News

Firstly, happy new year!  I hope 2018 proves to be a wonderful year for you all.

The summary list of changes doesn't look like much, but there are some real fundamental changes in there.  The relaxation of the maximum handicap is probably the greatest update, now essentially allowing handicaps to 54 for men and ladies.  This has a number of knock ons in our system, especially around edge cases such as annual review adjustments and GPA.

• When calculating the CSS in a medal round, use the Stableford Point Adjusted net score to determine whether the score is within the players buffer zone, in order to bring in line with Stableford and Bogey/Par. (Section 2.3.4.1). Also require facility to identify those scores in BZ only when SPA Score taking into account.
• Supplementary Scores - relaxation of restrictions on submission - no limit in the number of submissions and no restriction on 1 per week. (Secton 2.4.2)
• Continuous Handicap Review - additional starting points of any manual adjustment to the handicap. New Report Layout introduced. (Section 2.5.3)
• Introduction of Category 5 for Men and Category 6 for both Men and Women. Retirement of Club Handicaps and Disability Handicaps. (Various sections)
• 9-Hole Competitions - limited ability to support 9-hole medal competitions and the ability to support 9-hole Open Competitions. Clarification of Handicap Allowance for mixed tee 9-hole competitions.
• Combine Competitions to provide a single CSS Adjustment calculation, restricted to the ability to provide separate results from a single competition.
• Irish 1 Shot Limit no longer applies to Category 1 Golfers.
• Annual Review Report to show Software Version/Release details in document footer. Additional Grouping and totalling for the Annual Review Report Layout. Facility to provide the AHR Report for all players regardless of performance.

One of the key balances we have tried to maintain is that handicaps are still calculated sequentially, and will obey the rules in effect at the time.  For example, despite a number of missed buffer rounds in December, a 28.0 handicapper will only be increased above 28.0 when they play a round from the 1st of January 2018.  Changes to earlier competitions should have no bearing on this.

Similarly, a junior Club handicap won't have the other changes made to it until they play after the 1st January either.  Significantly, this means their previous reductions of 0.5 per shot will stand, replaced by 0.6 per shot in 2018.