Incremental changes to handicaps, in either direction, is a set standard mathematical process. That I know. My question is…is the Buffer Zone within each grade also required to be standard across all golf clubs. Can it vary between different clubs?

If your club has golf link, the buffer zone happens automatically in each grade, guide lines are issued by Golf Australia.

The answer is it can’t vary between clubs.

It does not matter whether you are on Golf Link or not. To be able to issue “Australian Handicaps” you must follow the Australian Handicaaping system.

You can download a document from the Golf Australia website that has all the information.

Thank you. Now all is clear

For your information, the buffer zones set under the Golf Australia handicapping system are:

Handicap 1 to 4: 0 strokes
Handicap 5 to 12: 1 stroke
Handicap 13 to 19: 2 strokes
Handicap 20 to 36: 3 strokes

Thanks Publish…

what do you mean by buffer zones

what do you mean by buffer zones

nearly??!!!
if only !!??

It is the space where you don’t have to play to your handicap, and your handicap not increase.

For example; playing of 15 you could have 34 stableford points and your handicap will stay the same, because of a two stroke buffer zone…..assuming course rates 36 points

Buffer zone is number of strokes below course rating before you accrue point one (or two) back on your handicap. eg. from above, assuming rating is 72, and you had a handicap of 4.4 or less. no buffer and you get back point 2, if you had nett 73 or worse. 4.5 to 12.4 the buffer is 1, so if you have nett 74 or worse, point 1 back. 12.5 to 19.4, the buffer is 2 so nett 75 or worse is point 1 back, 19.5 up, the buffer is 3, so nett 76 or worse is point 1 back. 72 nett equates to 36 points in stableford or square in a par event, meaning you played to your handicap. Scores within the buffer means your handicap stays the same. Hope this does not seem to be to complicated to understand.

oh i get it now
thanks

4.4 or better you only get .1 unless you are 6 or more over CCR, in which case you will get .2

Brett

Thanks Brett, I slipped up there. Actually the wording is: Category A, up to 4.4, If a player submits a score with a differential more than 5 strokes higher than his handicap, his exact handicap shall be increased by 0.2, instead of 0.1