Why would you ever want to use your own CUSTOM handicapping parameters?  Mainly because the USGA calculation procedure calls for a rolling average using the 10 lowest out of 20 scores, and you must have at least 5 scores just to calculate a USGA handicap.  For clubs that play less than 20 weeks a year, it makes more sense to use a smaller rolling average to handicap golfers.  Or maybe your organization does not meet the requirements to issue USGA handicaps. In that case you can set up a custom mode to emulate the USGA system. The calculated handicap would not be an official USGA handicap, but would be very close.

Note: If you use the custom handicapping mode, no index (factor for RCGA) will be produced, only a handicap.  An index by definition means you are using the USGA formulas to calculate handicaps.

If you set the Handicap Calculation mode to Custom Handicap the following screen will appear:

 

To set up handicapping:

1. What Handicap Percent Figure do you want to use?
   The Handicap Percent % figure is used to calculate the final handicap.
   
   

2. How many scores will a golfer's handicap be based on?
   Determine how many scores you want a golfer's handicap to be based on. For example, if a golfer gave you his last 100 scores, how many would you use to base his handicap on? The maximum number of past scores HS will look at is 30. Enter this number in the box Number of scores handicap based on.
   
   

3. What is the minimum number of scores a golfer must have before a handicap can be calculated? 
   Enter the number of scores a golfer must have before a handicap can be established.  HS will not calculate a handicap until he\she has at least this many scores.
   
   
4. What should HS do in every instance it may encounter?  Drop any high or low scores when calculating a handicap?
   Fill in the handicap table to tell HS what to do in every instance it may encounter.  What should HS do if a golfer has only one score to look at, only two scores to look at, only three scores to look at, etc.  Do you want to drop any high or low scores when calculating a handicap?
   
   

5. Do you have a Maximum Handicap?
   Specify the maximum handicap allowed in your league. The recommended USGA maximum handicap is 36 for men and 40 for women for 18 holes. If you are calculating nine hole handicaps, the recommended maximum is 18 for men and 20 for women. If you don’t have a maximum handicap, type in 99.
   
   
   
6. Do you want to Round or Truncate handicaps?
   USGA recommends that handicaps be rounded to the nearest whole number, but some leagues prefer to truncate (chop off the decimal points) handicaps.
   
   

7. How many decimal places do you wish to calculate a handicap to?
   Handicaps can be calculated to none, one, or two decimal places.
   
   
   
8. Other options.

• Use only Tournament Scores
  If you mark this option, only tournament scores (scores entered with a T) are considered for handicapping.  All other scores are ignored.  Custom parameters work just the same, except only Tournament scores are considered.  If this option is marked, handicaps will have a "T" posted beside them.
  
• Do NOT use Home Course slope in final calculation
  The final handicap is usually determined by converting the custom handicap into a Final home course handicap.
  
  

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Custom Handicap Examples

You want to use the best 4 of the player's last 6 scores, and use 90% to determine the handicap. The Parameters will be set as follows:

Handicap Percent(%) figure ..... 90

# of scores handicap based on....6

When a player has 1 score, this score will be used for a handicap. (No scores are discarded)

When a player has 2 scores, the lowest 1 will be used for a handicap. (Highest 1 score discarded)

When a player has 3 scores, the lowest 2 will be used for a handicap. (Highest 1 score discarded)

When a player has 4 scores, the lowest 2 will be used for a handicap. (Highest 2 scores discarded)

When a player has 5 scores, the lowest 3 will be used for a handicap. (Highest 2 scores discarded)

When a player has 6 scores, the lowest 4 will be used for a handicap. (Highest 2 scores discarded)

John Smith now has 7 scores entered.  What is his handicap?  HS calculates the handicap as follows:

John has 7 scores available. Only the last 6 scores are selected for consideration. The best 4 of these 6 differentials are used to determine the handicap.  Assume 71.3 is the rating and 115 the slope for all scores.

The average differential is determined – 81.4 / 4 = 20.35

The handicap is determined and rounded off

20.35 x .90 (handicap % figure) = 18.32

Home course is sloped at 115.

Final Handicap = 18.32 x 115/113

Handicap for John Smith is 18.64

Handicap Example 2

Suppose you want to calculate a simple handicap by averaging the last three scores.  How would the CUSTOM HANDICAP parameters be set?

Handicap Percent(%) figure ..... 100

# of scores handicap based on....3

Handicap Example 3

Suppose you want to calculate a handicap by selecting 3 out of the last 5 scores.  When you have 5 scores you want to drop the high and low scores and use the rest for handicapping.  How would the CUSTOM HANDICAP parameters be set?

Handicap Percent(%) figure ..... 90

# of scores handicap based on....5

As scores accumulate they would be selected for handicapping as follows:

1 SCORE   available - All scores selected

2 SCORES available - All scores selected

3 SCORES available - All scores selected

4 SCORES available - High score dropped, other 3 selected

5 SCORES available - High score dropped, low score dropped, other 3 selected

6 SCORES available - Last 5 considered - High dropped, low dropped, other 3 selected

7 SCORES available - Last 5 considered - High dropped, low dropped, other 3 selected

(and so forth...)

Emulating the USGA formula.

If you want to emulate the USGA handicap system, fill in the form as follows:

Handicap Percent(%) figure ..... 96

# of scores handicap based on....20

Min # scores needed…5

The table above follows the exact USGA formula - 96% of the best 10 out of 20 scores.  Please note that 20 scores are required to produce a full USGA handicap and at least 5 scores are required before an initial handicap is calculated. 

You can deviate slightly from the USGA and relax the minimum number of scores required from 5 to 1.  This allows you to calculate the initial handicap with only one score. Remember—only the best score out the first 5 or 6 will be used for handicapping.  The results will be that handicaps will move only down at first and then handicaps will slowly stabilize.

Handicap Percent(%) figure ..... 96

# of scores handicap based on....20

Min # scores needed…1