Golf Canada

All members of the Broadmoor Men’s Golf Club are given a Golf Canada handicap account. The benefits associated with Golf Canada are described here: https://golfcanada.ca/join/now/.

However with these benefits, like most things in life, there comes responsibilities. This page describes the Golf Canada Handicap system and each member's responsibilities within that system as well as the Handicap Committee's responsibilities.

Member Responsibilities

As a member of the Broadmoor Men's Golf Club you are expected to:

  • Act with integrity by following the Rules of Handicapping and to refrain from using, or circumventing, the Rules of Handicapping for the purpose of gaining an unfair advantage,
  • Attempt to make the best score possible at each hole.
  • Submit acceptable scores (see below) for handicap purposes as soon as possible after the round is completed and before midnight local time.
  • Submit acceptable scores to provide reasonable evidence of your ability.
  • Play by the Rules of Golf.
  • Certify the scores of fellow players.

Entering your scores into the Men's Club spreadsheet does not enter them into the Golf Canada handicap system! Each member is responsible for entering their own scores into the Golf Canada handicap system in a timely fashion.

Handicap Committee

In order for the Broadmoor Men's Golf Club to maintain its standing within Golf Canada, it requires a Handicap Committee. The Handicap Committee is responsible for ensuring the Handicap Index of those members who have designated it to be their home club is administered in accordance with the requirements of the Rules of Handicapping.

There are many responsibilities of the Handicap Committee, one of which is educating its members on their responsibility to maintain a valid Golf Canada Handicap Index (independent of the Men's Club handicap index). The Handicap Committee can do this by either holding a seminar (nope) or by sending an annual notice to its members, which is what this is.

In order to keep this notice as short as possible, there are many links (many of which are duplicates) to more detailed information scattered throughout this e-mail. The Golf Canada web-site also has an entire section on handicapping.

Acceptable Scores

What is an acceptable score?

  • Scores from 9 and 18 hole rounds, or when 13 or more holes (7 holes for 9-hole rounds) are played.
  • Scores made in an area during its active season.
  • Scores from all forms of competition.
  • Scores made at home, away, or out-of country on courses with a valid Course and Slope rating.
  • Scores made under the Rules of Golf.

If you start but do not finish a hole (e.g. you picked up, were given a putt or were conceded a hole) record the score you would most likely have made. This is the number of strokes, including penalty strokes, taken to that point plus the number of strokes it will likely take to finish the hole.

When you don’t play a hole (e.g. you stop playing after 13 or more holes) record par plus any handicap strokes to which you are entitled for the remaining holes (based on your Course Handicap).

The active season for the Broadmoor Public Golf Course is March 1st-October 31st. Any scores made outside of these dates at Broadmoor (or any other course in Alberta) are not considered acceptable.

What are examples of unacceptable scores?

  • Scores made while playing alone.
  • Scores made while using non-conforming equipment or a restricted club set.
  • Scores made while being coached.
  • Scores made while not playing your own ball (i.e., scrambles, scotch ball, etc.)
  • Scores made when playing fewer than 7 holes.

Entering Scores

Once you have determined that your score is acceptable, you can submit it into the Golf Canada handicap system in several ways. You can use Golf Canada's app (either iOS or Android), sign in to the Golf Canada web-site, or use the computer kiosk in the Broadmoor clubhouse (behind the bar on the way to the washrooms). If you forgot your username or password, you can retrieve them from the Golf Canada web-site or contact the Handicap Committee.

All scores, both home and away, must be entered into the Golf Canada system in a timely manner. In order for Golf Canada to calculate adjustments based on daily playing conditions (i.e., course conditions, weather conditions, course setup, etc.), scores must be posted before midnight on the day that the score was made.

All gross scores entered into the Golf Canada system must be adjusted by the Net Double Bogey (NDB) maximum. If you enter your scores into the Golf Canada system hole-by-hole, then the Golf Canada handicap software will automatically adjust your score using NDB. However, if you only enter your gross score, then you must account for NDB before entering your total. The NDB system replaces the old Equitable Stroke Control (ESC), which is now obsolete.

When submitting your score from a tournament, note that Broadmoor Men's Golf Club only treats the Club Championship as a tournament, or 'T', score (for the purposes of Golf Canada). All other tournament scores should be entered as normal scores.

If you play with a fellow member of the Broadmoor Men's Golf Club, you can have that person attest your score. This is an extra element of peer review which, while nice, is not necessary.

Penalties

Failure to enter acceptable scores into the Golf Canada system can result in the Handicap Committee issuing penalties as per Rule 7.1 of the Rules of Handicapping. After conducting a handicap review, the Handicap Committee can issues penalties such as:

  • Freezing a player's Handicap Index as per Rule 7.1a(iii).
  • Adjustments to a player's last 20 scoring differentials, as per Rule 7.1a/1.
  • Penalty scores, as per Rule 7.1b.
  • Withdrawl of a player's Handicap Index.

Handicap Adjustments

As per Rule 7.1a/2, if you have a injury which prevents you from playing at your current Handicap Index, you can apply to the Committee to have your Handicap Index adjusted, rather than waiting for your Handicap Index to adjust based on your scores. Depending on the nature of the injury, this adjustment can be temporary or permanent.