Although the Handicap System is described as automatic, it nevertheless requires quite a high degree of actual management. The whole system relies upon the correct and complete recording of all competitive games by every player within the system and hence all the disciplines to ensure the correct records are being kept and that suitable initial handicaps are being issued, falls to those managing the various competitive events. No matter how good is the system design, it will fall flat on its face unless all the inputs are well managed. Once serious errors are allowed to creep into the system, the players very rapidly loose confidence in the system and handicap play loses all its popularity.
One major difference between AC and GC is that virtually all actual handicap play in GC is Federation based other than one single national competition, the "All England Handicap". As such the national governing body, the CA, has little power to actually manage the handicap system and all such duties fall on the shoulders of the individual federations. It is very pleasing to note that the federations who are now running quite extensive GC handicap competitions have taken these tasks very much to heart and are instituting all the necessary disciplines individually in their areas. There is however a vital role for the CA Handicap Committee to play and that is as a coordinator and advisor on all handicapping practices. Representatives from the major federations involved in handicap GC play have been co-opted on to the Handicap Committee and have pooled all their ideas on good practice in handicapping which they are now able to present on this web site.
It has been a difficult twelve years to establish a reasonable basis for handicap GC play in the UK as we have not started with an established culture that includes the handicap disciplines as have been established in AC. Most club players are new to the game of croquet and have started on GC only. In some cases it has been necessary to introduce some almost draconian measures to make the handicap system work but once in place, the majority of players have seen the benefits and are now accepting such measures with their full support. The following practices are a summary of those being used in some federations. They cannot be mandatory as all federations operate independently and the Handicap Committee can only advise that they be considered by each and every federation for use in their areas.
With the vast majority of clubs now starting all new members on Golf Croquet,
handicap play is the most likely introduction a new player will receive for
competitive play. As such it is vital that the handicap system is seen to be
as fair as possible as it is rapidly becoming the GATEWAY to
competitive play in croquet
In our introduction to managing a handicap system, the leading role of each Federation in establishing handicap GC play was explored and the following practices are those which it is recommended should be adopted by each federation as it is only they who can establish the necessary infrastructure to make the system function. A GC Handicap system will only work if the Federation concerned wants to make it work.
The primary stage of any development of handicap play is to ensure that the support team are all appointed and the leader in this area has to be the Club Handicapper. It is fully accepted that some of the larger clubs have well organised committees to look after handicap matters but the critical issue is that one person is specifically identified as the primary spokesman for all handicap matters within the club and that the club committee give the handicapper the power to deal with all associated matters. The Club Handicapper should always receive directly all information for guidance on handicapping and it should not have to be routed via overworked Secretaries. Similarly if there are problems with a particular players handicap, the Club Handicapper should be the first contact in trying to resolve any problem. To ensure that all clubs undertake this essential appointment, some Federations require that it is a condition of entry for all Federation events that a Club Handicapper be appointed for both disciplines (AC and GC) and that handicappers name be published on the Federation web site to allow simple contact to be made.
Having required all clubs to appoint a handicapper, then its only fair that the handicapper should be made fully aware of what is being asked of him or her and the following bullet points cover all the duties we feel are necessary.
• The Club Handicapper (CH) will ensure that any player from their club
who plays in an event outside that club always has a validated handicap and
a handicap card whose use has been fully explained.
• The CH will maintain handicap records for all club members and will
update as changes occur automatically.
• The CH will always authenticate new cards or changes outside the automatic
system by a clear printed signature
• The CH should examine all handicaps prior to the start of a season and
preferably again mid season.
• The CH should always try to specifically monitor players who have had
an initial handicap set that season. A review after say 2 months or 10 recorded
games is recommended and the CH should not be against making changes if the
original handicap is seen to be incorrect. As a guide it is not expected that
changes of just one would be made.
• The CH will actively encourage the use of handicap cards
The major point that arises from these terms of reference is that club handicappers duties are not just the allocation of new handicaps but ensuring that the system works overall. The need for inspection of all cards prior to the start of a season cannot be stressed sufficiently.
We can train our players to correctly fill in cards but it is of no avail if the card has not been properly authenticated. With the regular tournament player there is an ideal authentication and that is a lengthy string of recorded results. There is no better way of justifying a high handicap than a recorded series of lost games. The situation is however vastly different with the player just starting on the tournament road. The player has to be given an initial handicap which is where our Club Handicapper becomes involved. How this should be done is described elsewhere but once the handicap has been allocated, it is the duty of the Club Handicapper to see the player’s card is correctly authenticated. A primary requirement for authentication has to be traceability and the authorising signature must be clear and easily read. The 2013 version of the CA GC handicap card provides much more space for this signature.
A further measure which is considered very necessary is that handicaps issued in one season should not be considered valid for the next season unless there are at least ten recorded games on the card. With low numbers of records on each card, it must be authorised at the start of each season when all handicap cards should be reviewed by the Club handicapper.
In the recommendations above, a lot has been made of the authentication process.
It is absolutely no use going to these lengths without some sting in the tail.
In the SE, a handicap card that is not correctly authenticated is no longer
a valid card. The Federation rules require " All players shall bring their
valid handicap cards otherwise they must play off 6 or the handicap specified
in table 2 of the CA’s Golf Croquet handicapping guide where they have
an association handicap of below 10. "
Federation Handicappers
The Handicap Committee appoint a number of players as CA Handicappers who have the authority to make non automatic changes at any level. However one requirement for bring a CA Handicapper is that the player is active in the national level play circuit so that he or she have a very good understanding of the playing abilities associated with the lower handicap levels. Unfortunately in some areas there is a distinct shortage of CA Handicappers and use has to be made of the many players in a federation with several years of playing experience and a very good feel for handicapping. It is therefore important that a Federation recognise such players and formally list them as "Federation Handicappers". They should be given the power to vary any players handicap if they feel it is necessary after visual observation. In addition they should be used to help the lesser experienced Club Handicappers to set up or improve handicap standards in the smaller clubs. They should always take a very proactive role where they find any disquiet over handicaps.
It is hoped that those players appointed as CA Handicappers will also be active within their own Federation areas and can take over the role of Federation Handicappers as described above. They also however have a further task and that is trying to maintain a consistent standard of handicapping around the whole of the UK for the lower handicap levels. They are the only players involved in handicapping that regularly play opponents on a country wide basis and are therefore in the best position to see the standards are maintained.
The players who have been appointed as CA Handicappers are listed on the CA web site.