Yes, you are correct. We placed an “update” at the top of the post to note that RCGA changed as of 3/1/2012.

If your league plays stroke play, your net score would be gross (which includes any penalty strokes) minus your handicap. So a gross of 90 minus 18 – your handicap – would be a net score of 72.

If you are playing 18-hole match play with handicaps and you have a course handicap of 18 and your opponent a handicap of 10, then you would receive the difference in stokes, or 8. You would receive 1 stroke each on handicap holes 1 through 8. Alternatively, if your league plays with full strokes, then you receive 1 stroke on each hole and s/he would receive a stroke on handicap holes 1 through 10 and would receive no strokes on the remaining holes.

If you’re playing match play and the difference in strokes between opponents is 19 strokes, the higher handicap player receives 2 strokes on the first handicap hole and 1 stroke on the remaining 17.

In my league, handicaps are figured on a hole by hole basis. Using the same example of an 18 handicap, how would the scoring be made on a hole to hole basis?

I know the handicap system starts with the most difficult hole first when handicap is applied. But how do I get to 18, without deducting one stroke per hole?

You would have to take the same scores used to calculate your USGA Index of 13.5 and put them through the RCGA Factor calculation. The difference between the USGA and RCGA is in how Equitable Stroke Control is done. You can see the full explanation of the USGA formula [http://www.golfsoftware.com/products/hs/golf-handicap-formula.aspx] and use it to derive your RCGA Factor. Just remember to adjust your scores using the RCGA method in the blog post above.