A Course Handicapping Method...

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Danny D
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Joined: August 27th, 2019, 1:09 am
Location: SE Missouri

A Course Handicapping Method...

Post by Danny D »

I'll toss in my solution to this issue. I went thru the same thing when I created my first fictional course that didn't already have handicaps. Just keep in mind that this is only one method, but I found it to be the fastest, the easiest, the fairest, and the most reasonable solution I could find. Just my personal opinion, nothing more.

There are 2 programs or utilities that I used.

One is an executable "Handicap Calculator" program that works like an XL spreadsheet.

Two is a registry edit program that disables ball flight to save time.

When using the ball flight disabler what happens is, your player will make a swing, and the instant you hear the CLACK of the club striking the ball, the shot is instantly over and the ball will show up where it would have landed if you had watched it fly there. This saves a tremendous amount of time. This registry program can be toggled on and off as needed.

Here's the method I used.

First I ran the registry program to turn off ball flight. Next I started a game and assigned a foursome of computer players to play my course. 2 were pro, and 2 were champ. NOTE: You do NOT have to play with these guys. They will play the complete round by themselves automatically without your help. (unless one of them gets stuck in an unusual situation where for some odd reason they can't complete the shot , which is rare)

I set the course wind and speed to random settings which I just made up on my own. I made some very difficult round conditions, and some easy ones and let them play out the round while I had dinner, or did something else. Seems like it took around 45 minutes for them to play an 18 hole round.

Also, you may choose to leave ball flight enabled and watch that foursome play a round or 2. You can keep your eyes peeled on the course and your work kinda like a beta tester, while they play. You can make notes of anything that needs attention and make the repairs before final release.

After they've completed 18 holes, I entered their scores into the XL handicapping program, and took cell phone pictures of the scorecards in case something went wrong and I lost the original scores. You can also do screen captures and save them to a paint program.

To complete the handicapping chart you need 30 rounds of golf. Playing 7, 18 hole rounds with 4 players will get you 28 rounds. Then one more round with a 2some will complete the chart. After all 30 rounds are entered into the handicapper calculator, you will then have your handicaps to enter into your course.

NOTES:
Make sure each round has different conditions, and always use 2 PRO & 2 CHAMP players (or equal amounts of each) per round.

In the rare circumstances that one of them gets stuck, such as what I had happen once, do not give that player more than 3 over par for that specific hole. (I had a player that kept hitting a wood out of a green side bunker, and knocking it out of bounds). I ended up making him pick up. That was a game fluke. I didn't think it would have been reasonable to give him an outrageous score because of that, so I gave him 3 over par on that hole and entered it into the handicapping calculator.

If you want to give that method a try, here is the handicap calculator and registry program. My advice is to wait until you get all of the scores completed before you enter them into the calculator. I found that calculator to be a little strange or buggy, and I lost the scores I had already entered, probably because I didn't have any detailed instructions on exactly how to use it. So you're on your own when it comes to that. One important thing to remember is the name you give it when you save it. Make it something simple that you won't forget. Remember, its an .exe program, and when you save scores in it and try to open it another time, you need the exact name you saved it as. Otherwise you can't find what you had already entered. That was why I suggested doing it all at one time. How you choose to try is up to you. Just make sure you save backup copies of rounds already played.

Good luck,

Dan

Download those 2 utilities here.

Download Course Handicapper Here

Download Skip Ball Flight Utility Here

.
Completed Courses
Real Courses: The National Golf Club of Kansas City - Wakonda Club - Coeur d'Alene Resort Course
Fictitious Courses: Northern Lakes - Golfcom Tees
Southern Oaks - Hometown 9 hole real course with a fictitious back 9 added
Volorgas
Posts: 20
Joined: November 22nd, 2023, 1:58 pm

Re: A Course Handicapping Method...

Post by Volorgas »

I would like to handicap my APCD course using Danny D's method and handicap program, but the links here no longer work. Can someone share with me the handicap program that Danny D mentions in this post? Thanks.
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Andy
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Joined: August 22nd, 2019, 3:05 pm
Location: Winchcombe

Re: A Course Handicapping Method...

Post by Andy »

Volorgas wrote: February 23rd, 2024, 2:25 am I would like to handicap my APCD course using Danny D's method and handicap program, but the links here no longer work. Can someone share with me the handicap program that Danny D mentions in this post? Thanks.
I've corrected the links now.
Volorgas
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Joined: November 22nd, 2023, 1:58 pm

Re: A Course Handicapping Method...

Post by Volorgas »

Awesome, thanks Andy.
Volorgas
Posts: 20
Joined: November 22nd, 2023, 1:58 pm

Re: A Course Handicapping Method...

Post by Volorgas »

Well, here is the results from the handicapper program. What did I do wrong here?
Attachments
Handicapper.jpg
Handicapper.jpg (268.14 KiB) Viewed 117 times
pmgolf
Posts: 1097
Joined: August 27th, 2019, 2:41 am
Location: near Richmond, VA

Re: A Course Handicapping Method...

Post by pmgolf »

I've never used that program, but in line 2, hole #1 is ranked 8/12. 8th out of 12? Hole 2 is 6th out of 9? That looks strange. The bottom 2 lines seem to have some useful info. Looks like more work needs to be done. Put the cursor on Danny D's user name, and when it turns into a hand, click on it and send him a PM.

Pete
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Adelade
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Joined: August 27th, 2019, 10:24 am

Re: A Course Handicapping Method...

Post by Adelade »

Never used it, seems odd. You could just take the values from the "Average" row - because those seem to be correct - and just calculate it yourself.

Let me state for the record that I have absolutely nothing against handicapping fictional courses for Links based on scoring averages equating to hole difficulty, I think that is completely fine considering you either need a crazy amount of involved testing or else pure imagination in order to come with anything more realistic, but just for the trivia: Hole handicaps in real life are actually not based on hole difficulty, that is just a common misconception. They are actually based on how likely a higher handicap player is to need a "free" stroke on any given hole in order to keep up with a lower handicap player.
Finished Courses - Main: Amedal (fictional), Nine Bridges (real)
Other: Austin, Sheshan, Kauri Cliffs, Le Golf Nat. Updates: Whirlpool, Royal Lytham, Royal St George's, Chicago, Chambers Bay, Munchen Nord E
Working on: 2 fictional courses + a couple things...
Volorgas
Posts: 20
Joined: November 22nd, 2023, 1:58 pm

Re: A Course Handicapping Method...

Post by Volorgas »

Yeah, did just use the average scores in the bottom row to determine the handicap for each hole.

Thanks for all the feedback.
Big Sexy JC
Posts: 218
Joined: November 15th, 2022, 8:10 am
Location: Indiana

Re: A Course Handicapping Method...

Post by Big Sexy JC »

I believe the hole rank values are by the front and back nine separately and then the entire 18 holes. For example, Hole 1 is 8/12. That means it's 8th on the front 9 and 12th for the entire course. I think that the hole HC numbers are the max number of strokes that a scratch golfer should take on that hole. I might be wrong there, but that's my best guess.
badgolfer1
Posts: 38
Joined: May 18th, 2023, 1:13 pm

Re: A Course Handicapping Method...

Post by badgolfer1 »

https://golfsoftware.com/hsd/golf-handi ... e%20number.

This site tells what would be the hardest down to the easiest holes on a golf course. Also how one course compares with another course in how hard/easy that they play known as a slope rating.
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