Ohio Golf Journal January 2020

recalculation of Handicap Indexes seals that loophole. A further restriction is the maximum amount a (ANDICAP )NDEX MAY CHANGE OVER ONE YEAR ! n3OFT #APo OF PERCENT WILL BE ENACTED IF A THREE STROKE INCREASE IS DETECTED AND A MAXIMUM n(ARD #APo OF ÚVE STROKES CAN BE ADDED OVER A MONTH PERIOD 4HERE IS ALSO AN ADJUSTMENT AVAILABLE FOR HIGHER SCORES DUE TO ABNORMAL WEATHER WHICH CAN BE APPLIED SHOULD CONDITIONS WARRANT 4HANKS TO THE POWER OF COMPUTERS THE ADJUSTMENT WILL BE MADE immediately after scores are posted. Additional Key Points: Three rounds are required for an initial Handicap Index. The maximum Handicap Index for both MEN AND WOMEN IS 3CORES RECORDED AS A SINGLE ARE NO LONGER ALLOWED PLUS ALL HANDICAPS MUST BE REVIEWED BY A HANDICAP COMMITTEE EVERY 12 months. 7HAT HAS NOT BEEN MENTIONED IS THAT CURRENT DATA AVAILABLE SHOW ONLY ABOUT PERCENT OF GOLFERS IN THE 5 3 HAVE (ANDICAP )NDEXES OR PERHAPS MILLION OUT OF MILLION GOLFERS 4HESE PRESUMABLY ARE THE MORE nAVIDo GOLFERS AND PRIVATE CLUB MEMBERS THAT ARE MORE LIKELY TO PLAY IN EVENTS REQUIRING A 53'! HANDICAP !NOTHER LARGELY UNPUBLICIZED FACT IS THE 53'! FUNDS THE SANCTIONED STATE AND REGIONAL GOLF ASSOCIATIONS WITH THE FEES CHARGED FOR MAINTAINING HANDICAPS 4HE USUAL FEE OF PER YEAR PROVIDES money for these associations to operate and administer tournaments. 4HE 7ORLD (ANDICAP 3YSTEM IS ATTEMPTING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF EQUITABLE ADMINISTRATION OF HANDICAPPING FOR PLAYERS THAT COMPETE IN VARIOUS AMATEUR EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD 4HERE IS A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THOSE WHO TRY TO CHEAT THE HANDICAP SYSTEM (OPEFULLY THIS NEW 7ORLD (ANDICAP 3YSTEM WILL HELP KEEP THAT TO A MINIMUM IN THIS GENTLEMENmS GAME