SNGA Handicap Policy
Serving Golf In Southern Nevada Since 1967
Tournament Central
Southern Nevada Golf Association
Phone: (702) 458-GOLF (4653)
Email: info@snga.org
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Phone: (702) 458-GOLF (4653)
Email: info@snga.org
All rights reserved. All images and photographs are copyright to their respective owners.
Address:
8020 W. Sahara Ave. Suite 200
Las Vegas, NV 89117
The SNGA has revised the Handicap Policy for its Net, Senior, and Super Senior SNGA Tournament Series Events to ensure that the integrity of the USGA Handicap System is upheld while allowing all competitors an equitable chance to compete. We believe that this revised policy encompasses a fair and just system without exhibiting any disincentives for potential new players to participate, i.e., prior handicap reductions for new players to our events.
1. 12 Month Low Handicap Index
The SNGA will determine all players course handicaps for events in all divisions that use handicaps to conduct their contests using players 12 Month Low Handicap Index as the basis.
Example: If your lowest Handicap Index from one year prior to the event as revised on the 1st and 15th of each month is 10.5 and your current Handicap Index as of your latest revision is 13.4, you will be playing to a 10.5 Handicap Index.
1. 12 Month Low Handicap Index
The SNGA will determine all players course handicaps for events in all divisions that use handicaps to conduct their contests using players 12 Month Low Handicap Index as the basis.
Example: If your lowest Handicap Index from one year prior to the event as revised on the 1st and 15th of each month is 10.5 and your current Handicap Index as of your latest revision is 13.4, you will be playing to a 10.5 Handicap Index.
Exception: The SNGA has also addressed the 10-3 “R” reduction related to a competitor’s 12 month low Handicap Index. If a competitor participating in an SNGA Tournament has a 10-3 Reduction, his/her handicap will be reviewed to see if the “Two Exceptionally Low Tournament Scores” that are creating the 10-3 “R” lie outside the 12 month Low Handicap Index Range. If those tournaments scores lie outside the range, the competitor will not be penalized for the 10-3 “R”. The competitor will still be subject to the other Handicap Policy reduction methods.
2. Course Handicap Calculation
The SNGA will next create a Course Handicap for each competitor prior to the first round of any SNGA Tournament. This Course Handicap will be calculated using the USGA Course Handicap Conversion tables and the Course Rating and Slope from the respective tee’s each competitor will be playing.
3. Round 1 Tournament Score Adjustments
The SNGA will develop an undisclosed probability (Strike 1) of shooting any given score prior to each event using the USGA Exceptional Tournament Score Probability Table (see below) found in Appendix E of the USGA Handicap System Manual. After every round, players that shoot a score with a negative differential will be subject to review by the SNGA Staff. This review will consist of each player having their “Net Differential” calculated. SNGA Staff will then enter the below table comparing the Net Differential to the 12 Month Low Handicap Index and determining what the odds were for that player to shoot said score. If the player shoots a score with a probability above “Strike 1” the players score will be taken into consideration for adjustment or possible disqualification.
The values in the table are the odds of shooting a net differential* EQUAL TO OR BETTER THAN the number in the left column.
*A net differential is the subtraction of a player's Handicap Index from the Handicap Differential for a particular tournament score. This becomes a negative value when the player scores much better than the player's Handicap Index.
Example: A player with a Handicap Index of 10.5 shoots a 74 from a set of tees with a USGA Course Rating of 71.2 and a Slope Rating of 126.
From the chart, the odds are 4,467 to 1 of this occurring.
4. Multiple Round Tournament Score Adjustments
The SNGA is aware that the probability of shooting a low round on any given day is not as significant as the probability of shooting two low rounds on consecutive days. The SNGA will develop two additional undisclosed probabilities (Strike 2 and Strike 3) of shooting consecutive low scores prior to each event using the Two Best Scores Probability Chart provided by the USGA (see below). If the player shoots consecutive scores with a probability above “Strike 2” the players score will be taken into consideration for adjustment based on the prescribed method explained below. The adjustments for Strike 2 will be made to ALL rounds that have occurred. If the player shoots a score with a probability above “Strike 3” the player will be disqualified from the event.
