Unified Handicapping -System in detail
Unified Handicapping -System in detail
1. Qualifying Competitions - Clause 17
Dec.1(a) Status of a Competition When the Use of Fairway Mats Is Obligatory
Q. May an Affiliated Club conduct a Qualifying Competition(s) when the use of fairway mats to protect the course is obligatory?
A. Yes, a club may run Qualifying Competition(s) under such conditions provided:
- Their use is restricted to the Preferred Lie Period (1st October to 30th of April).
- All other requirements for Competition Play Conditions have been satisfied.
- A Local Rule for the use of Fairway Mats has been set out in the conditions of the competition.
The suggested wording is:
'A ball that comes to rest on a closely mown area through the green must be lifted, placed on and played from an Astroturf, or similar type of mat. The mat must be placed as near as possible to where the ball originally lay. The ball may be cleaned when lifted under this Local Rule.
If a ball when placed rolls from the mat it may be replaced without penalty. If it still fails to remain on the mat, the mat must be moved to the nearest spot not nearer the hole where the ball, when placed on it, will remain at rest. There is no penalty should the ball move or be moved after being placed on the mat and before making a stroke, including when addressing the ball or taking a practice swing.
Should a tee peg be used to secure the mat the ball shall not be placed on the tee peg.' The purpose of this decision is to help promote Qualifying Competitions whenever possible during the Preferred Lie Period.
Dec.1(b) Status of a Competition When Artificially Surfaced Tees Are in Use
Q1. May an Affiliated Club conduct Qualifying Competitions when artificially surfaced tees are in use e.g. Astroturf?
A1. Qualifying Competitions may be played under such conditions provided:
- The artificial tees are located at positions that relate to a Measured Course or the altered course has been allocated a Standard Scratch Score by the Union or Area Authority if so delegated.
- All other requirements for Competition Play Conditions have been satisfied.
Q2. Do artificially surfaced tees e.g. on concrete bases that do not strictly comply with the Rules of Golf definition of a Teeing Ground satisfy the above decision and permit the conduct of Qualifying Competitions?
A2. Although artificially surfaced tees do not generally satisfy the two club-lengths in depth requirement in the Rules of Golf definition of a teeing ground, in such circumstances it is considered that the spirit of the rule is being honoured and that Qualifying Competitions can be played.
Dec.1(c) Status of a Competition When a Local Rule Allowing Relief From an Embedded Ball 'Through the Green' Is in Operation
Q. May a club run a Qualifying Competition when a Local Rule granting relief for an embedded ball anywhere 'through the green' is in operation?
A. Yes, as such a Local Rule is allowed by Rules of Golf 'Appendix 1 Part B 4a. Relief for Embedded Ball' in which a specimen Local Rule is provided.
Dec.1(d) Status of a Competition When Competitors Are Required to Lift a Ball from the Fairway and Place in Semi-Rough
Q. Would the introduction of a Local Rule permitting lifting the ball from the fairway and dropping into the semi-rough (first cut), in order to protect the fairway, render the competition Non Qualifying?
A. Yes, as such a procedure is not within the Rules of Golf, the competition is Non Qualifying. To make it a Qualifying Competition, an alternative solution to fairway protection such as the use of preferred lies or fairway mats is required.
Dec.1(e) Status of a Competition When Bunkers Are Undergoing Renovation
Q. May an Affiliated Club conduct Qualifying Competitions when some bunkers on the golf course are being renovated, for example, in the course of a phased maintenance programme.
A. Yes, provided that the club has, in accordance with Rules of Golf Decision 25/13, re-defined the bunkers undergoing renovation as being through the green (thus removing their status as a hazard) and defined the relevant bunker areas as ground under repair. If the club does not re-define the bunkers as through the green they remain hazards, and players are required to proceed under Rule 25-1(ii).
Dec.1(f) Status of a Competition When Green Staff Have Carried Out Maintenance Work During the Course of the Competition
Q. Does maintenance work such as the cutting of rough, greens or watering of the greens in the course of a competition render the competition Non Qualifying?
A. No. Although not desirable, it is not unusual for course maintenance work to be carried out during the course of a competition. It is inadvisable, however, to conduct a Qualifying Competition on a day in which an operation such as hollow coring that has a disruptive influence on the playing of the game is being conducted.
Dec.1(g) Status of a Competition in Which Shotgun Starts Are Employed or Competitors Are Authorised by the Committee to Start Other Than at the First Tee
Competitions in which competitors are authorised by the Committee to commence play elsewhere than from the first tee will be Qualifying Competitions for handicap purposes provided all other requirements of the UHS are satisfied. This includes 'Shotgun Starts'.
