COVID-19 RELATED GUIDANCE ON THE RULES OF GOLF

FROM THE SCOTTISH GOLF WEBSITE

The R&A has received a number of enquiries from organisers of golf competitions seeking guidance on the Rules of Golf in view of the COVID-19 outbreak. The purpose of this communication is to provide some guidance on the Rules of Golf.

After consulting with CONGU, the official handicapping authority for all golf governing bodies in Great Britain and Ireland, Scottish Golf would like to inform its members that all recommendations listed by The R&A below can adopted and count for handicapping purposes in Scotland with immediate effect.

Scorecards 

In view of concerns around handling and exchanging scorecards (which may be in paper or electronic form as already provided in the Rules), on a temporary basis, Committees may choose to allow methods of scoring in stroke play that do not strictly comply with Rule 3.3b, or do not comply with the normal methods used under Rule 3.3b.

For example:

• Players may enter their own hole scores on the scorecard (it is not necessary for a marker to do it).
• It is not necessary to have a marker physically certify the player’s hole scores, but some form of verbal certification should take place.
• It is not necessary to physically return a scorecard to the Committee provided the Committee can accept the scores in another way.

Flagsticks

Committees may choose to adopt the following policies on a temporary basis:

• Requiring that players leave the flagstick in the hole at all times. It is a matter for the Committee to decide whether it establishes this policy by way of a Code of Conduct or Local Rule, and whether it provides a penalty under the Code of Conduct or for a breach of the Local Rule.
• Not have flagsticks at all. 

Hole

No modifications to the Definition of Hole are offered, but if a Committee chooses not to follow the requirements in the Definition of Hole, which may also have an impact on the Definition of “Holed”, the Committee should consult its national association for guidance on whether scores submitted in such circumstances are acceptable for handicapping purposes.

The following will be deemed acceptable for use in qualifying competitions: 

Clubs can invert the cup so that there is only a shallow cup allowing players to remove the ball without touching the flag please see photo below.

Bunkers

If rakes have been removed from the course, or if the Committee has requested that rakes not be used, it is recognised that bunkers may not be smoothed as well as when there are rakes on the course. But it is recommended that no modification is made to the Rules of Golf in such circumstances, and that players are requested to smooth bunkers using their feet or a club. 

If, as a result of there being no rakes, the Committee decides to introduce a Local Rule relating to bunkers, scores submitted under the following Local Rules acceptable for use in qualifying competitions:

Preferred lies in bunkers within 6 inches to allow players to get out of un-raked areas or bunkers marked as GUR.

If you have any further queries relating to Handicapping and qualifying competitions, please email handicapping@scottishgolf.org

Scottish Golf Update on the World Handicap System (WHS)

Following our last update on the new World Handicap System (WHS), on Friday 27th September, we are aware of some potentially misleading communication by 3rd parties. This has led to a number of questions and as a result we would like to provide clarity on a number of these to all our affiliated golf clubs.

If you haven’t had the opportunity to read our last WHS update, then you can read more HERE.

A reminder: what is changing?

From November 2020, the way in which handicaps are administered is changing. This change is part of the new WHS being rolled out internationally by The R&A and USGA.

As part of the implementation of WHS in November 2020, the governing bodies of amateur golf in Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales will now become the official licensee for all handicap calculations in Great Britain and Ireland.

All handicap calculations will be done centrally by each home nation and no Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) will be licensed to calculate or administer any handicaps in GB&I not just Scotland.

This means that each home nation, within their own jurisdiction, will perform all handicap calculations from all authorised formats of play as outlined in the new WHS rules. Each home nation will then publish a player’s newly calculated handicap index and make this accessible to all clubs and golfers.

Are Scottish Golf working alongside the Council of National Golf Unions (CONGU) to deliver WHS?

Yes, over the next 13 months, in the lead up to the implementation of WHS, Scottish Golf will be working closely in partnership with CONGU and our partners in GB&I in order to deliver the new World Handicapping System.

