Golf clubs should anticipate for these circumstances and
are given the tools in the System to make adjustments based on abnormal
conditions.
For average course conditions, assuming one set of tee markers
per tee pad, markers are generally placed slightly forward and backward of the
center of the tee pad on each hole and the overall average, of all holes, will
reflect the middle (average yardage). This is the typical and “best practices”
procedure.
What happens, though, when a course is experiencing abnormal
conditions? For any abnormal conditions, the golf course setup staff, usually
with the help of the club’s Green and Handicap Committees, will ensure that tee
markers are adjusted backward or forward more than the usual course setup
(e.g., for extremely dry or wet conditions). This helps to compensate for any
yardage gained or lost due to these abnormal conditions yet still adhere to the
USGA Course Rating™ and Slope Rating® issued by the authorized golf association
so players continue to post scores to the same, consistent Ratings. This procedure
helps to produce Handicap Differentials™ that reflect the average conditions.
See “Section 15”
of “The
USGA Handicap System” for further reference.
Another question we receive related to this topic is when a
player plays a very crowded golf course. For example, during some busy weekends
of the active season a course may place the tee markers nearly all the way
forward of the tee pad, on nearly every hole, to improve the pace of play. If a
player plays from this more forward position throughout the course, and can
confirm that it’s not due to abnormal conditions, then the player will derive a
temporary USGA Course Rating and Slope Rating to post scores to resulting from
the atypical setup. The player finds the chart in “Section 5-2g” of “The USGA
Handicap System” and determines the yardage difference from the tees played
and yardage at which it was rated. This number is taken to the table in “5-2g” to
find the resulting subtraction (or addition, if the yardage played was longer
than the average) in USGA Course Rating and Slope Rating and these modified Ratings
are utilized and posted for handicap purposes in this special situation. Click HERE for
an FAQ on this particular topic.
Remember that golf courses are rated based on average “midseason”
conditions—when the majority of rounds are played—and any questions about a
golf course’s Ratings can be confirmed with the club, or authorized golf
association that rated the course. In addition, if you have any questions
surrounding this topic contact the USGA
Handicap Department.