Monday, April 23, 2012

Ask Linda #449-Handicap on score card

Hi Linda,

Handicap query. Now that we're on Golf Link and our scores get entered in the computer as soon as we come in and come up straight away on the screen, can a player be penalised for having the wrong handicap on the card, given that Golf Link automatically matches the score with the Golf Link handicap - in other words, the computer checks the scores but does the match committee go by what is on the card?

Cheers,
Lulu from South Australia

Dear Lulu,

The responsibility for recording the correct handicap on the scorecard belongs to the player. The player records his full handicap; the Committee is responsible for any adjustments (e.g., calculating 90% of handicap in a men’s four-ball).

You must be diligent. If you’re using a computer program to print your scorecards, and it prints an incorrect handicap, the player must correct it. The problem is that if the recorded handicap is higher than the player’s actual handicap, and it affects the number of strokes he receives, he will be disqualified from the competition [Rule 6-2].

The Rules forgive a Committee if it calculates your tournament handicap incorrectly, and allows it to make a correction [Decision 6-2b/3]. They are not forgiving at all of a player who errs in recording his handicap. Know your current handicap, and check your card.

Linda
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