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HANDICAP FAQ - MATCH PLAY SCORE POSTING.
Q. I love match play, but am I supposed to post scores from those matches?
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| Enjoy match play and post your scores! |
A. This is a timely and great question given that the MGA Amateur Championship is right around the corner and features three days of match play.
Whether you are competing for a state title or just enjoying a friendly match with a friend, the process of posting scores is the same.
After all, the USGA Handicap Manual states that scores in both match play and stroke play shall be posted for handicap purposes. This includes scores made in match play, multi-ball or team competitions in which players have not completed one or more holes or in which players are requested to pick up when out of contention on a hole.
Here is an excerpt from the USGA Handicap Manual about this topic.
4-1. Unfinished Holes and Conceded Strokes
A player who starts, but does not complete a hole or is conceded a stroke must record for handicap purposes the most likely score. The most likely score may not exceed the player's Equitable Stroke Control limit, defined in Section 4-3. This most likely score should be preceded by an "X." (See Decision 4-1/1.)
There is no limit to the number of unfinished holes a player may have in a round, provided that failure to finish is not for the purpose of handicap manipulation.
Example 1: A and B are partners in a four-ball stroke play competition. On a hole on which neither player receives a handicap stroke, A lies two, 18 feet from the hole. B lies two, 25 feet from the hole. B holes a putt for a 3. A picks up on the hole, because A cannot better B's score. A records X-4 on the scorecard because 4 is A's most likely score.
Example 2: A and B are playing a match. On a hole on which neither player receives a handicap stroke, A has holed out in 4; B has a 30-foot putt for a 5. B has lost the hole, and picks up. B records X-6 on the scorecard because 6 is B's most likely score.
Example 3: A and B are playing a match. On a hole on which neither player receives a handicap stroke, A is one foot from the hole, lying 4. B is 10 feet from the hole, lying 3. B putts and misses. They both concede a half. Both players record X-5 because that is their most likely score.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact Mike Wice at mwice@mgalinks.org.
DON'T FORGET... TO PLAY 9 HOLES ON JULY 9.
Although golfers are encouraged to play 9 holes of golf any day, the entire nation will be heading to the course on July 9th as part of a national PLAY9 program.
Here are nine reasons why it’s always a great time to play nine:
1. Nine-hole golf has an impeccable pedigree. The First U.S. Open in 1895 was played on a nine-hole course: Newport (R.I.) Golf Club. Arnold Palmer and Pete Dye, among other golf luminaries, learned the game on nine-hole courses.
2. The majority can’t be wrong. According to the National Golf Foundation (NGF), 90 percent of U.S. golf facilities offer nine-hole rates – and 4,200 nine-hole courses dot the U.S. golf landscape. From coast to coast, playing nine is an easy way to enjoy the game.
3. It’s an excellent way to start the day. Early risers can make the first footprints on a dewy fairway. You can get a round in and still make it to work or school on time.
4. It’s a great way to end the day with others. Grab friends and co-workers for a post-work round to shake off the stress.
5. Because it’s what you have time for. Would you rather play nine frequently or wait until the moon and stars align to play 18? Keep your game fresh by playing nine.
6. It’s a wonderful way to learn the game. An NGF study shows 86 percent of beginners start with nine-hole rounds. You can more comfortably develop your game and learn Rules and etiquette without the stress and time commitment of 18 holes.
7. It’s the best way to support someone who is learning how to play. You already love the game. A study by Sports & Leisure Research Group revealed that 60 percent of golfers believe a nine-hole round is an outstanding way to introduce a non-golfer to the game. Give back to the game and get a friend or family member hooked.
8. You can do it forever. Golf is a game for a lifetime. Playing nine holes is the perfect way to keep players of all ages and abilities engaged in friendly competition.
9. Your nine-hole round is legit! The USGA’s Golf Handicap Information Network® (GHIN) showed a 13 percent year-over-year increase in nine-hole scores posted in the two months following the program’s launch last July. You can post a nine-hole score to maintain your Handicap Index. Click here to see how.
A RETURN ENGAGEMENT - THURSDAY, JULY 28TH
Returning for a second season, First Republic Bank will help to host the first MGA Member Speaker Series event of the season.
The event - which will include a keynote speaker and a club-fitting demo - will be held on Thursday, July 28th at the Club Champion store in downtown Needham.
The event is open at no cost — on a first-come/first-serve basis — to MGA Members. The event includes complimentary appetizers and cocktails and was developed in order to give golfers a chance to network in a fun and casual environment.
More details will be forthcoming, but if you have in
terest in attending, please send an email to info@mgalinks.org and you will be contacted with event details.
Also, be sure to check out the latest MGA Members Only offer from our friends at First Republic Bank. CLICK HERE to learn more about one of the many benefits offered to you as an MGA Member.
PLAY GOLF & GIVE BACK - 2016 CHARITY EVENTS
Did you know that the MGA posts a list of charity events being held at MGA Member Clubs located across the country?
Charity golf events are a perfect way for golfers to combine their love for the sport with giving back to important charitable causes.
CLICK HERE to view a list of charity events that includes events through the end of October.
A special thanks to Tournament Solutions for sponsoring this great program. The Newburyport-based company is the “Official Gifts & Awards Sponsor of the MGA”. As part of this sponsorship, Tournament Solutions is happy to work with organizations to fulfull any tournament gift or awards needs.
For more information and to get special MGA pricing for your event, please contact Jonathan Shaw at jshaw@tournamentsolutions.com.
DID YOU KNOW? - REGISTER THAT HOLE IN ONE
If you are one of the lucky or just plain talented golfers who score a hole in one this season, be sure to contact our office.
The MGA provides a Hole-in-One certificate to MGA members who accomplish this remarkable feat. As a way of celebrating your achievement, the MGA will also send each golfer a special antiqued brass colored bag tag that includes details about the accomplishment.
To fill out the form electronically, please CLICK HERE!
Please note that you must have a current and active MGA/USGA GHIN Handicap index in order to be eligible for this member service.
And in case you think that the impossible is not possible, one golfer recently recorded two holes in one during one round on the same hole at Cotuit Highground CC. Read More |
