Unified Handicapping -System in detail
Unified Handicapping -System in detail
19. Stableford / Nett Double Bogey Adjustment
The purpose of the Stableford Adjustment is to place a limit on the maximum score that can be recorded at any hole in order to make handicaps more representative of a player's potential ability. This control is for handicap purposes only. It has been introduced to lessen the impact of the occasional 'bad' score on a player's Stroke Play return and to reduce the incidence of 'No Returns' that can, on occasions, represent an undesirable proportion of the competition entry. It also allows a player who does not complete a hole, for any reason, to continue to record a score for handicap purposes, thus sustaining his golfing interest and at the same time providing useful handicap information. It is important that competitors are made aware of the intent of this clause and encouraged to take advantage of it.
The Stableford Adjustment should be applied to all Stroke Play Qualifying Scores irrespective of whether they are made at the Home Club or at another club. See Clause 8.10(a).
19.1 Scores returned in Stroke Play Qualifying Competitions, whether or not all 18 holes have been completed, must be adjusted to the Nett Differential that would have applied if the competition had been a Stableford Qualifying Competition. No points shall be recorded on a hole where there is no score. A Union, at its discretion, may exempt specific events from the provisions of this Clause.
19.2 This adjustment is for handicap purposes only and, notwithstanding the provisions of sub-clause 23.2, reductions of less than one stroke shall be made under this Clause.
Appendix C sets out a short alternative procedure and supplementary recommendation for calculating Stableford point score reductions authorised by this Clause.
19.1/1 Example of Application of Score Adjustment Using Nett Double Bogey
A competitor playing from a handicap of 15 returned a nett score of 70 in a Stroke Play Qualifying Competition. This equalled the CSS of the day. The scorecard, however, contained an 8 at the Par 4, 5th hole which was Stroke Index 6. In this instance, therefore, the nett double bogey score was 7 (4+2+1) resulting in the 8 being reduced to 7 (for handicap purposes) with consequent reduction in nett score to 69 and a handicap reduction of 0.3. Had the competitor made a 'no score' at the 5th hole rather than an 8 e.g. he lost a ball and did not put another into play, the effect, for handicap purposes would have been exactly the same i.e. a nett double bogey score of 7.
By taking advantage of this clause and completing subsequent holes, competitors have the opportunity to return scores below their handicap or within their Buffer Zone even though they do not have a competition score.