|
- The handicapping system is run and governed by a
organization within the state in which you live. In Michigan it is the
Golf Association of Michigan (or GAM).
- It costs $20 to sign up, and you can do this at
most any course. Someone in the pro shop will have you fill out a form.
You need to designate 1 course your 'home' course. They will process your
request and provide you with a blank card.
- Every two weeks, your scores are submitted to GAM
for official approval and indexing. The computer will create a trend (or
anticipated handicap) beforehand, but your handicap index will not be official
until submitted.
- Also every two weeks you will receive a label
that shows your last 20 scores and your official USGA handicap index. You are
supposed to stick this on the back of your GAM card.
- The system accepts scores from 'away' courses
(those other than your home course), and most courses in the state of Michigan
are already in the system. You can post a score from say, Vegas, but you
will likely need to enter the slope and course rating yourself.
- The system accepts 9 hole scores. It was
explained to me by someone at GAM that the computer will simply put 2 nine hole
scores together (no matter the course) and calculate as if it were an 18 hole
round (adjusting for slope and rating).
- Your handicap will be calculated based upon the
lowest 10 scores out of your last 20 rounds. The USGA will provide an
index after your first five 18-holes rounds.
- Although I don't have the specifics, you are
supposed to limit your scores on 'blow-up' holes. For instance, if you are
stuck in a deep bunker for 6 shots,
the brutal score may throw off your index. At the University of Michigan
they advise those people with handicaps of 20-30 to not post more than an 8 on
any hole.
- The USGA allows for "limited" posting of scores
on the internet. I am still not sure what limited means or why they care,
but each score will that you enter on the web will be specially identified.
- The GAM website
www.gam.org, provides more information about how this works.
- Interestingly enough, you can search and view
anyone's handicap information from this site. Do yourself a favor and
enter this GAM number 4277117
on this page and
hit look-up by member number. While you are at it, check out
the handicap of Detroit's hottest new head coach: 249098 (wow).
|
