Explanation of the FairwayFiles.com Golf Tracking System
Can it provide an official USGA Handicap Index ®?
No. FairwayFiles is not affiliated in any way with the USGA. If you want to get a USGA handicap you need to join or form a USGA Licensed golf club. Your FairwayFiles Index is provided for social / recreational purposes only. While it is not acceptable in USGA events, FairwayFiles Indexes will allow you to even the playing field with your friends.
How is my FairwayFiles Index calculated?
Your FairwayFiles Index is designed to measure your potential, not your
average score. Each round is assigned a handicap differential which
takes into account the difficulty of the course as measured by the
course rating and the slope. The handicap differential for a given
round is calculated using the following formula:
Handicap Differential = (Gross Score - Course Rating) * 113 /
(Course Slope)
The Handicap Differential is a generic number that can be used to compare rounds played on differnt courses. This is the number that is graphed in the bars on the score graph the My Stats page.
Your FairwayFiles Index is
calculated by taking the average of the best 8 of your last 20
handicap differentials.
Important Note for users with less than 20 scores
If you have less than 20 scores the following table is used to
determine the number of rounds that will be averaged to get your
FariwayFiles Index and any adjustments based on limited number of scores.
Warning:Be wary of betting with anyone with less than 5 scores as the basis of their handicap.
| Number of Scores | Scores Used | Adjustments |
|---|---|---|
| 1 or 2 or 3 | Lowest 1 | An adjustment of 2 strokes is made when less than 3 scores. |
| 4 | Lowest 1 | An adjustment of 1 strokes is made when 4 scores. |
| 5 | Lowest 1 | No adjustment |
| 6 | Lowest 2 | An adjustment of 1 strokes is made when 6 scores. |
| 7,8 | Lowest 2 | No adjustment |
| 9, 10, 11 | Lowest 3 | No adjustment |
| 12,13,14 | Lowest 4 | No adjustment |
| 15,16 | Lowest 5 | No adjustment |
| 17,18 | Lowest 6 | No adjustment |
| 19 | Lowest 7 | No adjustment |
| 20 or more | Lowest 8 | No adjustment |
Soft Cap
If your new calculated FairwayFiles Index is more than 3 strokes from above your lowest Index in the last 12 months, the new index will be limited to 50% of the amount over 3 strokes.
Hard Cap
Your FairwayFiles index will be capped at 5 strokes over your lowest index in last 12 months. Limiting growth of handicap to 5 strokes in a 12 month period.
Does the system Support Equitable Stroke control?
Yes. If you enter score details, the system will automatically adjust for ESC when calculating your handicap.
It will track your actual score on each hole and actual total score for your records,
but it will use the adjusted score when calculating your handicap differential used in your fairwayfiles index calculations.
Starting January 1st 2020, the Maximum score used for handicap calculation is a net double bogie. Your net score is calculated based on your current Fairwayfiles index adjusted for the difficulty of the course. For your first round since you don't have a handicap to establish a net score, the maximum is 5 over par. There is no limit to the number of holes on which a player's score may be adjusted for calculation purposes.