Dec.1(h) Status of a Play-off
A play-off over 18 holes is deemed to be a means of settling a tie in a stroke play event and is not classed as a Qualifying Competition for handicap purposes.
Dec.1(j) Limitation of Handicaps in Qualifying Competitions
Q. May an Affiliated Club impose a limit of handicap to some of their Qualifying Competitions e.g. insist that a player with a Playing Handicap of 27 competes from a handicap of 18?
A. In most circumstances this is considered to be contrary to the spirit of the UHS. Players should be allowed to play from their established handicap.
Should a club wish to apply a handicap limit in a Qualifying Competition, but allow players with handicaps higher than the stipulated limit to enter and compete from a reduced handicap, each player must record his correct Playing Handicap on the scorecard. The player must play off full handicap and the correct Playing Handicap must be used when calculating the Competition Scratch Score. The organising Committee may then adjust the scores for the purpose of awarding prizes for the competition.
Dec.1(k) Status of a Competition When a Local Rule Permitting the Use of Electronic Distance Measuring Devices Is in Operation
Q. May a club that has adopted a Local Rule permitting the use of electronic distance measuring devices run Qualifying Competitions?
A. Yes, providing all other conditions for running a Qualifying Competition are met.
Dec.1(l) Status of Aggregate Competitions
Q. In what circumstances can scores in Aggregate Competitions be accepted as Qualifying Scores?
A. When players take part in a competition under Competition Play Conditions in which the scores of two or more players are aggregated, and none of the participants in partnership play in the same group, the competition should be regarded as a Qualifying Competition and all scores recorded as Qualifying Scores.
When players in partnership play, or can play, in the same group the competition is not a Qualifying Competition and the scores returned should be disregarded for handicap purposes.
Dec.1(m) Competition Conditions That Apply Solely to the UHS
Q. The administration of handicapping has become increasingly the domain of the computer resulting in Handicap Committees requiring competitors to provide assistance in various ways beyond that required by the Rules of Golf. These include:
- Total the score and apply the correct handicap.
- Enter and total Stableford points on their card.
- On completion of the round enter scores hole by hole into a computer terminal.
- Enter on the scorecard their computer reference number.
- Indicate on the card scores to be adjusted by the application of nett double bogey or the Stableford formula. Can the Committee in charge of the competition, or Handicap Committee, impose a penalty under the Rules of Golf when a player fails to comply with a request of the nature listed above?
A. CONGU® has conferred with R&A Rules Limited who have determined 'that provided a player fulfils the requirements of Rule 6-6 a penalty cannot be imposed under the Rules of Golf for failure to comply with these conditions. However, imposing a penalty of a disciplinary nature, such as suspension of handicap is not considered to be contrary to the Rules of Golf.' An alternative penalty would be to suspend the player's right to compete in Club competitions for a specified period.
Dec.1(n) Failure to Comply With a Competition Condition Requiring Entry by Applying a Swipe Card to a Computer Terminal
Q. A club has a Competition Condition requiring entry by applying a swipe card to a computer terminal. What is the situation if a player fails to fulfil this obligation?
A. The R&A Rules Limited has ruled 'that a Committee must lay down a procedure for entry and if a competitor fails to enter a competition in the correct manner he does not have an acceptable score.' Accordingly such a player does not have a score either for the competition or for handicap purposes.
Dec.1(o) Failure To Report 'Away' Scores Affecting Handicap
Q. A player failed to report to his Home Club one or more Qualifying Scores recorded away from the Home Club that would have resulted in a handicap reduction. Despite the fact that he was aware that a reduction in handicap should have been applied by himself under the provisions of Clause 20.11, he continued to play in competitions from a higher handicap than that to which he was entitled. What action can be taken?
A. He should be disqualified in all relevant competitions for returning a scorecard on which the recorded handicap was higher than that to which he was entitled. The fact that the competition had closed makes no difference. In addition, in the absence of a satisfactory explanation the Home Club may consider suspending the player's handicap under Clause 24.1. Any prize(s) won should be returned.
Dec.1(p) Failure to Return A Scorecard on Completion of Round Causing Inconvenience to Handicap Committee
Q. A few players fail frequently to return a scorecard on completion of their round in a Qualifying Competition causing the Handicap Committee additional work in establishing the player(s) who have failed to return cards in order that the competition can be closed and handicap adjustments made as appropriate. What sanctions can a club take against a player who fails to fulfil this basic requirement?
A. The club would be entitled to suspend the player's right to compete in club competitions for a specified period or, for more persistent offences, suspend his handicap for an appropriate period.