1. Prepared by Wimpie J du Plessis August , 2018
USGA Course Rating System Implementation September 03, Member / Golfer training
Prepared by Wimpie J du Plessis
August , 2018

2. “Slope is simple to use but difficult to explain and fully comprehend, but how many of us know how a microwave oven works yet we know how to operate it.” Gary van Sickle . Jan , 1987
August 2018

3. AGENDA Why change ? What is new ? New terms defined
September 03 Implementation date
August 2018

4. Why the change ? WHS 2020
* The new World Handicap System (WHS) has been designed to encourage more golfers to obtain a handicap - enabling them to play with, or against, each other anywhere in the world.
* Tuesday February 20, 2018 announcement
August 2018

5. For WHS to work, courses worldwide, must be rated using the same method
USGA Course Rating System was chosen by WHS committee as THE system to be used worldwide
August 2018

6. Why would courses with the same SAGA/WGSA ratings have different numbers on the new system?
Golfers know that two courses with the same SAGA/WGSA ratings are not equally difficult
What influences the difference in difficulty ?
It’s the factors the USGA CRS takes into account – i.e.
2 courses may have the same length but one course plays longer/shorter than the other due to various aspects such as elevation changes, wind and altitude
Obstacles such as bunkers, water and tree trouble , long carries, difficult and fast greens to mention just a few.
The USGA Course (CR) and Slope Rating (SR) numbers reflect these differences for courses
August 2018

7. What will disappear What is new
Handicaps
Handicap Index (HI) (Potential)
Course Handicap (CH)
(use this to complete scorecard)
Championship/Club/Senior/
Forward/Ladies tees
Colour Courses (tee)
Mostly Yellow , White, Blue and Red
Know what handicap to use
Get your CH before you tee off
SAGA / WGSA Rating
Course Rating (CR) and Slope Rating (SR)
Ladies tees separated from “men’s” tees on scorecard
Colour courses will be grouped, CH and HI and course colour to be noted on scorecard
Little or no choice on which tee can be used
Men can play all colour courses and Women, those rated for them
August 2018

8. New Terms Defined USGA Course Rating (CR) / Baangradering (BG)
Is the playing difficulty of a course for a scratch golfer, it’s a number to one decimal point and it replaces the current SAGA/WGSA rating.
Slope rating (SR) / Moeiliksheidgradering (MG)
Is a new rating and it’s the relative playing difficulty of a course for higher handicapper comparing to a scratch golfer. 55 is lowest (easiest) and 155 is highest (most difficult) and Standard rating is 113
August 2018

9. New Terms Defined Scratch golfers (Nul gholfers) and
Bogey golfers (Voorgee gholfers)
Scratch golfers can play all USGA rated courses to it’s Course Rating
Bogey golfers are men with a Course handicap of approx. 20 and women with a Course handicap of approx. 24
August 2018

10. New Terms Defined Handicap Index (HI) / Voorgee Indeks (VI)
Is the Potential of the golfer and it will be the number you see on the HNA system and is expressed to one decimal point
This is the number that the golfer will take with him/her from course to course, locally and internationally. It will be fully transportable when the WHS is implemented in 2020.
Calculated using the average of 10 best differentials * 96%.
Differential : (Adj. Gross Score-CR) * 113/SR
August 2018

11. New Terms Defined Course Handicap (CH) / Baanvoorgee (BV)
The CH is the handicap the golfer will get before he/she tees off, is a rounded number and is used on the scorecard as they would use their current handicap now.
Once the golfer gets their CH this is what they will use NO further adjustments are necessary even if players play off different tees.
CH = (HI*SR/113) + (CR-Par) .
Rounded <0.5 down and ≥ 0.5 rounded up
August 2018

12. August 2018

13. Scorecards will look different
On the scorecard the golfer will find the CR and SR for the different colour courses for men and women.
If the club uses a newly designed scorecard, all the colour courses will be grouped together and more often than not, the Pars and Strokes for men and women, will be the same. If not, the Par and Strokes for men or women will apply, regardless of the colour course they choose to play.
The golfer will indicate on the scorecard the colour of the course they played, their CH and their HI.
Note: Some clubs will use their “old” scorecards until they run out of stock.
August 2018

14. Standardization of Handicaps
Switch over from Handicaps to HI - evening Sept 02
Full recalculation of differentials of last 20 scores entered, incorporating the CR and SR of the courses played.
Ave of 10 best differentials*96 % = Handicap Index, which will be on the HNA web site and your mobile app.
An example follows, using only 3 differentials, to illustrate why 2 golfers with the same handicap may have different HI’s after standardization.
August 2018

