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Q&A. What happens, if the weather is so bad that a team does not wish to continue?

Rule 8,9 & 11. Must be used.

8, In adverse weather conditions, a match maybe postponed with the agreement of both Captains.

This is provided that a suitable replay date is available and that it can be arranged immediately. This must be within the time limit. Under no circumstances will an extension of time be allowed.

9, If, due to bad weather, it is not possible to complete all individual matches on the day, the following procedures will apply:

a, The results of the completed matches stand and the incomplete individual matches are declared null and void.

The Captains must agree a day on which the outstanding matches are to be replayed, with each team free to alter the original team. No player who took part in the completed individual match may take part in any of the matches to be played.

b, If no individual matches have been completed, the match is declared null and void.

It must be replayed at the eariest opportunity, with each team free to alter its original team.

11, Any club unable to play any of its scheduled matches must withdraw from

the competition and all of the previous matches will be cancelled. If a club is unable to find a team of 7, a minimum of 4 to play, conceding a walkover for each missing player.

(The moral of this is to be prepared to play to the bitter end).

Q&A What can I do to ensure all my players know what to do in all circumstances?

1,Firstly ensure that your player are aware of the competition Rules.

Make sure you have a copy of the competition rules to hand,

in almost all cases, the rules will sort your problem out.

2,Ensure all player have a rule book on them and

that they know how to use it. There is a short version available

of the R&A rules book, which makes a solution easier to find.

3,If you wish to consult an official during or your match,

Jill and I are at the end of a phone, but if we are both out you may use

the Four County contact list. Found on the Contacts page.

They may not be at home. In which case it will be down to the Captains to decide.

You may also contact us, by Email. We will do our best

to help you, but on many occasions an on the spot decision

is required.So take the above, paragraphs 1 & 2 on board.

World Slope System 2018

worldgolf.com

World Golf - Travel, Golf Courses and Clubs Reviews from California to Florida and Scotland to Australia

Slope: How it Works

What is the Slope System?

The Slope System is a refinement of the Handicap system. It adjusts your handicap to the difficulty of the course you play. the more difficult the course, the more strokes you'll need.

Courses have been re-rated according to their relative difficulty for all levels of golfers, not just the experts. The Slope System adjusts a golfer's handicap to the course that is being played. That's why it's called Slope - because when you post the scores on a graph (see diagram), the line climbs on a slope. The Slope of a more difficult course is steeper than an easier course, meaning that high handicappers pick up more strokes than better players.

What is an Index?

Under Slope, golfers will no longer have a handicap. Instead, you will have an index, a number expressed in a decimal (13.4, 5.2, 29.3, etc.). Your index is a mathematical calculation of your playing ability on an average golf course (i.e., a course with a 113 Slope rating).

The maximum index allowed is 36.4 for men and 40.4 for women. For men with the maximum index, the course handicap could exceed 48 on a high Slope course.

What is the Course Handicap?

Whenever someone asks, "What's your handicap?", the proper response will be, "I don't have a handicap; my index is_______."

Before you can determine what your course handicap is for any given round, you must know:

* your index* the course you will be playingand* the set of tees you'll be playingCourses that have been Slope rated will have conversion charts (located near the first tee) for each set of tee markers. Your course handicap will appear on the chart beside your index, for the course and tees you are playing.As an example, looking at the chart below, if your index is 17.3, your course handicap would be 14 on the low Slope course, and 21 on the high Slope course.

Why do we have to change to Slope?

This means that all of North America and several other countries around the world will be on the Slope system. Courses will have been rated for not just the expert but for all abilities, and each course will have been rated on it's own degree of difficulty. By changing to the Slope system you will be able to compete against each other, no matter what course you are on, with more equity.

What do I need to know?

Two things only: your index and how to convert that index to a course handicap on the conversion chart.

What if I play a course without a Slope rating?

Use your home course handicap from the most used tees.

What if someone without an index comes to my course?

They use their RCGA or USGA approved handicap only. Do not use the conversion chart unless the person has an approved index.

How do I adjust and use Equitable Stroke Control (ESC)? Use your course handicap. If it is ......

