How to get a handicap at Hoebridge Golf Club.

If you haven’t held a handicap before, you will need to submit scores totalling 54 holes on any of the Courses at Hoebridge. The 54 holes can be a mixture of 9 hole and 18 hole rounds and must be played over the full ‘measured course’, that is, on the Main Hoebrdge Course, from the white or yellow square stone markers for a man, and the red square stone markers for a lady; the white/yellow square stone markers on the Shey Copse Course for both a man and a lady, and from the blue round markers on the Maybury Course for both a man and a lady. You must be accompanied by someone who is an adult member of Hoebridge Golf Club, who is a WHS handicap holder, and they will act as your marker.

You can submit General Play scores for handicap when you play with other Club members if you choose. However, it may be easier and more convenient for you to submit such scores during some of our regular competitions. For Men these take the form of Stroke Play competitions held regularly at weekends, and on Mondays and Wednesdays. For Ladies Stroke Play competitions are held on Thursdays and at weekends. Participation in these events when playing for handicap is subject to arrangement with the organiser of the Competition, and the availability of a willing marker. You will therefore need to speak to the Competition Organiser for the event, who will be listed under the Men’s and Ladies’ Committees on this web site.

Before playing your round, please ensure that the details required at the top of the card are completed, especially your full name, the full name of your marker, and the date on which the round is being played. You must also indicate which of the measured courses you are using (white, yellow, red or blue) by circling the appropriate coloured Course and Slope Rating Box at the top of the card.

When playing for handicap, the maximum score accepted for any hole is par x 2 (i.e. 6 on a par 3; 8 on a par 4 and 10 on a par 5). If you score more than this, your score on that hole will be reduced by the computer programme we use for handicap purposes to this maximum score. It follows that you can pick up your ball once the number of strokes you have played on any hole reaches par x 2. This can save you and your playing partner's time, and maybe even relieve some embarrassment if you are of a sensitive disposition.

When you have finished your round you must check your card, mark it ‘FOR HANDICAP’, and both your marker and you must sign it. It would also be useful if your marker printed their name under their signature. The card must then be photographed using a mobile phone and the image forwarded to the Handicap Secretary by e mail to hoebridge.handicaps@gmail.com . The original card must then be placed in the post box marked ‘Handicap’, which is located adjacent to the Service Counter in the Pro Shop. It is recommended that you submit each card immediately after your round has been played. That way any error can be picked up quickly. Once you have submitted cards for 54 holes the Handicap Secretary will enter them onto the computer system and inform you of your allocated handicap.

N.B. The Rules of Golf must be strictly applied to all such rounds, including the ball being ‘putted out’ on each hole.


General Play Scores.

Whilst the main focus for handicapping purposes after you have obtained a Handicap Index is rightly on handicap adjustment following Club competitions, it is permissible for players to submit scores from other rounds played over a measured course almost anywhere in the world, and outside the competition environment. The only stipulation is that the course played must have been allocated both a Course and Slope Rating. These scores will be treated the same as Competition scores, and handicaps adjusted accordingly. These scores are referred to as General Play scores.

The ’My EG’ app may be used to record and process these scores. This app has various safeguards built in to its software and members should ensure that the full process set out by England Golf for recording scores via the app is completed. The consequences of not doing so will result in an automatic Penalty Score, equal to nett par for the members handicap, being applied to the members Handicap Record, and will probably cause a reduction in their Handicap Index.

Members may also choose to submit such scores manually by submitting a score card in the conventional way. However, before commencing play the member must first notify the Handicap Secretary of their intention to submit a General Play score. This should be done by e mail to hoebridge.handicaps@gmail.com. The message must include the time and date of the intended round, and the name of the person who is acting as the marker/attester. If that person is not a Hoebridge member their WHS Membership number (CDH) should also be included. If the round is at an away club the notification must include the name of the Club, the name/colour of the course/tees for the intended round.

Once the round is completed the score card should be photographed and forwarded to the Handicap Secretary by e mail to hoebridge.handicaps@gmail.com . Alternatively, the original score card can be placed in the box marked ‘Handicap’, which is located adjacent to the Service Counter in the Pro Shop. It must be marker ‘General Play Score’. If, after having notified the Handicap Secretary of the intention to submit a General Play score, the score card is not received in a reasonable time either in photographic form by e mail, or in original card form, a penalty score, equal to nett par for the members handicap will be applied to their Handicap Record by the Handicap Secretary.

Also please take particular note of the following:

• The Rules of Golf must be strictly applied to all such rounds, including the ball being ‘putted out’ on each hole.
• Play must take place over the ‘Measured Course’. This is indicated on the Hoebridge Course by the White, Yellow and Red square stone markers, on the Shey Copse Course by the White/Yellow stone markers, located adjacent to the edge of each tee, and on the Maybury Course by blue circular markers. (As a matter of courtesy, and before commencing their round, players will need to request authority to play from these markers from the course warden, or, in their absence, from BGL Staff in the Pro Shop.)

Andy Richardson
Handicap Secretary
7/11/2024