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GolfCalc Handicap & Stats About



About GolfCalc:




    GolfCalc is designed to improve your golf game through better feedback and instruction tips. Our Skill Stats & Graphs allow you to instantly see where your game needs work. With this information, you will be able to focus your practice efforts and see immediate improvements. For example, if our Skill Stats & Graphs reveal you consistently hit greens and fairways in regulation, and average 42 putts per round, it's time for the practice green rather than the driving range!


About handicaps:


    The handicap concept allows players of different abilities to compete on a fair basis. Also, your handicap is intended to measure your potential ability, not the difference between par and your average score. In fact, if you shoot a round of even par after deducting your handicap, you've done very well.


USGA versus
GolfCalc handicaps:
Important. Please read.


    Your GolfCalc handicap will not be an official USGA Handicap. The key difference between a USGA handicap and a GolfCalc handicap is the concept of peer review. This is the process of (a) providing a reasonable and regular opportunity for members of a Golf Club to play golf with each other, and (b) providing access to golfers' scoring records and USGA handicap indexes for inspection by fellow members and the club's handicap committee. Peer review prohibits "sandbagging" -- omitting good rounds from the handicap calculation, or conversely, purposely playing poorly and turning in high rounds in an attempt to artificially raise one's handicap to give an advantage in tournament or more important play.

    Therefore, the handicap system only works when you input true and accurate information. A true handicap system levels all players to an even playing field when competing. No golfer has an advantage, regardless of their ability. GolfCalc encourages its members to abide by the official USGA Rules of Golf and only input valid scores.

    The advantage of GolfCalc membership is that it is national. Because members located all over the country will not play together, these "sandbagging" concerns will not come up since there is no central handicap committee to review your scores. However, since this concept of peer review does not exist for GolfCalc or any other Internet site, the USGA will not currently grant GolfCalc, or any other Internet site, official Golf Club status. For this reason, your GolfCalc handicap is fine for friendly matches and informal tournaments. Ask the club pro if they will accept a GolfCalc handicap for more formal tournaments.

    Another key difference between your GolfCalc Handicap and an official USGA handicap is the handicap formula. The USGA handicap formula is a registered trade mark of the USGA. Internet sites cannot legally use this formula. As a result, GolfCalc has developed its own, proprietary handicap formula which very closely approximates the USGA's results.



    * USGA is a registered trademark of the United States Golf Association

    Portions of this page were paraphrased from USGA Handicap System