Handicaps

Our active period for posting scores starts on April 26, 2007. With this date in mind, we wanted to let the members know a few important items they should know for the upcoming season.

As of January 1, 2006, the USGA instituted a USGA Handicap Licensing Program that would be required to issue an official USGA Handicap Index. There are sixteen criteria that must be met in order to be compliant. Shaker Ridge passed the license criteria in October of 2005, and we are now taking steps to maintain our license.

The USGA licensing program includes a review of the entire program that any club is subject to, at anytime. If it is determined that a club is not following the proper procedures, they may lose their USGA licensing privileges at any time, until deemed compliant. Some of the steps that we must consider are:

Require the posting of all scores, home and away.
Require the use of USGA procedures for score adjustment.
Ensure that all acceptable scores are entered correctly.
Require that all nine hole scores are posted.
Reduce or increase a handicap index when index does not reflect player’s ability.

Additionally, we will be re-evaluating the Handicap Allocation of our course as well. Our current handicap allocation is based on the old system, where the longer holes were deemed to be the hardest handicap stroke holes. The new system compares the lower handicapped players (scratch player), compared against the higher handicapped player (bogey golfer), for the largest discrepancy between the two groups. The old system was basically due to the constraints of doing the math. With the increased number of computers, the newer system is much more utilized today. Using a database of scores from the 2007 season, with the two handicap groups, we are seeking to find where the appropriate strokes should be given. The GHIN system contains a program that would incorporate the entire range of handicaps, and make determinations using hole-by hole score entry.

With this in mind, the Pro Shop will be entering scores hole by hole on weekends, as well as random days during the week once our active posting season begins on April 26th. At some point during the season, members will be notified that they will take over responsibility of entering a score on the dates that they play. If a player fails to post a score for a round played, the Handicap Committee reserves the right to post a Penalty Score for the player, as prescribed by the USGA Handicap Manual, equal to the lowest (or highest) differential in the players current scoring record, depending on whether the score in question is unusually high or low, based on the current scoring record.

This program is not directed at any one individual, but is in an effort to make Shaker Ridge C.C. compliant with the USGA licensing program. Our current certification expires in December of 2007. Any individual questions that you may have can be answered by a member of our Professional staff.

Reciprocal Policy

Reciprocal Requests must be made in advance with the Pro Shop, and are subject to availability at each club. All play at local clubs will be subject to guest and or cart fees, and other restrictions.

In the past, the following clubs have allowed our members to play without charging them a guest fee, when openings are available:

• The Edison Club
• Normanside
• Wolferts Roost
• Van Schaick
• Albany Country Club
• Colonie Country Club

If you request permission to play another Club in the area, you may be required to pay a greens fee.

If you have any questions about the Reciprocal Policy, please check with the Pro Shop.

It's important to understand the difference between your 'handicap' (which can vary from course to course), and your 'handicap index' (which is listed on the GHIN system).

Your USGA Handicap Index is a number that is used to calculate your actual handicap on any course based on the slope of that course.

A slope of 113 is considered by USGA to be of a Standard Level of Difficulty. As the slope value increases from 113, the corresponding handicap would increase and as the slope rating goes down, the handicap would too.

For example,if your Handicap Index was 12.3, you would be a 14 here at SRCC, but the same index might make you a 16 at Hiland, or a 13 at Normanside.

If you still have questions, let me know?

...Trent

Rules of Golf

There have been questions regarding the rules of golf that do not allow a player to play the course on a tournament day, before the tournament itself.

This rule can only be waived in the following situations, as advised by USGA:

• Match Play Tournaments
• League Play (which is not an actual tournament, but a weekly gathering of players.
• If the tournament later in the day is a couples event when couples play and gather afterwords.

Tournament Registration Rules

You can now register for a tournament online, however, your registration is NOT official until you receive confirmation from the Pro shop, and deadlines will be conspicuously posted for all on and offline registrations.

Tournament Registration Sheets are posted on the bulletin board outside the Pro Shop. Our tournaments have been full fields, so please be sure to register early.

You will also find certain tournament registration sheets inside the Pro Shop. When they are inside the shop, they will generally be placed near the front door, so they will easily be seen.

If you'd like to play in any club event, but do not have a partner, email Trent, and we will find you a partner. You can also register online, and check the box for 'partner needed'.