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BBC News
17-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
World Handicap System manipulators are cheats - R&A
With Rory McIlroy's Masters success - and career Grand Slam - expected to inspire a surge in participation, golf bosses are warning humble hackers to avoid cheating on their of recreational players in Great Britain and Ireland are being sent information on how to stick to the rules of the controversial World Handicapping System (WHS) which was introduced in admit the system is open to abuse and some players artificially manipulate handicaps to improve their chances of winning amateur competitions."Through our research it's clear that in Great Britain and Ireland there are some specific concerns around the system," Grant Moir, the R&A's executive director of governance told BBC Sport."And particularly there is a perception that there are a small minority of players that are manipulating the system."We recognise that even if it is only a small number doing this then it can impact on competition golf and it negatively impacts on golfers' opinions of WHS."We want to emphasise that deliberately breaching the rules is unacceptable and to frankly call out manipulation for what it is, which is cheating." WHS was brought in to help make golf more inclusive. Players do not have to be a club member to acquire a handicap which can then be used at any course in the line with scores submitted, golfers are given a 'handicap index' which will provide the appropriate number of shots for the difficulty of the course they are playing. This should enable players of all abilities to play against each the new system, scores from 'general play', rather than solely from rounds in formal competitions, can be submitted. The arrangement depends on the honesty of golfers to enter scores that reflect their true ability."The rules of golf and handicapping rely on the integrity of players," Moir added. "And we all need to be prepared to challenge any behaviour that lacks that integrity."We want golfers to take the same view on the rules of handicapping as they would on the rules of golf."We know that it is very, very rare for people to seek to play other than in accordance with the rules of golf and we need people to view the rules of handicapping in exactly the same way."Golfers and club committees are receiving reminders on how the system should be implemented."We've got a social media and e-newsletter campaign," Moir said. "We at the R&A are collaborating with England Golf, Golf Ireland, Scottish Golf and Wales Golf to address some of these concerns."The principle purpose of the campaign is to raise awareness among golfers, but also with handicapping committees as to what their own responsibilities are within the rules."Officials insist the new system works well and point to growing participation numbers, which are expected to be further boosted by McIlroy's dramatic and inspirational play-off win in year, 14 million handicap cards were submitted in Great Britain and Ireland - up 1.4 million on 2023 - while nine million of those came from competition play."We want people to return as many general play scores as possible," Moir said. "That's when the new handicap system comes into its own and reflects current form and ability."
Telegraph
02-04-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
British amateur with Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Sir Nick Faldo in her sights
Lottie Woad has been labelled as the UK's hottest golfing prospect since Rory McIlroy but this week at Augusta, the 21-year-old has the chance to join an exclusive club of which the Ulsterman can only dream. Only three players have successfully defended a global title at the revered Masters course – Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Sir Nick Faldo – and the Surrey prodigy can enrol alongside these legends by retaining the Augusta National Women's Amateur this week. 'It's definitely a huge opportunity, and one that I couldn't imagine when I was watching Augusta as a kid, because this competition didn't exist then [ANWA was introduced in 2019],' Woad told Telegraph Sport. 'But there is a long way before I can make that happen. The aim is to be in contention on the back nine in the final round on Saturday to give myself a chance – and then to try to take it.' Woad is the clear favourite for the event that starts at the Champions Retreat layout, with the top 30 in the 72-woman field going on to the shoot-out at Augusta National – and not just because of her status as world No 1. Anyone who remembers her nerveless passage to glory 12 months ago will recognise a competitor who relishes the big stage. 'What sets her apart is her attitude to embrace the opportunity and see it as an enjoyable challenge as opposed to something to fear,' Nigel Edwards, the England Golf performance director, said. Two behind with four to play, Woad picked up three birdies to deny American Bailey Shoemaker. Woad became the first European winner of the ANWA and only the third Augusta champion to birdie the last two holes to prevail by a shot (following Arnold Palmer in 1960 and Mark O'Meara in 1998). The winning moment for Lottie Woad. #ANWAGolf — Augusta National Women's Amateur (@anwagolf) April 6, 2024 A year on, Woad explained how she kept her composure. 'My sports psychologist, James Austin, [a former Olympic judoka] taught me a simple breathing exercise which is basically just counting breaths and that's what I did,' she said. 'It is great if I ever need to get back into the present. It can be overwhelming at Augusta, because you know the holes so well that they've sort of become mythologised, but having Steve [Robinson] on my bag also helped.' Like Austin, Robinson works for England Golf and will again be at her side. While retaining the services of Luke Bone, her swing coach since she was a seven-year-old at Farnham, Woad has taken the traditional route through the national set-up. And for the first time Edwards will also be in attendance. They all want to see and celebrate the progress of a performer with the talent to emerge as one of the country's greats. 