Question:

Doug (wormburner), For more on the Callaway Handicap system, go to www.usga.org and follow the Handicap System links to Handicapping the Unhandicapped and scroll to the Callaway System.

Response:

The Callaway Handicap System is a system which generates a handicap from a single 18 hole round. The "Northern 9" is a similar and increasingly popular system for computing a handicap from a single 9 hole round. Our company (Northern Systems Inc) was the developer and is the custodian of the "Northern 9 Handicap System" (hence the name "Northern 9"). The "Northern 9 Handicap System" is one of more than a dozen tournament formats incorporated into our tournament management software.  The rules of the "Northern Nine Handicap System" are shown below.  For more information, please visit our web site at http://www.northernsystems.com. We hope that this information is helpful. Sincerely, John Hutton Northern Systems Inc The Northern Nine Handicap System Although several fine single round 18 hole handicap systems exist, Northern Systems Inc. was not able to find a quality single round 9 hole handicap system.  Hence, the Northern Nine Handicap System was developed. The Northern Nine Handicap System is designed to provide a fair means of operating a nine hole tournament for golfers who do not have a documented handicap.  When computing a Northern Nine Handicap, no score may be counted at more than double par and the  player’s two highest scores are reduced (if necessary) to one over the third highest score. The player’s adjusted gross score is then calculated and the following table in used  to calculate the players Northern Nine Handicap.  The players Northern Nine Handicap is subtracted from the players adjusted gross score to determine the players Net Score.    ADJUSTED SCORE                DEDUCT    –  35  –  36   scratch   no adjustment    37  –  –  –