Neil Thomas

Hello fellow Triple S Golf Club members. I want to share with you some insights and suggestions to club
play and handicaps.
We were introduced to the World Handicap System (WHS) in January, 2019. The WHS is the system we
use to control our handicaps for our tournaments and our casual play. The WHS is created and governed
by the United States Golf Association (USGA) and the Royal and Ancient (R&A). Between them, they
govern handicaps throughout the golf playing world.
Obviously, the world is a very large place so, they divide governance to sector associations. We are
directly under the guidance of the Southern California Golf Association (SCGA). There are golf
associations for Northern California and each state has 1 or 2 also.
The SCGA depends on member clubs, such as Triple S, to handle the individual, day to day governing of
the member golfers. We, as a club, have a responsibility to the WHS to be vigilant in keeping the
integrity of the system. This begins with me to audit the scores you post and watch for those who may
try to “game” the system. Another component is “Peer Review”. I can not golf with each individual so, it
the duty of each playing group to monitor their peers for counting their strokes accurately, putting the
correct score on the scorecard and giving their best effort on each shot (not taking obvious unnecessary
strokes to inflate their handicap). It is also incumbent on each golfer to accurately post their correct
adjusted gross score (AGS). This requires each player to know how to adjust their score based on their
current handicap. Scores must be posted the same day as the round was played.
The SCGA recommends we give a verbal warning for the first wrong post. A written warning for the
second wrong post. Handicap adjustments for infractions thereafter. We are trying to avoid getting to
this extreme action but, we must be more accountable than we currently are.
The “hole-by-hole” posting method has proved to be very accurate. The only mistakes I have found are
entry errors. Entry errors can be corrected by paying attention to the numbers you are entering then,
verifying the front nine and back nine totals. The system will make your adjustments for you. Anyone
entering their score hole-by-hole, who makes an entry error, will be given leniency for several times and
not be disqualified (DQ’d) for the tournament. If you decide to “roll the dice” and post a front/back nine
score and are wrong, you will be DQ’d from the tournament for that week.
Developing good posting habits, for the weekly tournaments, will carry over to your casual round
postings.
Overall we are doing good, lets get to great……..Neil

Scoring and weekly posting to GHIN

1) You must post your score, to GHIN, the same day as played. GHIN updates handicap indexes at
approximately midnight of the day you enter your score.
2) Enter your scores hole-by-hole and code them “Home”, for La Mirada Golf Course or courses you
play at as a club member. Use the “Away” designation when you play courses other than LMGC.
“Home”, “Away” and “Competitive” designations all carry the same weight, with regard to your
GHIN handicap index. Competitive (previously Tournament) is no longer given greater weight in
the calculation of your index.
3) Every player should keep a scorecard. One card, with all group members names and scores,
should be turned into the “Triple S” box, in the pro-shop, near the old posting computer. Use
last name and first initial for each player.
4) The default tee box for every member is the white tees. If you are playing from the forward
(red) tees, write a circled “R” next to your name. Write a “B” if you are playing from the back or
blue tees.
5) Compare and reconcile scorecards at the end of the round. All the scorecards should match. If
not, talk and figure out the correct scores for each player. Total the front nine and back nine
scores. Include the current (Monday) course handicap in the handicap box.
6) The scorecard must have a “Scorer” and “Attestor” signature to be accepted as legitimate.
7) There will be no disqualification for a mis-added scorecard or incorrect course handicap. They
are used to aid in the accuracy of the tournament results.
8) A scorecard with inaccurate scores for holes or, posting an incorrect score, that was not entered
hole-by-hole to GHIN will be disqualified.
9) Failing to post your score, on the day played, to GHIN will result in disqualification.
Everyone, please look out for your playing partners. Help watch shots and help search for golf balls.
Keep searches to the 3-minute rule. Help your partners download the GHIN mobile app and show
them how to use it. Remind each other of the rules of golf and ensure that everyone is abiding by
them. The always important “pace of play”, we must remind each other to keep up with the group in
front of us. Faster players help the slower ones with rules, raking, distances etc.