'I honestly think she is the UK's best prospect since Rory came along,' Karen Stupples, the former Women's Open champion, told Telegraph Sport. 'And considering the depth of quality we've had in the last few decades that is a big statement. 'However, that win at Augusta was as impressive as I've ever seen. Look at the putts she made, especially that 15-footer on the last to avoid a play-off. Clutch putting is an intangible that separates the great from the good – and she has it. With her temperament and nerve, she'll be very suited to the professional game.' There is already a clamour for her to switch, although she is torn with leaving Florida State University. Yet what else is there for her to achieve in the non-paid ranks? Woad played a key role in Great Britain and Ireland's Curtis Cup victory over the Americans at Sunningdale last summer and, after finishing 10th in the Women's Open, it is understood that she is on the radar of Europe captain Anna Nordqvist for next year's Solheim Cup. An eagle at the last🦅 Lottie Woad holes out on the 18th to finish -2. — AIG Women's Open (@AIGWomensOpen) August 24, 2024 Industry sources indicate that Woad – who is signed with Excel, the agency that oversees the careers of, among others, Tiger Woods and Justin Rose, and already has significant sponsorship deals – will jump after the US Women's Open in June. But first, history awaits. 'I do have plenty of goals left in the amateur game and, of course, that includes defending the title at Augusta,' Woad said. 'It's a special place and it would make it even more special for me.'
BBC News
03-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Golf's eternal dilemma - is World Handicapping System working?'
Eavesdrop many a conversation in a golf clubhouse and one could be forgiven for believing that the recreational game is being the heart of the complaints is the handicapping system, the mechanism by which varying standards of players compete against each other on level rating players' abilities, golf has always prided itself on providing a way for the humblest hacker to play against the most proficient of players; with both enjoying a decent contest.A little over four years ago a new global scheme, the World Handicapping System (WHS), was introduced. It has proved controversial and, anecdotally, the perception is that it has been a retrograde the aim was to create an accurate reflection of a golfer's ability to take on any course in the world, many players believe the system is easy to abuse for those wanting to fuel their egos with a low handicap or for those desiring a higher one to be more is that a true reflection of how it is or a myth? Certainly, there is a different view among those who administer the WHS, compared with those grumbling over a post round pint. 'The game's gone soft' It is an issue that affects millions of golfers across the world and England Golf, the UK's biggest federation, believes the system is working. Furthermore, this is being reflected by the recreational game's increasing popularity."The reality was, certainly up to the launch of WHS (in November 2020), that there was a decrease every year over a 10-year period with regards to people wanting to play - the numbers of people that played in competitions and then consequently, the number of people that were actually having handicaps," Jeremy Tomlinson, England Golf's chief executive told BBC the old CONGU system that prevailed in Great Britain and Ireland, handicaps were effectively determined by performances predominantly in club it is easier for regular social golf to count. This includes shorter rounds over nine holes, performances in head-to-head matchplay and while playing with a are able to submit 'general play' scores from rounds with their friends, provided they have specified before teeing off that they want their game to count for handicap means more rounds count towards determining a players ability. The best eight scores from your 20 most recent rounds are averaged to provide what is known as a handicap figure is then transportable to any golf course and is used to calculate how many shots you can deduct from your total score. The harder the course, the more shots you receive to reflect the level of the system works on a level of trust. Some players want the lowest possible handicap to help make them eligible for elite amateur events while others desire a few extra shots to help them win swanky competition can now be as high as 54 (previously 36) and the average in England is 19. "The game's gone soft," is a regular moan among diehard members."I think we have a swathe of feeling that there are more people with an opportunity to do well in competitions than before," Tomlinson said."That's probably because the old system lent, we believe, a lot more to towards the lower handicapper."But of course, there are just more people who have come in."And more people are doing scores now because more people want a handicap, and then because of that, more people progress on the golfer journey and want to compete." 'Those complaining are frustrated that it's different' There are 722,000 golfers affiliated to England Golf through clubs and the number is continuing to rise. Since November 2020, 38m handicap scores have been submitted to the federation's central database, with 10m in the last year do not have to be a member of a club to gain a handicap, and the Woodhall Spa based organisation offers it's iGolf app as a means for an ever growing number of more nomadic golfers."We've seen an increase in the number of competition scores, general play scores, 18 holes scores and nine hole scores, which is great and long may it continue," England Golf chief operating officer Richard Flint told BBC grumbles abound and clubs are being encouraged to take action to maintain the integrity of their competitions. "Griping is a big word, but I think that those complaining are frustrated that it is different," Tomlinson said."Golf has become