The values in this table only include pairs of best negative differentials and determines how many strokes a golfer's handicap should be reduced to allow his best two differentials likelihood to be an acceptable "rarity".
Example: Consider the golfer whose best two differentials were -6 and -8 and the player has a handicap of 15. This event would have a 1 in 7,249 chance. If a threshold of 1 in 258 was established as the limit of reasonability (Strike’s), this player should have his handicap lowered three strokes (three diagonal steps to the left in the above table).
5. Summary
The SNGA’s intention with a Handicap Policy is to provide an equitable system that ensures the legitimacy of our events. The 3 Strike Policy will help in protecting the field from possible inflated handicaps and scores that have a low probability of occurring, while not penalizing them for lack of participation.
If you have any questions regarding the SNGA Handicap Policy, please contact the SNGA Offices at 702-458-4653 x. 200.
2. Course Handicap Calculation
The SNGA will next create a Course Handicap for each competitor prior to the first round of any SNGA Tournament. This Course Handicap will be calculated using the USGA Course Handicap Conversion tables and the Course Rating and Slope from the respective tee’s each competitor will be playing.
3. Round 1 Tournament Score Adjustments
The SNGA will develop an undisclosed probability (Strike 1) of shooting any given score prior to each event using the USGA Exceptional Tournament Score Probability Table (see below) found in Appendix E of the USGA Handicap System Manual. After every round, players that shoot a score with a negative differential will be subject to review by the SNGA Staff. This review will consist of each player having their “Net Differential” calculated. SNGA Staff will then enter the below table comparing the Net Differential to the 12 Month Low Handicap Index and determining what the odds were for that player to shoot said score. If the player shoots a score with a probability above “Strike 1” the players score will be taken into consideration for adjustment or possible disqualification.
The values in the table are the odds of shooting a net differential* EQUAL TO OR BETTER THAN the number in the left column.
*A net differential is the subtraction of a player's Handicap Index from the Handicap Differential for a particular tournament score. This becomes a negative value when the player scores much better than the player's Handicap Index.
Example: A player with a Handicap Index of 10.5 shoots a 74 from a set of tees with a USGA Course Rating of 71.2 and a Slope Rating of 126.
From the chart, the odds are 4,467 to 1 of this occurring.
4. Multiple Round Tournament Score Adjustments
The SNGA is aware that the probability of shooting a low round on any given day is not as significant as the probability of shooting two low rounds on consecutive days. The SNGA will develop two additional undisclosed probabilities (Strike 2 and Strike 3) of shooting consecutive low scores prior to each event using the Two Best Scores Probability Chart provided by the USGA (see below). If the player shoots consecutive scores with a probability above “Strike 2” the players score will be taken into consideration for adjustment based on the prescribed method explained below. The adjustments for Strike 2 will be made to ALL rounds that have occurred. If the player shoots a score with a probability above “Strike 3” the player will be disqualified from the event.
The values in this table only include pairs of best negative differentials and determines how many strokes a golfer's handicap should be reduced to allow his best two differentials likelihood to be an acceptable "rarity".
Example: Consider the golfer whose best two differentials were -6 and -8 and the player has a handicap of 15. This event would have a 1 in 7,249 chance. If a threshold of 1 in 258 was established as the limit of reasonability (Strike’s), this player should have his handicap lowered three strokes (three diagonal steps to the left in the above table).
5. Summary
The SNGA’s intention with a Handicap Policy is to provide an equitable system that ensures the legitimacy of our events. The 3 Strike Policy will help in protecting the field from possible inflated handicaps and scores that have a low probability of occurring, while not penalizing them for lack of participation.
If you have any questions regarding the SNGA Handicap Policy, please contact the SNGA Offices at 702-458-4653 x. 200.
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