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SCMGA Announcement

Calculating Wednesday Handicaps

SCMGA will change the method of calculating handicaps for Wednesday play starting Wednesday, Jan. 28. Two main reasons for this change are the increasing cost of commercial services and the perception of unfairness when flights include members playing from different tees.

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Handicomp is raising their fees by about $2,000 this year, with even higher projected increases through 2030. Continuing with Handicomp would require a substantial increase in membership fees, which is undesirable given other rising golf-related costs.

 

SCMGA has been seeking a handicapping method that feels fair to all golfers in a flight, especially when different tees are used. Neither Handicomp nor the World Handicap System (WHS) provided by the USGA has offered a satisfactory solution.

 

Therefore, SCMGA has decided to change the handicap calculation method.

  • Only scores from Wednesday play will be used.

  • Each member’s handicap will be calculated based on their average score from the tee they play.

  • Members must play from the same tee each week.

  • If a member changes tees, a requalification of their handicap will be required.
     

The following paragraphs demonstrate how handicaps will be calculated.

 

In the image below, 14 nine-hole scores are recorded.

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Pink Poppy Flowers

A differential is calculated for each score. The differential is the difference between par and the score.
 

  • At Lakes West, each 9-hole side has a par of 36. For example, a score of 42 has a differential of 6 (42 - 36 = 6).
     

  • The first two rows show scores from the same date, 2026-01-14, because the member played 18 holes recorded as two 9-hole rounds.
     

Currently, the member’s most recent 25 scores are retained in the database.
 

  • Only the 10 most recent scores are used to calculate the average differential, which in this example is 6.2.
     

  • This average differential is called the Handicap Index.
     

In the top two rows of the image:

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  • The Handicap Index equals the average differential.
     

  • The 9-hole tee handicap is the Handicap Index rounded to the nearest whole number, which is 6.
     

  • The 18-hole tee handicap is the Handicap Index multiplied by 2 and rounded, which is 12.
     

Each week, the league monitor will publish a list of league handicaps similar to the example shown below.

Pink Poppy Flowers

The minimum number of scores needed for a valid handicap is six 9-hole rounds. In the example:
 

  • Players 1 and 3 have only four 9-hole rounds, so they are not eligible for Game of the Day winnings or league play handicaps.
     

  • The 18-hole handicaps for Players 2 and 4 are found by doubling their 9-hole indices:
     

    • Player 2’s 9-hole index is 17.2, rounding to 17.
       

    • Player 4’s 9-hole index is 10.3, rounding to 21.

 

 

Members can check their recent scores by:
 

  • Opening the SCMGA home page at www.scmgaaz.org
     

  • Clicking on Recent Scores
     

3_RecentScoreLogon.gif

  • Entering their RCSC number and clicking Submit

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  • After about 2 seconds, recent scores and current handicap information will be displayed.

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Members not playing from their chosen tee are not eligible for Wednesday winnings. Please inform your monitor if changed tees for the day. You will not be eligible for winnings.
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If a member decides to permanently change the tee they play from, the member will need to requalify by playing at least six 9-hole rounds on Wednesdays to create a valid handicap.

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