Q:  When you are posting a score, what exactly does home, away or tournament mean? And what is a type C or P score? Do score types make a difference to your handicap?

A:  The Score Types with letters H (Home) and A (Away) are just designed to make it easier for you to post your score, and easier for your fellow members and Handicap Committee to recognize those particular scores.  They have no special impact on your Handicap Index calculation. 

A type C score is two nine-hole scores combined into an 18-hole score.  The nine-hole scores are combined in the order in which they reach GHIN, and are posted with the date of the second nine.  In the combining of two nines into 18-hole scores, the Course Ratings are added together, and the Slope Ratings are added and divided by two. 

The T (Tournament) score is the one score type that can have an impact on your Handicap Index.  Tournament rounds, if they are very low, have the potential to have an impact on your handicap even after they have cycled their way out of your 20 most recent rounds.  The Committee in charge of conducting the event decides in advance if the T is worthy to be applied or not.  T scores are intended for significant events, like club Championships, for example, and not routine weekly or monthly events or ones that do not carry special importance. 

P scores can only be applied by a club’s Handicap Committee and indicate a Penalty score.  Penalty scores are not par – such as 72 – as many people might think.  A Penalty score can be a low penalty or a high penalty, and are relational to the individual player’s scoring record. A Handicap Committee would add a penalty score for reason of failure by the player to post scores, and it is not necessary for the Committee to inform the player they are doing so. 

Questions? Contact the OGA Handicapping & Course Rating Department.

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