Plus or scratch.........Limit of one over par on any one hole.

1 to 18 inclusive.......Limit of two over par.

19 to 32 inclusive.....Limit of three over par.

33 or over..................Limit of four over par.

What if I forget to record the score at an "away" course, or if the course is on a different computer system than my course?

When you return to your home course, record the score. At that time you must record the course and the Slope ratings of the "away" course, as well as your score.

What happens when I play in a tournament?

When you play in a significant competition organized by a committee in charge of the competition, you should designate when you enter your differential that it was a "tournament score". This could affect your index if you consistently score better in competition.

How can I check my handicap Index to make sure it is accurate?

Your actual scores will be listed on your handicap detail sheets. The differentials shown on the sheet will have been converted to what they would have been if the round had been played on a 113 Slope golf course. If the scores are correct, your index will be correct. If the scores are incorrect, check with your handicap chairman.

Mrs I Pearson & Miss Mabel Stringer.

Miss Mabel Stringer in co-operation with Miss Issette Pearson of Littlestone Golf Club inaugurated an inter-county handicap match play competition in 1895.

Miss Pearson's father presented a trophy and 'The Pearson Trophy' is still played for annually by clubs from Kent, Surrey, Middlesex and Hertfordshire.

Miss Stringer was connected with county golf for many years and with Miss Pearson drew up draught rules for inter county golf, which they presented to a meeting of the LGU council. After making certain amendments and recommendations the council appointed a committee to establish county golf in England.

Miss Stringer was an original member of the Kent team and played for the county between 1900 and 1911.

For a short time she was honorary secretary of Kent.

In later years she was secretary of the women's Parliamentary Golf Society.

Miss Pearson's ambition during her official golfing life was to establish a system of universal handicapping.

She first discussed this with Mr Laidlaw Purves (Littlestone's first Captain).

From these discussions was evolved the handicap system which was used until 1998.

An extract from Littlestone Golf Club, Millennium edition 1888-2000.

CONGU Changes 2018

06-10-2017

Changes to the CONGU UHS System have recently been announced. In view of the proposed introduction of the World Handicap System (WHS) these changes have been kept to a minimum and take into account some of the options likely to be adopted in the WHS, principal of which is to encourage players to submit more scores to their handicap record.

The changes, which come into effect on the 1st of January 2018, are:

Retirement of Club & Disability Handicaps - As a result of their low impact these have been removed and replaced by a new Category 5 for Men and Category 6 for both Men and Women, providing for a maximum handicap of 54.0 for all golfers. Players will be able to maintain a Competition Handicap in all six categories. Upward adjustment for all categories will remain at 0.1 and downward adjustments for Net Differentials below Buffer Zones will be 0.5 for Category 5 and 0.6 for Category 6.

After 1st January 2018 Handicap Committees can increase handicaps above the current limits of 28.0 and 36.0, and they will also increase above those limits automatically as a result of above Buffer Zone returns in Qualifying Competitions and Supplementary Score submissions.

Supplementary Scores - Relaxation of the rules to allow an unlimited number of score submissions per year and removal of the restriction of one per week. However, the restriction on Category 1 players will remain in place.

Mixed Tee Competitions - Reinforcement of the single CSS Adjustment Calculation. Having a single CSS adjustment for two or more competitions will provide a more equitable value when one of the competitions has a very low number of players. To overcome the technical IT implementation issues, the approach agreed will be to enter all scores into a single competition (and so a single CSS Adjustment Factor is calculated) with a facility within the software to allow the results to be separated for each group of competitors.

Definitions - Confirmation that cards submitted for Initial Handicap Allocation are included in the definition of Qualifying Scores for handicap purposes. Accordingly a player whose handicap is allocated on the basis of such submitted scores under Clause 16 will automatically be allocated a Competition Handicap status.

9 Hole Competitions - Introduce the option of 9-Hole Medal Competitions and 9-Hole Open Competitions. For handicap purposes, the 9-Hole Medal scores will be converted to Stableford and will appear as stableford on the players handicap record.

