To Post Or Not to Post? That is the Question
October 6, 2014
Susan White, British Columbia Golf
The active season for posting scores made on golf courses in British Columbia is from March 1st to November 15th. This is the season set by the provincial golf association in which clubs may open their handicap system for the posting of scores played on B.C. Courses.
Individual clubs may determine that their course is not ready for the posting of scores and may delay the opening of their books to a later date in time.
Once your club has “opened for the posting of scores” your club has other factors to consider during the “active season”.
Preferred Lies: Course conditions may become less than perfect. Your club committee may determine that it is time to play “preferred lies” a.k.a “winter rules”, and still keep the books open for the posting of scores for handicap purposes. This could be in a specific area, a particular hole or throughout the course.
If your committee decides to adopt a local rule for “preferred lies”, they will find a specimen local rule in The Rules of Golf (Appendix I, Part B Specimen Local Rule 4c) and noted in Section 7 of the Handicap Manual.
If an individual or group at your club decides to apply some form of this local rule when your club committee has not invoked the rule, the player’s score is still acceptable and must be posted for handicap purposes.
Suspend Posting: When conditions at your course may become so adverse the effective playing length of the course cannot be maintained, your committee may close your books for the posting of scores in advance of the November 15th date. This could be for the season or for a shorter period of time, if conditions are expected to improve.
The committee charged with making the determination should examine the variables that have an impact on the effective playing length of your course. Sometime this may be maintained by moving tees forward, if the course is wet, or moving them back if the course is extremely dry. However, there may be a point in time that the effective playing length cannot be maintained and they should close your books for posting.
If the committee decides to suspend score posting due to poor course conditions, it should notify all players playing the course that scores should not be posted.
Section 7 of the Golf Canada Handicap Manual deals specifically with preferred lies and adverse course conditions. The Golf Canada Handicap Manual is an essential resource for Clubs and Committees to use relative to all handicap system. It should be used and referenced by your committee when dealing with any handicap issues.
For more information, contact your club’s Handicap Committee or our offices.