Upon the implementation of WHS in November 2020, each home nation will become responsible for calculating and administering the handicaps of all golfers under their jurisdiction. 

For each nation, including Scotland, this will be done using the Central Database of Handicaps (CDH).  By moving handicap calculations to the CDH, it will mean there will be one central handicap system in each nation. This will reduce the likelihood of errors such as duplications or conflicts that occur frequently in the current setup.

For clarity, Scottish Golf has always controlled their own CDH as have each of the other home nations. The key change is the CDH will now store and calculate the golfers handicap.

Under WHS, each home nation will produce a new CDH. While Scottish Golf are using a different provider for this than the other home nations, the different systems will interface with each other to ensure our golfers’ handicaps are portable across GB&I which is not currently the case as presently the different CDHs do not interface well with each other.

Are Scotland doing anything differently to the other CONGU nations?

Presently CONGU, as the authority for handicapping across GB&I, license the calculation and administration of handicapping to the eleven various ISVs.

Under WHS, CONGU becomes the licensee from The R&A/USGA to perform the handicap calculation and administer handicaps across the whole of GB&I. No ISVs will have a licence to perform or administer handicapping under WHS in GB&I.

In the rest of GB&I, a new licence is currently still being finalised by CONGU and once agreed it will be shared with all ISVs. This will give ISVs an option to purchase a new licence agreement under the new terms outlined by England, Wales and Ireland. This licence will not be to perform the handicap calculation or to administer handicaps for golf clubs.

As the new ISV licence has not been finalised by CONGU, it’s not known how many ISVs will seek to purchase a new licence. Scottish Golf will not be offering any ISVs the opportunity to purchase a WHS licence in Scotland. Scottish Golf's implementation of WHS will ensure that all golfers and clubs in Scotland will have access to handicapping software.

What we have been working on is an option to ensure that ISVs still have the same functionality to allow clubs to administer their competitions and publish competition results by pushing data directly to them.

Will Scottish Golf Clubs be required to use the new Venue Management System (VMS) as part of this process?

Under WHS, each home nation has been provided with the specifications from The R&A/USGA to develop software required for the calculation of handicaps.

In all of GB&I, affiliated golf clubs will need to use the handicapping software supplied by their home nation, but for all club management functionality other than handicapping, clubs will still have the choice to use other ISV systems as they currently do.

Will there be any additional cost to the golf club if they use Scottish Golf's Venue Management System?

As stated at the 2018 conference and to shareholders at the EGM which approved the increase in affiliation fee which supported the investment in Scottish Golf VMS, the new system and all its club administration and management functionality including and beyond handicapping will be free of charge to all affiliated clubs in Scotland.

Additionally, Scottish Golf will provide one free touch screen per affiliated golf club at no additional charge. There will also be an option for clubs to purchase additional touch screens at cost price to Scottish Golf.

More detailed communication to clubs, golfers and stakeholders as a reminder of why Scottish Golf has developed VMS will follow in due course. Trials are at a progressed stage in a number of clubs and it is estimated that golf clubs across Scotland are currently spending circa £2.5 million annually on management software.

As a golfer, how will I view my handicap under WHS?

Under WHS, all golfers in GB&I will be required to view their handicap on their respective home nation’s handicapping software. This will allow them to view information such as their handicap index, handicap data and their handicap scoring record.

We will be providing access to this through our website, app, direct link with CDH or in the handicapping software provided to clubs who will also have access to all these platforms.

World Handicap System approved by all Home Unions

CONGU are delighted to announce that the Agreement for the new World Handicap System (WHS) which will come into operation on 1 November 2020 was approved by the Board with the support of all the Home Unions: England Golf, Golfing Union of Ireland, Irish Ladies Golf Union, Scottish Golf and Wales Golf.  

The agreement was formally signed on Monday 16th September by Chairman Ann Brown.

The current CONGU Unified Handicapping System will be replaced by WHS which will unify six different handicapping structures currently in place throughout the world. 

