.  You will lose fewer balls.  You will have much shorter approach shots.  You will have fewer trouble shots,  You will play faster and feel better about your game.  Is you typical drive from the tee less than 200 yards?  FORWARD tees.

More FUN makes a happy player and better FELLOWSHIP!

USGA and PGA Tee It Forward program recommends tee selections by course yardage depending on your AVERAGE driving distance. Note this is not the best drive you ever made, but what you typically see on the course.

Here is a link to the PGA / USGA article.   CLICK HERE

Download (PDF, 85KB)

Division 3 vs Division 5 2-Person Scramble Challenge Results

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The results from the July 5, 2018 tournament at Columbia Bridges are in.  The course won, as only 1 team could shoot par – rare for a scramble.  Thanks to terrific money management by Tournament Committee Chairman Bill Molz, we were able to provide prize money to 2/3 of the teams playing.  Steve Tighe, Rick Hines, Craig Carothers, and Gary Maule rounded out the committee.  PRIZE MONEY WILL BE ON THE END-OF-YEAR METRO SENIORS PRIZE CHECKS.  Team finish and prize amounts are on this spreadsheet.  

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