15. Same Hcp Sept 02 , Different HI Sept 03
Players - Bill & Karabo - both current Hcp 14 Courses below : Par 72 and SAGA ratings of 72 Bill Karabo
Course
Adj. Gross
CR/SR
Curr
Diff
New Diff
Club A 87
72,8/139 15
11,5
Club B 88
74,1/143 16
11,0
Club C 85
72,0/133 13
Ave.
14.7
11,2
Ave * 96%
Hcp 14
HI 10,7
Course
Adj.
Gross
CR/SR
Curr
Diff
New Diff.
Club X 87
73,1/137 15
11,5
Club Y 84
73,1/145 12
8,5
Club Z 88
73,0/141 16
12,0
Ave
14,3
10,7
Ave * 96%
Hcp 14
HI 10,2
August 2018

16. They have cut my handicap ! No!! It is your HI
August 2018

17. Sept. 04 Bill and Karabo play The Lucky GC
White Course at the Lucky GC ratings are as follows:
Course Rating (CR) : 72.2
Slope Rating (SR) : 144
Par : 72
Course Handicap (CH) Calculation:
CH = HI*SR/113 + (CR-Par)
Bill’s HI is 10.7 and his CH for the day is 14
Karabo’s HI is 10.2 and his CH for the day is 13
August 2018

18. Seamless process to get CH - Registration Desk
At the registration desk - the golfer will indicated which colour course they wish to play and they will get a slip with their CH printed on it for the course they selected.
If the golfer has not decided which course, the slip will have the CH of all the possible courses the golfer can play at the club
Note: The golfer will then select the colour course they played when they enter their score
August 2018

19. Look up CH on Course Handicap Conversion Tables (CHCT)
Course Handicap Conversion Table - Men
Happy Golf Club
Blue Course
Par CR SR 134
Handicap Index®
Course Handicap
to 14.7 17 to 18 to 19 to 20
August 2018

20. Example of CHCT displayed at clubs
August 2018

21. Maximum HI is 36.0 and Lowest + 6.0
A golfer with a HI of 36 can for example play off a CH of 44
The golfer can take 4 strokes over on holes with Strokes 1 to 8
Sue Els X
CH 44
HI 36
HOLE
PLAYER A
WHITE
BLUE
RED
PAR
STROKE
Score
Points 1
385
364
342 4 11 6 2
392
377
327 13 7 3
510
492
422 5
393
372 9 8
186
163
151 17
471
458
427
401
384
335
204
185
135 15
420
409
324 IN
3032
2890
2627 36
TOTAL 72
SLOPE RATE
MEN CH
72,9/129
71,3/125
67,6/122
NETT
WOMEN
77,6/144
73,1/135
August 2018

22. HNA Terminals : Swipe your card
July 2018

23. Select your tee
July 2018

24. Course Handicap Displayed
July 2018

25. HNA Phone App. Dashboard. Select CH Calculator
July 2018

26. Select Course: CH Displayed
July 2018

27. Calculator
July 2018

28. The beauty of the USGA CRS
CH ensures equity - does not matter which colour course you select
Gives golfer’s choice and more enjoyment
August 2018

29. Choice of courses Exercise your choice by considering situation.
Choose the colour course from where you will enjoy the round the most !!!!
Quick 9 before work ? Consider playing Red
Playing with a novice ? Consider Red
Playing mixed gender ? Consider Blue or Red
Playing with your young child ? Red
Most handicapped competitions will allow you to choose the colour course you want to play.
August 2018

30. “Golfers know that Slope allows them to get a couple of extra strokes if he/she is playing a more difficult course.” Blog China 2014
August 2018

31. Examples of Course Handicap at 2 different Clubs for the same golfers
Club A
Par 72 course
Men
(course/slope)
Women
Course H.cap
for 15.4 H.I.
Course Handicap for 18.6 H.I.
Yellow
76.8/142
N/A 24
White
74.1/136 21
Blue
72.0/128
78.3/152 17 31
Red
68.8/122
74.6/143 13 26
Club B
Par 72 course
Men
(course/slope)
Women
Course H.cap
for 15.4 H.I.
Course Handicap
for 18.6 H.I.
Yellow
74.8/139
N/A 22
White
72.2/130 18
Blue
69.1/120
73.5/136 13 24
Red
65.2/118
72.1/130 9 21
August 2018

32. If you want to know more or have questions
Go to look for the Course Rating & Handicaps tab. FAQ and Post questions
Go to Read newsletters
Contact the USGA Course Rating “Owner” at your club
Look at the notice boards at the club
Read the s, SMS and WhatsApp messages from your club
August 2018

33. The most exciting time for golfers !!
Thank You
August 2018