Scottish Golf launch Handicap Week

• Scottish Golf launch inaugural Handicap Week
• Aims to help golfers understand the handicapping system
• Kevin Weir: “Handicapping is hugely important”

Scottish Golf’s inaugural Handicap Week has been launched with the aim of helping to educate new and established golfers on how to better understand the handicapping system.

With the season now well underway, the SGU and SLGA have combined to develop a series of easy-to-understand features on their digital media channels around the key issues of handicapping, to help raise awareness.

Throughout this week, golfers will be encouraged to read information on handicapping terminologies, such as ‘The Buffer Zone’ and ‘Stableford Nett Double Bogey Adjustment’, as well as the Scottish Golf Centralised Database of Handicaps.

Kevin Weir, Scottish Golf services manager, said: “Now that most clubs have their competitions well underway, players will be starting to focus on the season ahead and setting their handicap targets and aspirations.

“Research shows that once players establish a handicap, they are more likely to retain their membership” – Kevin Weir

“Handicapping is a hugely important part of club membership and research shows that once players establish a handicap, they are more likely to retain their membership.

“We hope educating players and making the system easier to understand will help this process, particularly with those golfers who are new to the game. It will also help us debate the key issues raised by golfers and golf clubs on the current system, which is always a popular subject at clubhouses across the country.

Thousands of golfers and committee members get in touch with the SGU and SLGA each year with a variety of handicap-related queries and the governing bodies hope the campaign will promote improved understanding of the key principles, with information being dispensed in a more user-friendly communication style.

One of the days will focus on nine-hole qualifying competitions, which allow golfers to establish and maintain a competitive handicap while being out on the course for less than two hours, while some of the main myths and misconceptions of the system will be highlighted.

The themed week is being supported by Macdonald Hotels & Resorts, with golf club members being given the chance to win a golf and accommodation break at the superb Macdonald Cardrona Hotel, Golf & Spa near Peebles.

To find out more on Scottish Golf Handicap Week, golfers should visit the SGU and SLGA Facebook and Twitter channels @SGUGolf and @SLGAGolf respectively, using the hashtag #HandicapWeek, or click on the Handicap Week banner on the homepage of www.scottishgolf.org.