EGC Thursday League “Cool Down” Handicap Control Plan 

 

Evergreen Golf Club uses a handicap control plan developed over many years known as “Cool Down”.  From time to time, a player may play ahead of the ability of the WHS system to adjust, especially when playing 9-hole events.  The goal for Cool Down is to help level the playing field for 9-hole events, so more players have a chance to win.  This plan addresses exceptional rounds on Thursday league night, adjusting a player’s Playing Handicap (Course Handicap) for shooting an exceptional score.    

 

9 Hole (Thursday) Events 

 

  1. Pattern of Performance: If a player shoots net 2-or-more-under for 9 holes twice within any 4 consecutive Thursday night league play events, the player will be assessed a 1-stroke 9-hole Playing Handicap reduction.  

  1. Exceptional Score 1: If a player shoots net 4-or-5-under for 9 holes, it is considered a single exceptional score and the player will be assessed a 1-stroke 9-hole Playing Handicap reduction. 

  1. Exceptional Score 2: If a player shoots net 6-or-more-under for 9 holes, it is considered a single exceptional score and the player will be assessed a 2-stroke 9-hole Playing Handicap reduction.  

 

Notes 

  • The handicap adjustment will be assessed for the next two Thursday rounds in which the player participates.  

  • Reductions for multiple exceptional scores in subsequent weeks are applied cumulatively (same as WHS) and restart the adjustment period.   
        Examples:  

  • Shooting 2-or-more-under while in the penalty period will add 1 additional stroke per (1) above.  

  • If you have a 2-under round within the prior three consecutive Thursday nights, shooting 4-or-more-under in the current round will add 2 additional strokes – one per (1) above and one per (2) above. 

  • Shooting 4-or-more-under while in the penalty period from (1) or (2) above will add 2 additional strokes – one per (1) above and one per (2) above. 

  • EGC handicap control adjustments are local assessments only and do not affect the official USGA handicap or events outside of EGC events. 

  • EGC Handicap Control will not be applied to 18-hole Weekend or Match Play events.

 

 

Appendix: Background for the Cool Down Adjustment policies 

 

The USGA World Handicap System™ enables golfers of all skill levels to compete on an equitable basis. This means a level playing field with the opportunity for anyone to win on a given day, creating more winners throughout the season. In order to do this effectively, Evergreen Golf Club must at times address certain players’ handicaps and abilities by adjusting the player’s handicap index used in Thursday League play.   

 

Evergreen Golf Club Cool Down uses two strokes over 9 holes across four events as a modified 9-hole version of the Tournament Point System by Dean Knuth, co-inventor of the Course Rating and Slope handicap system used by USGA. 

 

Cooldown also imposes immediate reductions if a player shoots 4 strokes under in a single round – effectively the same number of strokes but all in one event. The 2020 WHS inludes a single score reduction policy exactly like this.  Under WHS, if a player shoots 7 strokes below their handicap index, there is an automatic 1 stroke reduction; if they shoot 10 strokes below, there is a 2 stroke reduction.  Reductions for multiple exceptional scores are applied cumulatively.  At EGC, we need to react quicker since we play 9-hole rounds.  The “exceptional score” cool down adjustment for four and six strokes is based on the WHS single score reduction policy of 7 and 10 strokes adapted to the 9-hole league.