Everything a Golf Professional needs to know to help run their golf club and help their members when it comes to Handicap and Course Rating. Please find below a list of FAQ’s (frequently asked questions) pertaining to Handicapping and Course Rating operations at your club.

ABOUT THE RCGA HANDICAP NETWORK

1. When do I add a new member to the Handicap Network?

The first question you MUST ask any new member of your club is if they were/are a member of another club. In most cases you will find they have been. The second step is to find out what club that was and obtain the scoring record and have it transferred electronically to your (his/her) new club. If they are still a member of another club, these are called Multi-Members, and you need to notify the GAO of such players so the record may be electronically linked to your clubs terminal.

If this new member is added as a new player to the Handicap network, then a duplicate record has been created on the system and the player could have two Handicaps as a result. This situation needs to be avoided as much as possible to maintain equity on the Handicap System and the events being conducted at the club. The GAO keeps records for all players in Ontario for 7 years, and can activate them on your terminal with a few clicks of a mouse.

2. Where can I verify Handicaps for the Member Guest tournament?

The best place to verify Handicaps is through the RCGA Network. If you know the players, name, and club, you can pretty much find them on the Network (well over half the clubs in Canada use the RCGA Network). You may also find it at this link:

http://www.rcganetwork.org/Member/MemberSearch.aspx?lang=en-CA

3. Can members enter scores from the winter?

The answer is YES the MUST with some limitations. The player may post these on-line during the winter months or post them all in the spring when they return to the club. See #7 below for full details.

ABOUT HANDICAPS/HANDICAPPING

4. How do I establish an RCGA Handicap Factor?

You must be a member of the GAO/RCGA in order to be issued an official GAO/RCGA Handicap Factor. You are automatically a member if you fall under one of the following three categories:

• You are a member of a Member Club of the GAO/RCGA;
• You are a member of GAO/RCGA registered Club without Real Estate; or
• You are a Member of the GAO Public Player Program.

You are required to have a minimum of five (5) valid scores to establish a Handicap Factor.

5. Does the GAO offer a Handicap Software program, so I can track my own Handicap?

The GAO does not have any software available for individual members. We offer our member clubs (including Clubs Without Real Estate), and Public Players a Network to use for tracking Handicap Factors. But individuals who want to buy handicap software cannot do so through the GAO/RCGA.

6. What scores are acceptable for posting purposes?

• 18 and 9 hole scores
• At least 13 or more holes played for an 18 hole score for posting purposes.
• Consecutive and non-consecutive nine-hole scores
• Scores on all courses with a valid Course and Slope Rating (in most cases this excludes courses under R&A jurisdiction).
• Scores in all forms of competition: match play, stroke play, and team competitions
• Scores played with preferred lies
• Refer to Section 5-1 of the Handicap System manual for more information on acceptable scores

7. What is the "Active Handicap Season?"

The Active Handicap Season (a term) are dates set out by the Provincial/State or Regional governing body, whereby scores played during those dates in that regional jurisdiction MUST be posted for handicap purposes. Conversely outside those dates in that same region, scores are not acceptable for Handicap purposes. In Ontario, the GAO has determined the Active Season is April 15 to October 31 each year.

The reason we have an Active Season is that Course Ratings reflect "mid or in-season playing conditions" when most rounds are played. Rounds played outside these dates although sometimes possible, in most cases do not emulate those rounds played in July.

If you have scores from Florida and other southern destinations outside the Ontario Active Season, they MUST be posted if they too are in their Active Season (NOTE: Florida, California, Arizona, Texas and the Carolina's all have year round active seasons). Example, the 20 scores from Florida in January, or the 10 rounds from Arizona during your winter vacation must be posted, even though those dates are outside Ontario's active season, you would have played in an area with an active season, and therefore must post those scores.

A list of Active/Inactive seasons for the US can be found at this link if you are unsure if your scores are acceptable or not :

http://www.usga.org/playing/handicaps/understanding_handicap/handicap_revision_schedule.html

8. How do I convert my Handicap Factor?

You can convert your Factor by using our Handicap Calculator or you can view/download the appropriate Slope Conversion Chart (also known as Course Handicap Table) from our website or you can also refer to the appropriate Slope Conversion Chart at the club you are playing that day (located at the pro-shop or locker room).

9. Who is the Certified Handicap Official at my club?

Golf Association of Ontario members are encouraged to learn more about handicapping and/or course rating. We undertake exhaustive measures each year to train and educate potential and current officials. You may find a list of over 1000 trained individuals across Ontario on the GAO website.

