Disc Golfers Anonymous   March 8, 2013 at 8:07am

Bag Tags, Handicaps and more...

HOW HANDICAPS ARE COMPUTED
Players' previous five rounds are used to determine their handicaps. The formula used by the DGHSS is:
Handicap = (Average of Last Five Rounds – Course Rating) x 80%
Five rounds is the default. This value can be changed within the Disc Golf Handicap Scoring System.
A new player who joins a league must play three rounds to establish a handicap.

DETERMINING SESSION WINNERS – BAG TAG DISTRIBUTION
Players are ranked each session based on their adjusted (net) scores Net scores are raw scores combined with handicaps. Scores and bag tags are turned in at the end of each handicap scoring
1 round. Bag tags are redistributed based on the net scores. If players are tied, there are numerous ways to break the tie. Examples include:
1. Player with previous lower bag tag wins tie
2. Player with lower raw score wins tie
3. Player who has played more rounds in league wins tie
4. Player with lower raw score on back nine wins tie
5. Disc or coin flip

COURSE RATING
The Disc Golf Handicap Scoring System requires a course rating. Courses can acquire a formal rating from the PDGA. According to the PDGA web site...
“Hosting a PDGA event is the official way to get an SSA rating for your course. Your course gets an SSA rating when at least 5 current PDGA members with official ratings over 799 play it in PDGA competition. The rough SSA calculation for an 18-hole course with average foliage density is to take the total course length in feet, divide it by 285, then add 30. This will get within a few shots of the SSA and even closer if you adjust upward or downward for more or less than average foliage on the course.”
To illustrate a rough SSA calculation, the Effingham Disc Golf Course has the following distances:
The course plays approximately 5302 feet. To use the calculation shown above:
Course Rating = (5302/285) + 30
Course Rating = 49
If your course will not be hosting a PDGA tournament, this approximation should work nicely for the Disc Golf Handicap Scoring System. The default DGHSS course rating is 54.

COURSE PAR
Par for many disc golf courses is 54. More difficult courses may have higher par values. For example, the Foundation Park Disc Golf Course in Centralia sets par as 70 or 72 depending on teepads used and basket placement.