FORE Magazine

Top Menu

  • About Me
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Home

Main Menu

  • Current Issue
  • Profiles
  • Sustainability
  • Travel
  • 19th Hole
  • Classic Course
  • FORE Her
  • More
    • Know the Rules
    • Handicap Hints
    • SCGA Junior
    • Where Are They Now?
    • News
    • Public Affairs
  • scga.org
Sign in / Join

Login

Welcome! Login in to your account
Lost your password?

Lost Password

Back to login

logo

FORE Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Profiles
  • Sustainability
  • Travel
  • 19th Hole
  • Classic Course
  • FORE Her
  • More
    • Know the Rules
    • Handicap Hints
    • SCGA Junior
    • Where Are They Now?
    • News
    • Public Affairs
  • scga.org
Handicap HintsWinter 2019
Home›Handicap Hints›Maximum Score: A New Format for a New Era

Maximum Score: A New Format for a New Era

By Kevin O'Connor
January 21, 2019
10383
0
Share:

The New Rules of Golf have introduced a format called “Maximum Score.” Its definition, listed as Rule 21.2, is: “A form of stroke play where your score or your side’s score for a hole is capped at a maximum number of strokes set by the Committee, such as two times par, a fixed number or net double bogey.” This is the official lingo, but this format is something that should be considered — a formalized stopping point scorewise that is not breaking the Rules. Yes, you read that right.

We get the sense that things like this have been applied by clubs for competitions historically, but now this format can conform to the Rules of Golf. Having a maximum score defined by the Committee in charge of the competition is intended to help with pace of play. It seems so long ago that I hit four balls out of bounds and made a 13 on a hole. It took forever. Now, if playing under this format, I (as well as my group and everyone else on the course) would not have to suffer through this potential nightmare.

Rules language on this format actually includes the following: “To help pace of play, players are encouraged to stop playing a hole when their score has reached the maximum.”

The committee has quite a bit of flexibility in determining the maximum score. As noted above, it could be a fixed number or it could be something related to par, like net double bogey. I recognize that having this format available under the Rules of Golf is a real positive. The name of this column is Handicap Hints, so here are some things to know about this format and the USGA Handicap System:

1: A committee could set a maximum Equitable Stroke Control limit for handicap purposes. This would mean there would be a single maximum to consider for both the competition and for handicap score posting. (Keep this in mind as the following items are read.)

2: If a committee does implement Rule 21.2 and sets a maximum score for the competition, this does not change handicap score posting policies. What does this mean?

It means that a participant might have one score for the competition and a different score for handicap purposes. As an example, if a committee sets a maximum score of 7 on any hole for the competition, but the golfer has a Course Handicap of 25, the individual has an Equitable Stroke Control maximum of 8 for handicap purposes. If the contestant picks up after 7 strokes for the competition without holing out, the maximum score of 7 applies to the competition, but a score of 8, the Equitable Stroke Control maximum, applies for handicap score posting purposes.

3: Another item referenced in the Maximum Score Rule scoring: A player who does not hole out under the Rules for any reason gets the maximum score for the hole. We’re not sure how frequently this scenario would happen, but a player who does not hole out has different policies for handicapping, known as the most likely score. Let’s use this same golfer with a Course Handicap of 25. If for some reason that individual picked up on the green after 4 strokes, the competition score would be the maximum — 7 — but for handicap purposes the golfer would probably have a 6, under the belief that at least half the time it would only take two putts to finish the hole.

The handicap and competition scores do have the possibility of being different. That exists today in a number of situations in a variety of formats, but a committee should be aware of this in determining its maximum for the competition.

Any format that allows for the Rules of Golf to be followed and encourages improved pace of play seems like something worth trying in connection with a competition. ▪

Previous Article

A Classic in Every Way: Virginia CC

Next Article

Hoppy Together: Birdies and Brews in Escondido

0
Shares
  • 0
  • +
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

Kevin O'Connor

Kevin joined the SCGA in August of 2012, and will oversee utilization of the USGA Handicap System by SCGA members and member clubs, including utilization of the GHIN service. Having worked at the Northern California Golf Association in a similar role, and then more recently in a senior management role with the United States Golf Association, his experience positions him to assist the SCGA and its members in continued successful implementation of these core programs.

Related articles More from author

  • TravelWinter 2019

    The Pearl of La Paz

    January 21, 2019
    By Judd Spicer
  • Handicap Hints

    Under the Radar Services

    October 1, 2014
    By Kevin O'Connor
  • EquipmentWinter 2019

    Fit as a Fiddle

    January 21, 2019
    By Scott Kramer
  • Handicap HintsWinter 2016

    USGA Releases Changes To The Handicap System

    January 1, 2016
    By Kevin O'Connor
  • FORE HerProfilesSCGA JuniorWinter 2019

    A Smile and a Nudge: Driving Girls Golf Forward

    January 21, 2019
    By Hailey Tucker
  • Handicap HintsSpring 2021

    Handicap Index Caps

    April 26, 2021
    By Kevin O'Connor

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Recent Posts

  • 19th HoleFeaturedSpring 2022

    A Community Staple: With Zaidee’s Bar & Grill, Ojai has a Place to Gather

  • FeaturedProfilesSpring 2022

    Bootstrap Golf: The Long Expedition of David Lipsky

  • FeaturedSpring 2022Travel

    Scotland Must-Plays & Hidden Gems: 10 Terrific Tracks that Prove the Old Course Isn’t the Only Game Around

  • FeaturedFirst CutSpring 2022

    Nine is Fine (and here’s why): Get Creative when you Play and Find your New BFF

  • FeaturedProfilesSpring 2022

    Bob Does Hollywood: The Hardest Working Man on Instagram Finds Gold in Golf

FeaturedSpring 2022Travel

The Pubs of St Andrews

The challenge seemed daunting at first. On an eight-day trip to St Andrews, my job was to rate the pubs in this lively college town where golf began six centuries ...
  • Scotland Must-Plays & Hidden Gems: 10 Terrific Tracks that Prove the Old Course Isn’t the Only Game Around

    By Joe Passov
    April 21, 2022
  • Bob Does Hollywood: The Hardest Working Man on Instagram Finds Gold in Golf

    By Adam Hawk
    April 21, 2022
  • Not Your Father’s Game: With Two Facilities Newly Open and Callaway at the Helm, the Topgolf Explosion Comes to the Southland

    By Scott Kauffman
    April 21, 2022
  • The Provisional Ball: What? How? When?

    By Jimmy Becker
    April 21, 2022
© 2016 FORE Magazine About Us | Contact Us | Advertise