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**JohnTruels** · 11-09-2011, 04:48 PM

Assignment of handicap number to the individual holes is for the purpose of allocating strokes in match play so if you make all your first 6 handicap holes all on the back side it could give a distinct advantage to the guy with higher handicap in a match. If there is a difference of six or more strokes between two guy's handicaps then the high handicapper is getting 6 strokes on the back before getting a stroke on front. I am guessing that is the reason that strokes are allocated alternately between front and back to insure that strokes are allocated on both front and back side as evenly as possible. I can't think of any other reason to have a handicap number for a hole??? I guess if I were on a committee making this decision, I would be strongly in favor of having the handicap holes evenly divided between front and back, in your case probably would have the odd holes on back and evens on front though.

Thanks for posting what you are doing it is really interesting. Good luck with that committee and don't worry, whatever you do, someone will be pleased and someone will be mad. If by chance you do please everyone, please share your secret with us.

I would have thought the opposite - having say holes 12-17 as the numbers 1-6 handicap holes would give an advantage to the lower handicapper.

In a matchplay scenario there is no way you'd want all the lower handicap holes on one side due to the reasons already suggested.

From memory there is no stipulation in the rules saying the hardest hole should be stroke index 1, only that there be an even spread on each nine. Most courses I've played do however have them almost in order if difficulty but with also having the even spread which may sometimes require that say the 2nd hardest hole be rated the 3rd to keep the spread.

Interesting topic and I look forward to following it.

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11-09-2011, 04:48 PM	#29
JohnTruels Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 490 Senior Member	Assignment of handicap number to the individual holes is for the purpose of allocating strokes in match play so if you make all your first 6 handicap holes all on the back side it could give a distinct advantage to the guy with higher handicap in a match. If there is a difference of six or more strokes between two guy's handicaps then the high handicapper is getting 6 strokes on the back before getting a stroke on front. I am guessing that is the reason that strokes are allocated alternately between front and back to insure that strokes are allocated on both front and back side as evenly as possible. I can't think of any other reason to have a handicap number for a hole??? I guess if I were on a committee making this decision, I would be strongly in favor of having the handicap holes evenly divided between front and back, in your case probably would have the odd holes on back and evens on front though. Thanks for posting what you are doing it is really interesting. Good luck with that committee and don't worry, whatever you do, someone will be pleased and someone will be mad. If by chance you do please everyone, please share your secret with us. I would have thought the opposite - having say holes 12-17 as the numbers 1-6 handicap holes would give an advantage to the lower handicapper. In a matchplay scenario there is no way you'd want all the lower handicap holes on one side due to the reasons already suggested. From memory there is no stipulation in the rules saying the hardest hole should be stroke index 1, only that there be an even spread on each nine. Most courses I've played do however have them almost in order if difficulty but with also having the even spread which may sometimes require that say the 2nd hardest hole be rated the 3rd to keep the spread. Interesting topic and I look forward to following it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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