Contents...

• Changing Handicap
• Keeping a GC Handicap Up to Date
• Updating a GC Handicap Card
• Using GC Dynamic Grade
  • Players Whose GC Start Grades Have been Revised by ASGA
  • Minus Players
  • Overseas Players
• Returning Players

Changing Handicap

Handicap changes do not necessarily become effective immediately. They only become effective at the end of the tournament if it is a Croquet England Calendar Fixture or any other tournament lasting no more than four days. In all other cases, handicap changes become effective at the end of the day. If a player's index goes through a trigger point and then goes back through the same trigger point during the tournament or day, their handicap does not change.

Although the Handicap System is described as automatic, it requires active management and occasional manual intervention. Handicappers are appointed at Club, Federation and National levels to manage the system. See how Handicappers may make non-automatic changes to handicaps.

Croquet England Associates are required to update their handicaps in the Subscribers' Area of the website - the office is not responsible for this. Players who do not have the means to do this should contact their club secretary.

Keeping a GC Handicap Up to Date

In order to keep their GC handicap up to date, all players who have played at least 20 ranked GC games are required either:

• to keep a GC handicap card and use their most recent GC handicap, or
• to derive their GC handicap from their Dynamic Grade (as explained in the Minus Players section below) only if their handicap has gone below zero and their Dynamic Grade also generates a handicap below zero, and they have played fewer than 10 GC handicap games in the last 12 months. Players who have been using this method and not keeping a handicap card, and whose Dynamic Grade drops below 2100, are to start a new handicap card with a handicap of 0 and an index of 2000.

Handicappers should routinely compare players' handicaps with their Dynamic Grades. If their Dynamic Grade suggests a handicap that is more than one lower than their handicap card shows, their handicap should be reduced accordingly, in the same way as new players who have triggered ASGA (see the Players whose start grades have been revised by ASGA section below). If their Dynamic Grade suggests a handicap that is more than one higher than their card shows, the player should be encouraged to enter more competitions to add more ranked games to their record and increase the accuracy of their Dynamic Grade.

Example: A player has a Dynamic Grade of 1421. The first trigger point below 1421 is 1400, which corresponds to a handicap of 6. Therefore, if their current handicap is 5-7, no change is required. If their current handicap is higher than 7, it should be reduced to 6 and their handicap index continues from 1400. If their current handicap is lower than 5, they should be encouraged to play in more competitions.

Updating a GC Handicap Card

The Handicap Card tracks the player's Index - a running total of points that increases when they win and decreases when they lose. The relationship between index and handicap is given in Table 5.

When a player's index moves through the Trigger Point for the next handicap level (up or down), their handicap is changed. For example, if a player's handicap is 7, the trigger point to move to 6 is 1400, and the trigger point to move to 8 is 1300. If a player reaches a trigger point and their handicap changes, it cannot immediately change back again as a result of the next couple of games. For example, if a player's handicap is 7 and index is 1390, and they win 10 points from a handicap game, the index becomes 1400, the trigger point for 6. Once the handicap has changed, that player would then have to reach the trigger point below their new handicap, in this case lose 50 points to reach 1350 and go back to 7.

Ten index points are exchanged in all handicap (Extra Stroke or Advantage) singles games - the winner's index increases by 10 and the loser's decreases by 10. Although a handicap is not used when playing level games, full records of all level games are also kept as they improve the accuracy of the player's handicap for when they do venture into handicap play. The points exchanged by players after a level game are calculated on a sliding scale as shown in Table 6. The points the better player can win are significantly reduced, while the weaker player can gain significantly more than 10 points.

See the Completing the Handicap Card page for how to fill the various fields on the inside of the card.

Using GC Dynamic Grade

Players Whose GC Start Grades Have been Revised by ASGA

If a player's GC start grade is revised by ASGA, their GC handicap is to be adjusted to the handicap whose trigger point is the first one below their revised GC start grade (in Table 5 above), and they are to continue their handicap card from that trigger point index. Players can find their revised GC start grade (if they have one) on the GC Grading System by entering their name in the Player Full Record function.

Example: A player whose GC start grade has been revised to 1637 would have a GC handicap of 4 because 1600 is the first trigger point below 1637 and 1600 corresponds to a handicap of 4. Their handicap index would continue from 1600.

Minus Players

Returning Players

A player returning to the sport after a break of some years should play off their previous handicap unless there are valid and compelling reasons (e.g. medical) to alter that handicap. If there are, and the handicap is to be changed, a Club or Federation Handicapper must consult with a National Handicapper to jointly determine the new handicap.

Once a returning player has played 20-30 ranked games after their break, their handicap should be revised in the same way as new players who have triggered ASGA (see the Players whose start grades have been revised by ASGA section above).