Welcome to the 2024 HPWC Season
Definitions and other information for new members/golfers
If you have limited experience playing golf “under the rules of golf” and/or are new to Harbour Pointe Women’s Club, below are some definitions and helpful information for terms you will probably encounter while playing at HPWC. Do you need to know all of this before you start? Absolutely not. Someone in your group, the Pro Shop or a Board Member will be happy to help you. We all started as new golfers sometime, so don’t be afraid to ask questions. This may seem overwhelming at first read, so we encourage you to come back later after you have had a chance to play.
Rules – We play under the USGA rules of golf. You can download a free rules guide through the Apple or Google store. Search for The Official Rules of Golf. You should see a USGA logo. This is completely optional. But there are some very handy videos ( a minute or two long) to help acquaint you with some of the most used rules. Your playing partners will be happy to help.
Handicap – A golf handicap is a numerical measure of a golfer’s potential that is used to enable players of varying abilities to compete against one another. We use both gross and net scores to determine winners for competitions. The net score is calculated for you, so you do not have to worry about that.
To establish a handicap, you must play at least 54 holes of golf “under the rules of golf”, meaning no mulligans, foot wedges, etc. Keep in mind, that when establishing a handicap, the maximum score you can submit on a hole is 5 strokes over par. If you exceed 5 strokes over par on a hole, you may pick up (unless you are in a competition that prohibits it – be sure to ask). The 54 holes can be any combination of 18- or 9-hole scores.
GHIN (Golf Handicap Information Network) – This is the organization/application that tracks scores and calculates handicaps. When you join HPWC, you will be assigned a GHIN number. Once you get a GHIN number, you will want to download the app on your phone and set up an account. This is where you should enter all of your scores that are NOT Harbour Pointe Women’s Club COMPETITION scores. What does that mean? When you play in a competition at Harbour Pointe, the Pro Shop will post your scores for you to GHIN. When you play casual golf at HPWC or some other course, you must post those scores yourself into the GHIN app. You should always enter your score on a hole-by-hole basis to ensure proper handicap calculations.
Golf Genius – This is the application where all of our HPWC competitions are set up and scored. You will want to download this app to your phone also. Before each competition, you will receive an email with a GGID (a six-character password) that will be unique to your group and allow everyone in your group to keep score. Only one person in a group needs to keep score on Golf Genius, so don’t worry if you don’t know how. Someone will help you.
Stableford scoring
HPWC uses Stableford scoring on all events EXCEPT the Club Championship, President’s Cup, and Player’s Championship where Stroke Play is used. The difference between Stableford and stroke play is you use points per hole for your score. The value of Stableford is that it allows you to pick up your ball after you hit a certain number of strokes on a hole. No more nightmare Page - 2 holes, no more feeling you are out of the competition if you really mess up the first hole, and no more pressure to keep up. It’s great for all levels of players.
An Explanation of Stableford/Points Competitions
It is a scoring system with points earned based on the player’s score relative to par. For the system that we use, scores are valued as follows:
• Double Eagle (3 less than par on a hole) = 5 points
• Eagle (2 less than par on a hole) = 4 points
• Birdie (1 less than par on a hole) = 3 points
• Par (even par on a hole) = 2 points
• Bogey (1 more than par on a hole) = 1 point
• Double Bogey or Higher (2 more than par on a hole or higher) = 0 points
Caution – below may be confusing to new golfers (and some experienced golfers). If you are confused, don’t worry, people in your group will help you and you do not need to know this to play at Harbour Pointe. Just enter your gross stroke score, and Golf Genius will calculate for you.
Gross and Net Score Components
We use both a gross and a net score in HPWGC competitions. For Net Competition, a player earns points based on the number of handicap strokes she is allotted on a particular hole. For instance, a player with a course handicap of 36 will receive 2 strokes off her gross score on each hole. A Gross Score of 8 on a Par 5 is a Net Score of 6 (bogey). That would convert to 0 gross points for the hole and 1 net point for the hole. She would write down an 8 on the card.
When can I /should I / must I pick up my ball?
Now let’s talk about picking up (not finishing a hole).
• To be clear, you do not have to pick up. It is entirely up to the player if she chooses not to finish a hole.
• One of the advantages of Points Play is that a player can pick up on a hole and not be disqualified from the event.
• That being said, if your group is struggling to keep up the pace of play or other players in your group are waiting on you, as a matter of courtesy you would pick up and get ready to play the next hole.
When can/should you pick up?
The simple answer is whenever you feel that you will get a score on the hole equal to or higher than net double bogey. If you are unsure when that is, ask one of the pros. They will gladly take the time to put dots on your card that show how many strokes you get on each hole.
What do I put down on my card?
Always write down your Gross Score on the card. Counting every stroke from tee shot to the hole. If you pick up you should put down the score that you assume you most likely would have gotten had you completed the hole and add an “X” next to the score.
Example: if you are lying 8 on hole #6 and you decide not to finish the hole, ask yourself how many shots it would take to get the ball into the hole?” If you think that it would take another 3 shots, simply write 11x on the scorecard for #6. If you skipped an entire hole, you would write par + however many handicap strokes you receive on that hole with an “x” next to the score.
People confuse Equitable Stroke Control (ESC…the score you can post) and what you can take on any given hole.
ESC has nothing to do with when you should pick up or not pick up on a hole. ESC is for posting purposes only.
The maximum score you can post on a hole depends on your handicap, but there is no maximum as to what score you can take on a hole.