Handicapping-Active seasons

[Har in the Hat]

Up here in Canada, we have active seasons in which handicaps can be posted.

The rationale behind this is  that there is a golf season called the active season whereby the course has acceptable conditions for scoring purposes and that playing outside of this active season does not count towards the handicap as it may unduly influence the score.

In Alberta here, the active season is from March 1 to October 31.

Do any other spies down south have active handicap seasons?

I assume the Northern states do as well and  as one progesses south, it gets longer.

 

[tony@CIC]

Up here in Canada, we have active seasons in which handicaps can be posted.
The rationale behind this is  that there is a golf season called the active season whereby the course has acceptable conditions for scoring purposes and that playing outside of this active season does not count towards the handicap as it may unduly influence the score.
In Alberta here, the active season is from March 1 to October 31.
Do any other spies down south have active handicap seasons?
I assume the Northern states do as well and  as one progesses south, it gets longer.
 

Same season here in Ohio, but I can post 'away' scores on GHIN during the winter. However, the index doesn't get updated until March


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[Kenny B]

Our posting season here in Washington is March 1 to November 14.

I'm a little surprised that you can post as early as March 1.

[geez2323]

We don’t have that in Arizona. We can post year round. We should get a few strokes in the summer months for surviving sometimes


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[DaveP043]

In Virginia we post year round, but one state north in Maryland the season is 15 March to 14 November.  Its very common for us to see a real seasonal variation for the guys why do play year round.  If you want to check out other states, you can find the information here:

https://www.usga.org/handicapping-articles/handicap-active-and-inactive-season-schedule-25489.html

As Tony mentioned, you're required to post scores you shoot if you play someplace where the season is active

[Kor.A.Door]

Here in South Carolina we can post rounds all year, there is no end to the season. 

[BigtazzGolf]

We're year round in Tennessee even though we can't play year round sometimes lol


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[Kenny B]

Just FYI...

When a club is issued a USGA Course and Slope Rating, the ratings are based upon how that course plays during the peak playing season (When the most number of scores are posted).  During the inactive season, posting scores would likely result in inaccurate handicaps.  

For those in mild climates with no inactive season, it has been determined that the course plays to the rating and slope all year long.  

[Kenny B]

Our GHIN posting season ended last Thursday, Nov 14.  Final index for me is 8.2

 

[CarlH]

I believe our season ends Nov 30th in Oregon and begins again March 1.  

[DaveP043]

In Virginia we post year round.  We're in an odd spot, in Northern Virginia, or west in the mountains it might be more appropriate to establish an off-season, while not far south its probably appropriate to post year round.  Right next door in Maryland the season ended on November 14, begins again on March 15.  I know individual clubs can decide that conditions aren't appropriate for posting, but doing that for extended periods is strongly discouraged.  Ah well, I'm just glad that I'm not the one who has to make these decisions.

[revkev]

Year round here

Yeah I know, it’s stunning. :)


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[Charli]

With the new handicap system will you be able to post all year round. They say weather plays a part? So the winter Should be apart of that correct. 

[HardcoreLooper]

5 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

In Virginia we post year round.  We're in an odd spot, in Northern Virginia, or west in the mountains it might be more appropriate to establish an off-season, while not far south its probably appropriate to post year round.

 

I have to admit, I was a little surprised when we went year-round in VA.  Course conditions in most places in January are nothing like they are in April.  But, it's a nice way to push out some good mid-season scores and push my index up a shot or so before the weather gets good.

 

[Kor.A.Door]

Year round here in South Carolina

[Grand Stranded]

On 10/5/2018 at 8:39 PM, Har in the Hat said:

Up here in Canada, we have active seasons in which handicaps can be posted.

The rationale behind this is  that there is a golf season called the active season whereby the course has acceptable conditions for scoring purposes and that playing outside of this active season does not count towards the handicap as it may unduly influence the score.

In Alberta here, the active season is from March 1 to October 31.

Do any other spies down south have active handicap seasons?

I assume the Northern states do as well and  as one progesses south, it gets longer.

 

Down here in Myrtle Beach, It's all year round as far as posting goes, even though we get our share of frost delays and cold weather days. 

I'll be heading up to Long Island this Sunday and will stay up there until after Christmas. I'm hoping to get a few rounds in at Bethpage and some courses out east, but they'll be in the inactive posting period I assume. Lots of temporary greens, and alternate tee box areas.

[tony@CIC]

11 hours ago, Grand Stranded said:

Down here in Myrtle Beach, It's all year round as far as posting goes, even though we get our share of frost delays and cold weather days. 

I'll be heading up to Long Island this Sunday and will stay up there until after Christmas. I'm hoping to get a few rounds in at Bethpage and some courses out east, but they'll be in the inactive posting period I assume. Lots of temporary greens, and alternate tee box areas.

Our GHIN posting season ends Oct. 31st in Northern Ohio, however, I still post scores in the system over the winter when we're in Florida.  I never really bothered to look to see how those scores affected my index - will have to look this year (if we ever get down south).  

[DaveP043]

12 minutes ago, tony@CIC said:

Our GHIN posting season ends Oct. 31st in Northern Ohio, however, I still post scores in the system over the winter when we're in Florida.  I never really bothered to look to see how those scores affected my index - will have to look this year (if we ever get down south).  

I know that my handicap cycles every year, going down in the Spring, and back up in late Fall.  I think a lot has to do with my decreased play and practice as the weather gets colder, and the daylight hours decrease, but some certainly is due to the more difficult conditions.  It will be interesting to see if the Playing Conditions adjustment will decrease the depth of the cycle.  

BTW, it appears that the Florida Golf Association has made available the USGA Rules of Handicapping for the World Handicap System

https://fsga.org/files/cm/Rules of Handicapping_USGA_Final.pdf

[tony@CIC]

1 hour ago, DaveP043 said:

I know that my handicap cycles every year, going down in the Spring, and back up in late Fall.  I think a lot has to do with my decreased play and practice as the weather gets colder, and the daylight hours decrease, but some certainly is due to the more difficult conditions.  It will be interesting to see if the Playing Conditions adjustment will decrease the depth of the cycle.  

BTW, it appears that the Florida Golf Association has made available the USGA Rules of Handicapping for the World Handicap System

https://fsga.org/files/cm/Rules of Handicapping_USGA_Final.pdf

Dave, I'm the opposite  - primarily due to weather and being bundled up. Being on Lake Erie, our Spring weather is colder and Fall is warmer because of lake effect. In the spring the wind is blowing over a 36 deg lake.  Being all bundled up playing in 40's with that cold my scores tend to be higher then start dropping into the fall. 

Tony 

 

[Grand Stranded]

18 hours ago, tony@CIC said:

Dave, I'm the opposite  - primarily due to weather and being bundled up. Being on Lake Erie, our Spring weather is colder and Fall is warmer because of lake effect. In the spring the wind is blowing over a 36 deg lake.  Being all bundled up playing in 40's with that cold my scores tend to be higher then start dropping into the fall. 

Tony 

 

Yes, I agree, plus Autumn is my favorite time of the year to play. By that time of year I'm hopefully pretty tuned in, and the cooler weather is a welcome relief from the SC summer. I love playing in weather where you can still wear shorts, but need a light pullover in the morning or late afternoon. 

When I lived up north all year, I couldn't wait for those early spring days though. After being cooped up all winter, I was just happy to get back out playing. Now, living down south most of the year it seems like we have 3 seasons. A long hot summer, brief fall like conditions, then transition to what feels like a few months of "early spring" weather. I miss late September, October golf up north.