Handicapped golf tournaments are popular amateur competitions. Companies sponsor handicapped tournaments to reward employees and to promote products. Many events raise money for charity. Handicapping enables golfers with different ability and skill levels to participate on an equal footing. A handicapped golf tournament could find the winner the overall stroke count or by match play, in which the winner is determined by the number of holes won or lost.
Step 1
Find the golfers' course handicaps using their United States Golf Association handicap indexes, if available. This is required for USGA-recognized events. Check each golfer's index against the course rating, chart to find individual course handicaps. The golf course staff will provide the course rating information. Some golf tournaments are informal and allow golfers without USGA handicap indexes to participate. In this situation, tournament organizers set their own policy for determining handicaps. Typically, they compute a handicap based on the golfer's play over several holes
Step 2
Subtract each golfer's course handicap from her total strokes for stroke play. That is, if the winner of the tournament is determined by the overall score, each golfer's final score is simply the number of actual strokes minus that golfer's handicap. The golfer with the lowest score wins.
Step 3
Compute the number of stroke deductions each golfer receives in match play. In match play, the player in each group of two to four players with the lowest score on a hole wins that hole. The overall winner is the golfer who wins the most holes. Suppose golfers A, B and C have handicaps of 10, 12 and 14 strokes, respectively. Subtract golfer A's 10 handicap from golfer B's handicap of 12. B receives the remainder, two strokes. Subtract 10 from golfer C's 14 handicap. Golfer C thus gets a stroke reduction of four. Golfer A receives no deductions.
Step 4
Allocate stroke deductions for match play. Golfers who receive stroke deductions get a one stroke deduction per hole, starting with the hole on the course rated most difficult, until the golfer's stroke deductions are used up. For example, a golfer who receives a total stroke deduction of 10 for match play gets to deduct one stroke each from his score for the 10 most difficult holes on the course. If a golfer receives a stroke deduction greater than 18, start over with the most difficult hole and continue allocating deductions until the total stroke deductions are used up.
Things You'll Need
- USGA handicap index
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