3. SYSTEM CHANGES 2016 - 2018

4. DATES The handicap year will now follow the calendar year 1 January to 31 December (already in operation in Ireland) A player’s handicap will be based on scores returned within that period

5. PREFERRED LIES Currently 1st October to 31 st May To cope with the ever changing prolonged weather conditions Each Union now has discretion to adopt a preferred lie period within its own Jurisdiction

6. HANDICAPS During the course of the evening there will be mention of a number of different handicaps CONGU® Handicap CONGU® Club Handicap, CONGU® Disability Golf Handicap Competition ‘c’ Handicap It must be stressed that a player can only have one CONGU® handicap

7. CONGU® HANDICAPS CONGU® Handicap CONGU® Handicap is a handicap allotted and adjusted by the Home Club of a Member in accordance with the requirements of the UHS. CONGU® Club Handicap CONGU® Club Handicap is a handicap allotted and adjusted by the Home Club of a Member in accordance with the requirements of Appendix J of the UHS. It is only allotted above the upper limit of 28.0 [36.0] A CONGU® Club Handicap will start at 29.0 [37.0] to an upper limit of 54.0

8. CONGU ® HANDICAPS CONGU® Disability Golf Handicap CONGU® Disability Golf Handicap is a handicap allotted, in accordance with the provisions of Appendix J, to a person with a recognised disability who is unable to play to a handicap of 28.0[36.0] or lower

9. CONGU ® HANDICAPS Competition Handicap ‘c’ Each Union is required to use the ‘c’ handicap status annotation Competition Handicap is a CONGU® Handicap or a CONGU® Disability Golf Handicap of a player who has returned at least 3 Qualifying Scores (Home/Away) in the current or previous calendar year A status ‘c’ follows the numeric value of the handicap on a player’s handicap record

10. ‘GUI Motion’ To satisfy eligibility to play in Open Competitions 3 Qualifying rounds in player’s home club This will appear on a player’s handicap record in Golfnet in the box Qualifying Scores (last 12 months) To validate eligibility at the away club you must use the visitor verification facility in Golfnet (Total Home Qualifying Competitions for last 12 months from today)

11. RE-INSTATEMENT OF A ‘C’ STATUS HANDICAP Requires a player to return 3 qualifying scores which can be made up of 18 hole competitions, 9 hole competitions and can include Supplementary Scores

12. FOURBALL BETTER BALL HANDICAP ALLOWANCE Four Ball allowance increasing to 90 per cent of Playing Handicap In stroke play each partner will receive 90% of their Playing handicap

13. FOURBALL MATCH PLAY HANDICAP ALLOWANCE Back marker concedes strokes to the other three players Based on 90% of the difference between the full handicaps Rather than 75% (3/4) as was prior to 1 Jan

14. COMPETITION SCRATCH SCORE CSS CALCULATION Scores returned by players with Category 4 Handicaps (20.5 to 28.0) will now be included in the CSS calculation (Software is adjusted) Originally only Categories 1, 2 and 3 were included in the calculation (Important Note: Category 4 is now capped at 28.0)

15. 3 LETTER IDENTIFIERS Many new Codes (3 letter Identifiers) to be used on a player’s Handicap Record A few examples: ARI, ARR, GPI, GPR, IHA, Ihx, I9x A full listing is shown on page 79 in Appendix I of the new manual

16. EXACT HANDICAP In Ireland (only) Lowest exact handicap is now restricted to 1.0 stroke (10 x 0.1’s) increase in a calendar year See Clause 4.5 (c) and Clause 20.10 (i.e. One shot above the lowest exact handicap achieved in that year)

17. EXCEPTIONAL SCORING REDUCTIONS (ESR S ) The first and second exceptional score will trigger an ESR The third and fourth exceptional score will trigger the next ESR The third exceptional score will not automatically trigger a further ESR (i.e. they are no longer compounded)

18. INITIAL HANDICAP ALLOTMENT A Handicap may now be allotted up to a limit of 54.0 As it now includes Juniors and Players with Disabilities

19. INITIAL HANDICAP ALLOTMENT A new Algorithm has been introduced This is to assist Handicap Committees in allotting an Initial Handicap (IHA)

20. INITIAL HANDICAP ALLOTMENT Handicap Committees must take into account all relevant information before allotting an Initial Handicap (IHA) Similar to the Annual Handicap Review considerations

21. INITIAL HANDICAP ALLOTMENT Software has been adjusted to record each of the cards returned over (9 holes, 18 holes or a combination of 9 holes & 18 holes) to a minimum of 54 holes The software report will suggest an Initial Handicap to be considered by the Handicap Committee

22. (NEW) CONGU® CLUB HANDICAP Appendix ‘J’ on page 81 of the new manual To enable players whose golfing ability does not currently justify the award of the maximum CONGU® Handicap of 28.0 Will apply to beginners, developing players, players of declining ability and if appropriate, Appendix K, for a CONGU® Disability Golf Handicap

23. (NEW) CONGU® CLUB HANDICAP Affiliated Clubs may not require a player to transfer from a CONGU® Handicap to a CONGU® Club Handicap or make such change without the explicit permission of the player Software has been adjusted to administer CONGU® Club Handicaps Affiliated Clubs to determine the eligibility criteria of CONGU® Club Handicaps in their competitions

24. (NEW) CONGU® CLUB HANDICAP Players who have achieved a maximum handicap in Category 4[5] shall not normally have their Exact Handicap increased above the new maximum of 28.0[36.0] Players may request to transfer to a CONGU® Club Handicap but should they do so they can only revert to a Category 4[5] or lower handicap on the basis of subsequent Qualifying Scores

25. SUPPLEMENTARY SCORES Extensions to the current system for Supplementary Scores Now acceptable over 9 holes for Category 2 players and above Now allowed at all clubs in GB&I for which a player is a member (i.e. a Dual Member)

26. SUPPLEMENTARY SCORES Now unlimited in number of scores per year for those players with a CONGU® Club Handicap (i.e. 29.0 to 54.0 for Men, Juniors and players with Disabilities)

27. ANNUAL REVIEW (APPENDIX M) A new Standard Report will be issued by all of the Software Vendors – which ‘flags up’ those players whose playing performance over the year is outside the expected scoring pattern for their Handicap Category Reminder: Affiliated Clubs are required to carry out an Annual Review of the handicaps of all Members including those with CONGU® Club Handicap and CONGU® Disability Golf Handicap

28. CONTINUOUS HANDICAP REVIEW See Clause 23 (D) on page 54 of new manual A new computer generated Continuous Review report which will ‘flag’ players with 7 consecutive 0.1 handicap increases has been introduced Handicap Committees should review the handicaps of players to identify those players who are under-handicapped by running this report on a monthly basis during the playing season The report will run on a rolling basis and does not re-set at the end of the calendar year

29. CONTINUOUS HANDICAP REVIEW The principles of the Annual Review and General Play Adjustments apply Giving due consideration to applying a handicap increase – not mandatory Handicap Committees should apply a CRI (Continuous Review Increase) when deemed appropriate and continue to monitor the performance/s of such players Players must be advised formally of a CRI

30. SUSPENSION AND LOSS OF HANDICAP Clause 26.1 on page 56 of the new manual Handicaps may now be restored within 12 months of the date the handicap was either lost or suspended As opposed to 6 months previously

32. Thank you for your attention