Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2019 - 5

INSIDE
THE MG A
What is MGA
Membership?
* BY TOM RYAN *
Changing for the
Better
Adjustments to the Handicap System
shine a spotlight on inclusivity and
accessibility.
T
his spring,
we
were all wondering
how the new
2019 Rules of Golf would
play out. Seemingly, golfers
everywhere have
accepted
and embraced them. As our
season progressed, I noticed
that the changes many were
most worried about turned
out not to be a big deal.
While some saw dropping
a ball from knee level
as awkward, it's proven to
simplify the relief procedure
dramatically.
The option to mark a
course's problem areas
as penalty areas has also
proven to be a good change.
It means we no longer need
to deal with loose interpretations
of the lost ball
penalty. And the local rule
for a lost ball or ball out of
bounds,
allowing a drop
adjacent to the fairway, has
been a time-saver as well.
But the modifi cation that
probably impacts every
golfer and every round is
the fl agstick rule change.
Wanting the fl agstick " in or
out " is certainly a personal
preference, but even those
who want it out for shorter
putts are leaving it in until
they get closer to the hole.
Everyone seems to have
fi gured out how to make it
work within their group.
While it doesn't necessarily
save minutes per round
every time out, it certainly
helps with the rhythm and
fl ow of play around the
greens.
It may come as a surprise,
but there are currently six
separate handicap systems
in use around the world.
And while all of them share
the same mission-to enable
golfers of different abilities
to compete on a fair and
equitable basis-each operates
differently.
Effective
Jan. 1, 2020, the new World
Handicap System (WHS)
will be in place to determine
handicaps for all golfers,
including you.
One of the signifi cant
changes we will see is that
only eight of 20 scores will
be used to calculate your
index, instead of 10 of 20.
The calculation will also
be dynamic, meaning your
index will be recalculated
each time you post a score
instead of twice monthly. So
conceivably, your Handicap
Index could change daily,
albeit, only slightly so.
There will also be an
abnormal course and
weather condition adjustment,
which will kick in
when the scores at your
course on a given day don't
refl ect the norm. It could be
related to weather or other
factors, but the system will
recognize the situation and
adjust accordingly.
The new system is
intended to be more inclusive
and accessible, with the
goal of introducing more
people to the fun of having
a handicap. It will allow new
golfers to get an index after
just 54 holes, and the ceiling
on the maximum index
has been increased to 54.0,
encouraging more people to
track their game.
The GHIN service
under which you receive
your index through your
MGA membership is being
upgraded as well. It will sync
up with the new WHS and
will have a new look and
feel next season, along with
additional benefi ts at the
club level.
Finally, on behalf of all
of us associated with the
MGA, thank you for your
membership. The MGA is
your golf association, and
it's only through your support
that we are able to provide
programs and services
that promote the game and
its values for all golfers in
Minnesota.
See you on the course.
It's your
invitation to
play some of
the fi nest golf
courses around, through
participation in MGA
Associate Members' Days or
the MGA Senior Tour. * It's
your USGA Handicap Index,
now updated twice every
month, year-round. * It's your
subscription to Minnesota
Golfer magazine, delivered to
your home. * It's your support
of programs and services
that make the game better.
WORLD HANDICAP SYSTEM BASICS
Unifying the world's six handicap
systems began in 2015 and
culminates on Jan. 1, 2020, with the
launch of the new World Handicap
System through the collaboration of
these organizations:
Argentine Golf Association
Council of National Golf Unions
European Golf Association
Golf Australia
Royal & Ancient
South African Golf Association
USGA
The R&A and the USGA (who oversee
the WHS) solicited opinions from
golfers around the world through
online surveys and focus groups,
collecting 52,000 responses. The
results were:
76 percent positive
22 percent undecided
2 percent negative
One major innovation for 2020 is
that it's now easier to establish a
handicap for a wider range of golfers
by using:
Three 18-hole or six 9-hole scores,
or a combination of the two
(minimum of 54 holes); and, the
WHS allows a maximum handicap
of 54.0 (regardless of gender).
mngolf.org
Fall 2019 MINNESOTAGOLFER
5
http://www.mngolf.org
Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2019

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