a lot more inclusive in providing the opportunity for different people to win, and especially when their handicap is on the way down, while they're getting into golf and getting better and better."Tomlinson added: "The handicapping system is about integrity. It is more transparent than it's ever been because it is about the scores that you do. But there is a need for check and challenge."Sitting next to the England Golf boss, Flint nodded agreement. He said: "There is sometimes this thought that, oh, let's just ban the higher handicappers from competitions because they're always winning it."It's a myth. Clubs can use the terms of competition and have categories, so everyone can play the competition from an inclusivity point of view. Have a prize for the low handicaps as well as mid and high handicapper."Several county unions are now insisting that more scores from competitions, rather than general play, are used to calculate low handicaps when determining eligibility for elite tournaments and representative teams."We reserve the right to be able to review any handicap that has more than four general play scorecards," Tomlinson insisted. "We have denied players entrance to some of our championships because they've had too many general play cards."Tomlinson insists the authorities, including the R&A and United States Golf Association who brought in WHS, are keen to further the probity of the mechanism."The R&A are just about to bring out a specification within the system which will identify where they think manipulation's happening," he said."It's another tool that the club handicap committee can use to address that issue. It's not 100%, but it's something that will help."Ultimately, any system - if people want to manipulate it, they will. It's not the system that's at fault, it's the individuals."Tomlinson believes he is presiding over a growing recreational sport that profited from the bounce golf received by being the first sport people could play after the 2020 Covid pandemic the nation shut down, hundreds of clubs in the UK feared for their future. Tomlinson sat in emergency meetings across all British sports. "We were inundated with clubs saying we're going to rack and ruin," he recalled."Amazing. From that point onwards, people were starting to think about their health. Golf clubs became inundated with people writing to them wanting membership, wanting to have playing rights."And I promise you that the back four weeks of that initial lockdown, I went to those meetings and I hardly said a word because I was watching in my sport compared to sports like swimming, athletics, even cricket that were suffering immeasurably because they weren't able to open up their facilities."We were building something, and by 13 May when we came out of that lockdown, we'd almost got to zero with regard to our concerns up and down the country because almost every golf club was reporting in that they were filling up."And of course, by the end of that year, they were pretty much full with waiting lists. That's what happened to golf from from the pandemic."Tomlinson believes his sport, at a recreational level, has been left far healthier as a result. More people are playing at every level, whether on traditional courses or at driving ranges, in simulators or at crazy golf wants to exploit this enthusiasm to grow the sport by creating pathways from these fringe versions to actual courses, club memberships and handicap anecdotal grumblings, the figures stack up to suggest such movement is occurring. "And that's brilliant," he said."And to those crusty old golfers; we still love them. We still want to take care of them, but we need them to be a bit more progressive in their thinking."
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Golf's eternal dilemma - is World Handicapping System working?'
Eavesdrop many a conversation in a golf clubhouse and one could be forgiven for believing that the recreational game is being ruined. At the heart of the complaints is the handicapping system, the mechanism by which varying standards of players compete against each other on level terms. By rating players' abilities, golf has always prided itself on providing a way for the humblest hacker to play against the most proficient of players; with both enjoying a decent contest. A little over four years ago a new global scheme, the World Handicapping System (WHS), was introduced. It has proved controversial and, anecdotally, the perception is that it has been a retrograde step. While the aim was to create an accurate reflection of a golfer's ability to take on any course in the world, many players believe the system is easy to abuse for those wanting to fuel their egos with a low handicap or for those desiring a higher one to be more competitive. But is that a true reflection of how it is or a myth? Certainly, there is a different view among those who administer the WHS, compared with those grumbling over a post round pint. Ex-motorcycle gang member reaches Open with win 67 million to one - Whitnell hits two holes-in-one Boom or bust? Golf in flux but is it really thriving? It is an issue that affects millions of golfers across the world and England Golf, the UK's biggest federation, believes the system is working. Furthermore, this is being reflected by the recreational game's increasing popularity. "The reality was, certainly up to the launch of WHS (in November 2020), that there was a decrease every year over a 10-year period with regards to people wanting to play - the numbers of people that played in competitions and then consequently, the number of people that were actually having handicaps," Jeremy Tomlinson, England Golf's chief executive told BBC Sport. Under the old CONGU system that prevailed in Great Britain and Ireland, handicaps were effectively determined by performances predominantly in club competitions. Now it is easier for regular social golf to count. This includes shorter rounds over nine holes, performances in head-to-head matchplay and while playing with a partner. Golfers are able to submit 