Callaway Handicap System
The Callaway Handicap System
Said to originate at Pinehurst by the late Lionel Callaway, the pro at Pinehurst in the 1950s and 1960s - the Callaway Handicap System is utilized for players without a verifiable handicap.
This system becomes useful for company tournaments, where some competitors may not have played in several months or simply don't play often enough to warrant obtaining a formal handicap.
Please note that Callway refers to a handicap system. It is not a scoring system, such as Stableford. When you run a Callaway event, you must follow the rules of golf for Stroke Play.
How It Works
- The player' gross score is tallied after the 18th hole.
- The gross score is reduced by deducting the allowed Worst Hole(s) score.
- An additional adjustment is made as indicated by a number at the bottom of each column.
- Note: The 17th and 18th holes are never deducted.
- Note: No hole may be 'gross scored' (or net scored) at more than twice its par.
- Note: Half strokes, not half holes, count as whole (round up).
- Note: The maximum handicap is 50.
- Note: Net Score ties are awarded to the lowest deduction (lowest handicap).
The table below shows the number of Worst Holes that can be deducted accorded by gross score.
| Gross Scores | Allowed Number of Worst Holes, Accorded by Gross Score | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | 70 | 71 | 72 | No Worst Hole score can be deducted. |
| 73 | 74 | 75 | - | - | 0.5 Worst Hole score can be deducted. |
| 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 1.0 Worst Hole score can be deducted. |
| 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 1.5 Worst Hole scores can be deducted. |
| 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 2.0 Worst Hole scores can be deducted. |
| 91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 2.5 Worst Hole scores can be deducted. |
| 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 100 | 3.0 Worst Hole scores can be deducted. |
| 101 | 102 | 103 | 104 | 105 | 3.5 Worst Hole scores can be deducted. |
| 106 | 107 | 108 | 109 | 110 | 4.0 Worst Hole scores can be deducted. |
| 111 | 112 | 113 | 114 | 115 | 4.5 Worst Hole scores can be deducted. |
| 116 | 117 | 118 | 119 | 120 | 5.0 Worst Hole scores can be deducted. |
| 121 | 122 | 123 | 124 | 125 | 5.5 Worst Hole scores can be deducted. |
| 126 | 127 | 128 | 129 | 130 | 6.0 Worst Hole scores can be deducted. |
| -2 | -1 | 0 | +1 | +2 | Final Step - Stroke Adjustment |
Example Score Card
| Front Nine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | ||||
| Par | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 36 | ||||
| Score | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 for 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 51 for 50 | ||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Back Nine | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | ||||
| Par | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 36 | Out | Gross | Deduction | Net Score |
| Score | 9 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 50 | 50 | 100 | 26 | 74 |
If a player's gross score is 100, the player is allowed to deduct his 3.0 Worst Holes. In this case a 7, 9, and an 8, for a sub-total deduction of 24, then a +2 Adjustment to the sub-total deduction of 24 resulting in a total deduction of 26 strokes. Therefore, the player's net score is 74.