Handicap Adjustments - Confirmation that the adherence to Appendix M (Guidelines for Handicap Reviews) is mandatory, not optional.

There will be no new hard copy of the CONGU® Manual, but an updated online version will be available on the CONGU® website, where a full summary of the changes will also be posted.

This document represents the substantive changes for 2018 - other changes, which are largely for clarification purposes, will be highlighted in the online documentation.

CONGU® Changes 2018: Questions & Answers

1 Retirement of Club and Disability Handicaps

1.1 What happens to existing CONGU® Club Handicaps? The CONGU® handicap limit of 28[36] has been removed and replaced with 54 for both men and women thus aligning with other handicapping systems around the world. Handicapping software will automatically adjust handicaps past the current limits into Category 5 for men and Category 6 for men and women when scores are outside the Buffer Zone as from 1st January 2018.

1.2 Will players who had a CONGU® Club Handicap have a Competition Handicap? Players with a CONGU® Club Handicap will automatically have an official CONGU® handicap from 1st January 2018 and this will be a Competition Handicap provided they meet the minimum requirement of 3 qualifying scores. Players who submitted scores in 2017 and were awarded a CONGU® Club Handicap will have a Competition Handicap on 1st January 2018. Players who were awarded a CONGU® Club Handicap in 2016 will have a Competition Handicap providing they have submitted a minimum of 3 qualifying scores in 2017. Otherwise Clause 26.3 applies.

1.3 Some of our members refused a CONGU® Club Handicap due to competition restrictions. Can they refuse an increase in handicap now? Players cannot refuse an increase in handicap from scores returned in qualifying competitions and are subject to the process outlined in the Annual Review.

1.4 Should we review all handicaps that are 28/36? It is recommend that all players currently at the maximum handicap are reviewed with a view to increasing their handicap to a level that reflects their playing ability. The software will allow such adjustments from 1st January 2018. These players will have been identified in the computer-generated Annual Review Report, especially the new 'All Members' report.

1.5 What are the guidelines for adjusting those whose handicaps are at the 28[36] limits at year end 2017 and who have not had any reductions in the year? Review the Performance Against Target (PAT) for those players from the Annual Review documentation. The following adjustments are recommended: o o PAT > 3 but < 5 1 shot increase o o PAT >=5 but < 12 2 shot increase o o PAT 12+ 3 shot increase Note: these are the recommended increases - the Committee are best placed to review their players and should ensure any adjustments are appropriate.

1.6 Does a club have to award an Initial Handicap Allotment over 28/36? When considering scores for handicap purposes, the procedure in Clause 16 must be followed and this may result in a handicap of over 28[36]. However, the Handicap Committee should always take all information available into account when allocating an initial handicap - the system suggested value is a guide to this and may be overridden.

History of the Pearson Trophy

Isette Pearson was born in 1861 and was the mother of Surrey Ladies Golf Club and L.G.U.

She moved with her family to Putney in 1879. She joined Barnes Golf Club thus beginning her association with Surrey Golf. She moved to Wimbledon Golf Club and under her influence the L.G.U. was established in May 1893. Isette Pearson was President of Surrey Ladies Golf Club from 1900-1912.

Miss Pearson was a confirmed spinster, but she set the rumour mongers gossiping in the roaring twenties by marrying twice, when she was well into her fifties.

It was proposed that Surrey should hold a Championship played over two days to determine Surrey’s Premier Golfer, Miss Pearson donated a trophy for this event, the Pearson Challenge Cup, but Isette Pearson did not agree with the proposed format. Some felt it should be a scratch event and others thought it would be a handicap event, it was made clear by Miss Pearson that she thought the cup should accommodate all golfers.

She suggested that five or seven players played for The Pearson Challenge Cup, from each club affiliated to Surrey played against each other in a league competition. A format was worked out and by 1910 Middlesex, Hertfordshire and Kent were included.

The rules were tweaked over the years and the format became a team of seven players of handicaps between 15 – 32 from each club playing home and away. The Pearson Trophy was born.

In 2007/8 the format was changed to handicaps 13-32 and matches played off full handicap difference.