2013 Guide to the Golf Croquet Handicapping Systems

Golf Croquet Handicaps are in the range 0 to 12 as set out in Law 16(see also Handicap Range Change below). Each player bears the final responsibility for playing at the correct handicap. Each player records every qualifying game on their handicap card to maintain automatically their correct handicap as described below.

Club Handicappers assign an initial handicap to players who do not have one, using table 3 or 4 below.

A player’s index is changed after each qualifying game by increasing it after a win and decreasing it after a loss. For handicap games the winner’s index increases by 10 and the loser’s index decreases by 10. It should be noted that Table 1 is non-linear due to the points exchanged being calculated on the number of handicap steps not on the handicap difference. The number of handicap steps between handicap levels is shown in Table 2 below. The mathematics of the system is identical to the previous system used in England except for a change of 4 in the quoted handicap. A player’s index cannot go below zero.

Qualifying games – Qualifying games are all singles games in CA Calendar Fixtures, Federation Leagues, inter-club contests (including friendlies) and internal club competitions played in accordance with the laws of the game. Friendly club games, walkovers and abandoned games are specifically excluded from the system. If a player reaches or passes through the trigger point for a particular handicap in either direction that player adopts the handicap for that trigger point as set out in Table 2. Depending on the player’s existing handicap this may or may not involve a handicap change.

However, handicap changes do not become effective immediately. They only become effective at the end of the tournament if the tournament is a CA Calendar Fixture or any other tournament lasting no more than four days. In all other cases handicap changes become effective at the end of the day. In each case the handicap change should be implemented as if the player’s index had moved in only one direction during the tournament or day in question. For instance a player’s handicap remains unchanged if the player goes through a trigger point and returns back through the same trigger point during a tournament.

Allocation of Initial Handicaps – It is the Club Handicapper’s duty to allocate a fair handicap for players who are new to golf croquet or who do not have an existing handicap. Tables 3 and 4 are provided as an aid to this process. This does not absolve the Club Handicapper from the need to watch new players carefully and adjust their handicap if necessary. Table 3 can be used for Association Croquet players with a handicap of less than 10.