"Where do I get my pops?"
So, you've calculated your Course Handicap and Playing Handicap for the day. What now?
Well, you might need to know where you get your strokes based on your Playing Handicap. That's where the Stroke Index comes into play.
The Stroke Index is the value assigned to each hole on a golf course to indicate where handicap strokes are given or received.
The Committee (your local course or committee in charge of a certain competition) is responsible for publishing on the scorecard or somewhere else that is visible (i.e. near the first tee) the order of holes at which handicap strokes are to be given or received.
It is recommended that a Stroke Index Allocation be applied over 18 holes, split into six triads, with each hole ranked on its playing difficulty relative to par.
Authorized Associations, like NebGolf, can provide a report detailing the difficulty factor that has been assigned to each hole derived from the Course Rating System. Ultimately, the course decides the final allocation.
It's a little more complex than simply ranking the holes 1-18 by difficulty though. There are several factors to consider, including where the most difficult and the least difficult holes fall. The front nine or back nine? Early or late on either side?
The first step is to rank the holes by difficulty, 1-18, regardless of where they fall. Then, the committee should take the front nine rankings and convert them to odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17). The same should be done to the back nine with even numbers (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18). So, the No. 1 hole is the most difficult on the front nine, and the No. 2 is the most difficult on the back nine. It should be noted that if the back nine is significantly harder than the front nine, the odds and evens can be switched.
A fine-tuning of the allocation follows to ensure it is spread evenly over the 18 holes, and so players receiving strokes will have the best chance to use those strokes before its too late. For example, those most difficult holes (Nos. 1 & 2), should be in the middle triad of each nine (Holes 4-6 and 13-15).
The next most difficult holes (Nos. 3 and 4) should be in a different triad than the top two. Also, its best to avoid anything No. 6 or lower on consecutive holes.
Want to learn more about the Stroke Index Allocation? Check out the full methodology and procedures in Appendix E of the Rules of Handicapping below.
About NebGolf
The Nebraska Golf Association (NebGolf), founded in 1966, is comprised of all members of public and private clubs and/or municipal or regional golf associations which utilize an approved handicap service recognized by the USGA and provided by NebGolf. Our mission is to uphold and promote the game of golf and its values to all golfers in Nebraska. Among the duties of the Association include governance of member clubs and service as their handicapping and course rating authority, conduct of state golf championships, local USGA qualifying & other notable competitions, promotion of junior golf, presentation of worthwhile educational programs and support of allied golf organizations in Nebraska. The Nebraska Golf Association is an Allied Golf Association of the USGA and carries out core services including Handicap Administration and Oversight, Course Rating, Rules of Golf and Rules of Amateur Status, Tournaments and USGA Championship Qualifiers and USGA Initiatives and Community Programs.