With one single system in place golfers will be able to obtain and maintain a handicap index; use their handicap index on any golf course around the world; and compete or play a casual round with anyone else on a fair and equal basis.

More details will be posted on this website when available

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE CURRENT SYSTEM HANDICAP SURVEY COULD WIN YOU A GOLF BAG

 FROM LORNA McKINLAY, SLGA

Can all club/county members please complete the Handicap Survey from the recent SGU Bulletin if you haven’t already done so? The survey is regarding the current handicapping system. The link to the survey is on the bulletin, which all members should have received. I have also attached it below.

 HANDICAPPING SURVEY LINK

Take Part in our Handicap Survey for your Chance to Win a Golf Bag TaylorMade Golf Bag.
What do you think of the current handicapping system?
We are offering golfers the opportunity to provide us with your views on the CONGU Unified Handicapping System.
This survey is being rolled out across all the GB and I Golf Unions to gather opinions and views. Your feedback will be presented to the CONGU Board for consideration of any changes and/or developments in the next edition of the CONGU UHS Manual.

Closing date for responses is 21 November and all golfers completing the survey will be entered into a prize draw to win a fantastic TaylorMade golf bag

Lorna McKinlay Admin Assistant SLGA 
1 Redheughs Rigg Caledonia House 
South Gyle Edinburgh 
EH12 9DQ Tel: 0131 339 3987

CONGU MANUAL 2012 - 2015

To access an online copy of the 2012-2015 CONGU(R) Unified Handicapping System Manual CLICK HERE.

If you require a copy of the CONGU® Unified Handicapping System (effective 1st January 2012) manual, please contact the SLGA : The cost of the manual is £4.00 incl of postage.

Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association
The Den
2 Dundee Road
Perth PH2 7DW
Email: secretary@slga.co.uk
Web: www.slga.co.uk
t/n 01738 442357
fax 01738 442380

CONGU Unified Handicap System 2008 -2011

The Council of National Golf Unions has published the CONGU® UHS (Unified Handicap System) 2008-2011 manual which is the result of substantial voluntary work of the Council Members during the last four years.

The Council of National Golf Unions (CONGU) is the governing body for handicapping matters in Great Britain & Ireland and is comprised of members from the men’s and ladies’ Golf Unions/Associations in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales with additional representatives from The R&A and the LGU.

The UHS 2004-2007 manual included, for the first time, a unified approach for handicapping men and ladies under the same system. The 2008 UHS has built on this success and has been expanded to include a number of new concepts. These include Supplementary Scores, Nine Hole Handicap Competitions, a separate CSS calculation for “Home” and “Away” players in Open Competitions and assistance for handicap committees in carrying out the time consuming Annual Handicap Review (AHR). The manual has been totally revised to make it more user friendly to clubs and their members by placing the clauses in a more logical order and adding explanations to relevant clauses (in a blue shaded area) to clarify the system.

The section on Supplementary Scores has been included to assist golfers who, for whatever reason, play in few or no competitions each year, by allowing them to return cards outside competitions for handicap purposes. At the discretion of affiliated clubs, a limited number of Nine-Hole qualifying competitions may be run and such scores shall be used to adjust handicaps. This option is designed to attract more players into the Unified Handicapping System.


Common sense has always suggested that in Open Competitions, the ‘Away’ player is often at a disadvantage compared to the ‘Home’ player and subsequent statistical analysis showed this to be on average between one and two shots. Since this unfairly affects adjustments of handicaps, there will now be a separate Competition Scratch Score for ‘Home’ and ‘Away’ players to take account of this factor and to provide a more equitable basis for handicap alterations.

The CONGU® website – www.congu.com – is being updated to explain the changes and also to answer many queries about the UHS. The “Myths and Misconceptions” and “Frequently Asked Questions” sections should be of particular interest to the club golfer. All the constituent Unions/Associations websites have links to the CONGU® website.

CONGU believes that the revised manual and the incorporation of the new concepts will assist in meeting the demands of the modern game and the changing needs of club members.