The USGA Handicap System is well recognized and widely accepted by golf clubs throughout the country. However, this Handicap System is based on a player's most recent series of scores, and therein lies a problem that besets many tournament committees, particularly those who organize convention and resort events. Not everyone who wants to play golf has a USGA handicap.
How should a committee determine a fair handicap or allowance for novice or occasional player who do not have USGA Handicap Indexes?
How can a committee give everyone a chance to win net prizes at the annual company tournament?
The Calloway System is a so-called "one-round" system or "worst-holes system" that compresses the spread of gross scores when converted to net scores. It produces a result such that the player with the lowest gross score almost always becomes the low net score winner. Most players with higher gross scores end up with net scores within a few strokes of the winner so that most players can feel competitive.
By the Calloway System, a player's allowance is determined after each round by deducting the scores of the worst individual holes during the first 16 holes. The table shows the number of "worst hole" scores he may deduct and the adjustment to be made, based on his gross score.
For example, if his gross score for 18 holes is 96, he turns to the table and opposite that score finds that he may deduct the total for his three worst holes scored on holes 1 through 16 inclusive. Thus, if he has one 9, one 8, and a 7, his deduction totals 24. Further adjustment is then made according to the table below each column. For the sample score of 96, the deduction is reduced by 2 strokes, resulting in a final allowance of 22. Thus 96 minus an allowance of 22 equals a net score of 74.
Score Deduct
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-- -- 70 71 72 no holes and adjustment
73 74 75 -- -- 1/2 worst hole and adjustment
76 77 78 79 80 1 worst hole and adjustment
81 82 83 84 85 1-1/2 worst holes and adjustment
86 87 88 89 90 2 worst holes and adjustment
91 92 93 94 95 2-1/2 worst holes and adjustment
96 97 98 99 100 3 worst holes and adjustment
101 102 103 104 105 3-1/2 worst holes and adjustment
106 107 108 109 110 4 worst holes and adjustment
111 112 113 114 115 4-1/2 worst holes and adjustment
116 117 118 119 120 5 worst holes and adjustment
121 122 123 124 125 5-1/2 worst holes and adjustment
126 127 128 129 130 6 worst holes and adjustment
Adjustment to Deduction Maximum Handicap - 50
-2 -1 0 +1 +2
Notes:
Obtained from USGA website.