10. How do I become a Certified Handicap Official?

The RCGA have requested that each member club have at least one certified handicap official. The RCGA, along with the GAO, are attempting to reach this objective by conducting several Handicap Seminars each year. These seminars are a more in-depth look into Handicapping and Course Rating and will give attendees a thorough knowledge of the RCGA Handicap and Course Rating system. These Handicap seminars are beneficial to Club members, Handicap Committee members, Golf Professionals, Superintendents, General Managers, and others interested in learning more about Handicapping in general.

11. How do I handicap my holes?

The RCGA Handicap System manual outlines several different methods for allocating your stroke holes under Section 17. Please consult your Handicap Committee, GAO or RCGA Handicap System Manual before changing your stroke holes. It is recommended to make changes with changes in the golf course or analyzed at least every ten years.

ABOUT COURSE RATING

12. Does a High Slope Rating necessarily mean a really difficult golf Course for all golfers?

ABSOLUTELY NOT! Slope Rating alone cannot tell you how difficult a golf course will play. A high Slope Rating only indicates that a bogey golfer will require more strokes from a scratch golfer in a Match on that particular tee. It does not mean that course/tee is difficult for all golfers (to determine that you need to know a) Course Rating, b) Slope rating and c) the ability of the player determining difficulty. This is explained in an article in depth on the GAO website.

13. What has the biggest impact on Course Rating and Slope Rating?

YARDAGE! Yardage is the single most difficult element any caliber of golfer has to overcome. Think as to why the PGA Tour, USGA and Augusta are lengthening courses for the competitors. Its makes the course play much more difficult for all golfers (of any ability).

14. How do courses get rated/measured?

For New clubs - They need to join the Association and fill out an information form and submit membership dues. For current Member Clubs - a Club must be in good standing and complete a letter stating in detail what changes have been made to their course that they feel constitutes a re-rating. This letter should be forwarded to the Course Rating Department to confirm that a re-rating is being requested. The Course Rating Department will determine if a team is required to be sent to the club or whether the changes that have been made to the course can be accommodated by making the adjustments in the Course Rating software to produce the new set Please note that Golf Associations are required to re-rate established clubs at least on a 8 to 10 year rotation.

15. When will a course be rated?

At the beginning of the season, a schedule is prepared for all Member Clubs to be rated in Ontario. Highest priority is given to clubs that are new, then clubs that have made significant changes, then clubs that are part of the 8-10 year re-rating program. The earlier the GAO is notified of any significant changes and estimated date of completion, the greater the chance the clubs request can be tended to in a timely manner. 

16. How is the course rated?

A team of volunteers will come out to the course to determine the degree of difficulty (Rating of the golf course). The degree of difficulty is determined by evaluating length and many different obstacles on a scale of one to ten for each hole. The rating for each hole is done twice, once for the scratch player and again for the bogey player (both for men and woman) – one is for the course rating, the other for slope rating.

17. Can a golf course receive a temporary Course/Slope Rating?

Yes but only if the golf course has been previously rated. The Course Rating Department would decide if the courses/slope rating should be modified. A new golf course should not be issued a temporary course/slope rating (only in rare circumstances will this be provided).

18. What is the minimum yardage to get a Course/Slope rated?

Simply: 3000 yards. When courses are shorter than this length, the basic assumptions in the Course Rating System no longer holds true. The formula for converting effective playing length into strokes fails and players are not required to hit enough full tee shots (if any) on such a short course. Scoring ability on such a short course depends much more on pitching, chipping and putting and not on overcoming distance as it does on a regulation course. However, courses under 3000 yards can be rated by the Association and will be issued a local Course Rating without a Slope (Short Course Rating and membership is available).

19. Is Course/Slope Rating a judgment on how good a course is and what's the relationship between the two?

No. Course Rating is the evaluation of difficulty of a course for scratch golfers under normal course and weather conditions. It is expressed as strokes taken to one decimal place and is based on yardage and other obstacles to the extent that they effect the scoring ability of a scratch golfer. Slope rating is the evaluation of the relative difficulty of a course for players who are not scratch golfers compared to the course rating. This system provides players with a Handicap Factor, which is converted to a handicap at a course (with a Slope rating) they are about to play. The slope system allows players of different abilities and who play golf at courses with a large difference in the degree of difficulty to compete on an equal basis. In no way is a Course/Slope Rating a judgment on how enjoyable a course is to play.

Should you like to know more about Handicap & Course rating, please feel free to register for one of the GAO’s Handicap seminars (half day sessions which we talk about these issues and more in detail). At this link; http://www.gao.ca/index.php/ci_id/2255/la_id/1