'general play' scores from rounds with their friends, provided they have specified before teeing off that they want their game to count for handicap purposes. This means more rounds count towards determining a players ability. The best eight scores from your 20 most recent rounds are averaged to provide what is known as a handicap index. This figure is then transportable to any golf course and is used to calculate how many shots you can deduct from your total score. The harder the course, the more shots you receive to reflect the level of difficulty. But the system works on a level of trust. Some players want the lowest possible handicap to help make them eligible for elite amateur events while others desire a few extra shots to help them win swanky competition prizes. Handicaps can now be as high as 54 (previously 36) and the average in England is 19. "The game's gone soft," is a regular moan among diehard members. "I think we have a swathe of feeling that there are more people with an opportunity to do well in competitions than before," Tomlinson said. "That's probably because the old system lent, we believe, a lot more to towards the lower handicapper. "But of course, there are just more people who have come in. "And more people are doing scores now because more people want a handicap, and then because of that, more people progress on the golfer journey and want to compete." There are 722,000 golfers affiliated to England Golf through clubs and the number is continuing to rise. Since November 2020, 38m handicap scores have been submitted to the federation's central database, with 10m in the last year alone. Players do not have to be a member of a club to gain a handicap, and the Woodhall Spa based organisation offers it's iGolf app as a means for an ever growing number of more nomadic golfers. "We've seen an increase in the number of competition scores, general play scores, 18 holes scores and nine hole scores, which is great and long may it continue," England Golf chief operating officer Richard Flint told BBC Sport. Nevertheless grumbles abound and clubs are being encouraged to take action to maintain the integrity of their competitions. "Griping is a big word, but I think that those complaining are frustrated that it is different," Tomlinson said. "Golf has become a lot more inclusive in providing the opportunity for different people to win, and especially when their handicap is on the way down, while they're getting into golf and getting better and better." Tomlinson added: "The handicapping system is about integrity. It is more transparent than it's ever been because it is about the scores that you do. But there is a need for check and challenge." Sitting next to the England Golf boss, Flint nodded agreement. He said: "There is sometimes this thought that, oh, let's just ban the higher handicappers from competitions because they're always winning it. "It's a myth. Clubs can use the terms of competition and have categories, so everyone can play the competition from an inclusivity point of view. Have a prize for the low handicaps as well as mid and high handicapper." Several county unions are now insisting that more scores from competitions, rather than general play, are used to calculate low handicaps when determining eligibility for elite tournaments and representative teams. "We reserve the right to be able to review any handicap that has more than four general play scorecards," Tomlinson insisted. "We have denied players entrance to some of our championships because they've had too many general play cards." Tomlinson insists the authorities, including the R&A and United States Golf Association who brought in WHS, are keen to further the probity of the mechanism. "The R&A are just about to bring out a specification within the system which will identify where they think manipulation's happening," he said. "It's another tool that the club handicap committee can use to address that issue. It's not 100%, but it's something that will help. "Ultimately, any system - if people want to manipulate it, they will. It's not the system that's at fault, it's the individuals." Tomlinson believes he is presiding over a growing recreational sport that profited from the bounce golf received by being the first sport people could play after the 2020 Covid pandemic lockdown. As the nation shut down, hundreds of clubs in the UK feared for their future. Tomlinson sat in emergency meetings across all British sports. "We were inundated with clubs saying we're going to rack and ruin," he recalled. "Amazing. From that point onwards, people were starting to think about their health. Golf clubs became inundated with people writing to them wanting membership, wanting to have playing rights. "And I promise you that the back four weeks of that initial lockdown, I went to those meetings and I hardly said a word because I was watching in my sport compared to sports like swimming, athletics, even cricket that were suffering immeasurably because they weren't able to open up their facilities. "We were building something, and by 13 May when we came out of that lockdown, we'd almost got to zero with regard to our concerns up and down the country because almost every golf club was reporting in that they were filling up. "And of course, by the end of that year, they were pretty much full with waiting lists. That's what happened to golf from from the pandemic." Tomlinson believes his sport, at a recreational level, has been left far healthier as a result. More people are playing at every level, whether on traditional courses or at driving ranges, in simulators or at crazy golf courses. He wants to exploit this enthusiasm to grow the sport by creating pathways from these fringe versions to actual courses, club memberships and handicap competitions. Despite anecdotal grumblings, the figures stack up to suggest such movement is occurring. "And that's brilliant," he said. "And to those crusty old golfers; we still love them. We still want to take care of them, but we need them to be a bit more progressive in their thinking."
