Copy of Letter from John Hopkins Chairman Golf Australia 10 July 2013 To all Australian Golf Clubs I am writing to advise you of the confirmed implementation dates for the complete new GA Handicap System. In order to bring the various changes into effect, we will take GOLF Link off-line on Monday 20 January 2014. GOLF Link will come back online on Thursday 23 January 2014 with the new handicap system fully operational. GOLF Link will re-calculate the handicaps of all players during the time the system is off-line. The newly-calculated handicaps will all be Slope handicaps. All remaining handicapping changes will come into effect at this time. In order to bring the various changes into effect, major software development is currently being performed on all of the central GOLF Link systems. Major work is also currently being performed on all of the Tier 3 systems. (Note: Tier 3 refers to the third-party companies that provide commercial software packages to golf clubs. These companies are accredited by GA to allow their software to interact with the GOLF Link systems. The Tier 3 companies offer more advanced services than the standard Tier 1 GOLF Link system. As is currently the case, Tier 1 will continue to provide all necessary handicapping services.) Further to various queries, we can confirm that the Tier 3 software providers listed on the following webpage have committed to providing software to their client clubs that is fully compliant with GA s upcoming handicap system changes and timelines – www.golf.org.au/tier-3. The major reforms to the handicap system that will come into effect on 23 January 2014 are:
- DSR (Daily Scratch Rating)
- Slope
- SHA (Stableford Handicapping Adjustment)
- Handicapping of Conforming Social Scores
- The new 9-hole handicapping regulations
Although the details of the new handicap system have previously been communicated to the industry, there will be many people seeking a refresher of this information. A summary of the new system is provided via the following webpage – www.golf.org.au/new-handicapping-system. From now until 23 January, GA will continue to provide clubs with regular communications around the new handicap system. These communications will include advice around the resources GA will make available to clubs in order to make your transition to the new handicap system as seamless as possible. (Please feel free to provide to us any email addresses of club officials you would like to have added to our email distribution database.) We look forward to working with you to implement Australia s own new handicap system that has been purpose-built for Australian golf, and that has been designed around the feedback of Australian clubs. Yours sincerely, John Hopkins Chairman Golf Australia [Click on the document below to view or print the Letter from John Hopkins.]