Handicaps

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New Zealand Golf Slope Handicap Formula
 
A Handicap Index is New Zealand Golf's mark which is used to indicate a measurement of a player's potential scoring ability on a course of standard difficulty.

How To Determine Handicap Differentials

A handicap differential is computed from four elements: adjusted gross score, New Zealand Golf Course Rating, New Zealand Golf Slope Rating and 113 (the Slope Rating of a course of standard difficulty).
To determine the handicap differential, subtract the New Zealand Golf Course Rating from the adjusted gross score; multiply the difference by 113; then divide the resulting number by the New Zealand Golf Slope Rating. Round the final number to the nearest tenth. 
 

Handicap Differential =(Adjusted Gross Score - New Zealand Golf Course Rating) x 113 /New Zealand Golf Slope Rating
 

a. Plus Handicap Differential

When the adjusted gross score is higher than the New Zealand Golf Course Rating, the handicap differential is a positive number. Following is an example for determining a differential using an adjusted gross score of 95 made on a course with a New Zealand Golf Course Rating of 71.5 and a New Zealand Golf Slope Rating of 125:
Adjusted Gross Score - New Zealand Golf Course Rating: 95 - 71.5 = 23.5
Difference x Standard Slope: 23.5 x 113 = 2655.5
Result / New Zealand Golf Slope Rating: 2655.5 / 125 = 21.244
Handicap Differential (rounded): 21.2
 

b. Minus Handicap Differential
When the adjusted gross score is lower than the New Zealand Golf Course Rating, the handicap differential is a negative number.
Following is an example for determining a differential using an adjusted gross score of 69 made on a course with a New Zealand Golf Course Rating of 71.5 and a New Zealand Golf Slope Rating of 125: Adjusted Gross Score - New Zealand Golf Course Rating:   69 - 71.5 = -2.5
Difference x Standard Slope:    -2.5 x 113 = -282.5
Result / New Zealand Golf Slope Rating:    -282.5 / 125 = -2.26
Handicap Differential (rounded):    -2.3

The New Zealand Golf Handicap Index Formula is based on the best handicap differentials in a player’s scoring record. If a player’s scoring record contains 20 or more scores, the best 10 handicap differentials of the most recent 20 scores are used to calculate the New Zealand Golf Handicap Index. The percentage of scores used in a scoring record decreases from the maximum of the best 50 percent as the number of scores in the scoring record decreases. If the scoring record contains 9 or 10 scores, only the best three scores (30 to 33 percent) in the scoring record will be used. Thus, the accuracy of a player’s Handicap Index is directly proportional to the number of acceptable scores posted. A New Zealand Golf Handicap Index shall not be issued to a player who has returned fewer than five acceptable scores. The following procedures illustrate how to calculate a player’s Handicap Index.

The procedure for calculating Handicap Indexes is as follows:

  1. Use the table below to determine the number of handicap differentials to use;

    Number of
    Acceptable Scores
    Differentials
    To Be Used
    5 or 6
    Lowest 1
    7 or 8
    Lowest 2
    9 or 10
    Lowest 3
    11 or 12
    Lowest 4
    13 or 14
    Lowest 5
    15 or 16
    Lowest 6
    17
    Lowest 7
    18
    Lowest 8
    19
    Lowest 9
    20
    Lowest 10
  2. Determine handicap differentials;
  3. Average the handicap differentials being used;
  4. Multiply the average by .96; *
  5. Delete all numbers after the tenths’ digit. Do not round off to the nearest tenth.

     

    Example 1: Fewer than 20 scores (11 scores available).

    Total of lowest 4 handicap differentials:
    		   104.1
    Average (104.1 / 4):
    		  26.025
    Multiply average by .96:
    		  24.984
    Delete digits after tenths:
    		  24.9
    New Zealand Golf Handicap Index:
    		  24.9

    * Bonus for Excellence is the incentive that is built into the New Zealand Golf Handicap System for players to improve their golf games. It is the term used to describe the small percentage below perfect equity that is used to calculate Handicap Indexes (96%). As his Handicap Index improves (gets lower), the player has a slightly better chance of placing high or winning a handicap event.

    Example 2: Twenty Scores available. The following is a sample scoring record of a player with 20 scores.

    Total of 10 lowest differentials:
    		   154.8
    Average (154.8 / 10):
    		   15.48
    Average multiplied by .96:
    		   14.861
    Delete all digits after tenths:
    		   14.8
    New Zealand Golf Handicap Index:
    		   14.8
 
Date
New Zealand Golf Adjusted
Score
New Zealand Golf
Course
Rating
Slope
Rating
Handicap
Differential
3/21/97
90
70.1
116
19.4
3/12/97
91
70.1
116
20.4
2/24/97
94
72.3
123
19.9
2/20/97
*88
70.1
116
17.4
1/18/97
89
70.1
116
18.4
1/17/97
*90
72.3
123
16.3
1/16/97
*91
72.3
123
17.2
12/12/96
91
70.1
116
20.4
12/10/96
91
70.1
116
20.4
11/8/96
86
68.7
105
18.6
11/4/96
90
70.1
116
19.4
11/1/96
*92
72.3
123
18.1
10/24/96
*85
68.0
107
18.0
10/16/96
*78
68.7
105
10.0
10/12/96
*82
70.1
116
11.6
10/2/96
*84
70.1
116
13.5
9/14/96
94
72.3
123
19.9
9/5/96
93
72.3
123
19.0
9/4/96
*89
72.3
123
15.3
9/1/96
*88
70.1
116
17.4
* 10 scores with lowest handicap differentials