How is SSS, CSS and PAR worked out?

How is SSS, CSS and PAR worked out?

Most of use know what they are but how many of us know how the figures are arrived at. In 1983 the present scheme was introduced and we use the same system today with a few revisions. If you get the chance to read it you will see how complicated our Hcp System is.

So how are things done?

First, the local Union is called in and the course is Officially Measured. This is done by laser and from the Distance Post on each set of Tees to the centre of the Greens via the middle of any dog-leg holes. This comes up with the total length for each set of Tees and a provisional SSS is allocated, based on a list. The Union then looks at the terrain,ground conditions, size of greens and if they are watered or not,width of fairways, effect of trees, nearness of OOB to fairways & greens and the average weather conditions. Add all this together and the Union can adjust the Provisional SSS to the Actual SSS.

Then the Golf Club is awarded with a Cerificated SSS and it is allowed to set its own Par for each hole. A par 3 is between 0-250yds, a par 4 220-500yds and a par 5 over 440yds, the club can set par at either end of the 220-250yd and 440-500yd gaps so you can get a 245yd par 3 or 4, also a 470yd par 4 or 5. The Club also allocates a 'Stroke Index' to each hole.

Now the courses have a SSS, Hcps can be allocated on the Measured Courses.

Now, how is CSS worked out?

At the end of each Competition the scores are analysed in the following way:-

Number of Competitors including No Returns.

Category 1 ( 0- 5hcp)  =  A

Category 2 ( 6-12hcp)  =  B

Category 3 (13-20hcp)  =  C

TOTAL  = D

Number of Nett Scores in Categories 1, 2, & 3 at 2 over SSS or better  =  E

Then work out

A x 100 / D = F rounded to I %

B x 100 / D = G rounded to J %

100 minus I & J = K

E x 100 / D = H rounded to L

There are two Tables then, one for under 30 competitors and one for over 30. You match I, J, K and L in these Tables and that tells you the change to SSS to arrive at THE COMPETITION SCRATCH SCORE and the figure Hcps are adjusted from in that Comp.

This is just the outline, there is more.

Hope it helps.

TheLyth

Now one can see what a mess the whole system is.

!

Thanks for the information David.

Now I can see why I'm playing holes that I consider to be long par fours which on the card are a par five!

When I first started playing golf I certain that a par three hole was 225 yards or less, a par four would be 226 to 475 and a par five would be 476 yards and over.

Russ

I have been sifting through some old books and came across The 1963 Golfers Handbook and in it is a section on Handicapping. We think the US Slope/Rating system is new? Our system back in 1963 was very similar. I'll post the interesting facts later, when I have had a chance to pick out the best bits.

TheLyth

1963 HANDICAPPING

SSS

A Scratch player of that era was assumed to hit a Driver from the Tee with a 'carry' of 215yds. Courses were then put into 6 different groups depending on the run on these Tee-shots (pace of course). The 'Standard Par' was applied by yardage and Group. Here is how it worked out:-

Group 1 run under 5yds, Pars 3 up to 215yds, 4= 216-415yds, 5= over 415yds.

Group 2 run  5 to 14yds, Pars 3 up to 225yds, 4= 226-430yds, 5= over 430yds.

Group 3 run 15 to 24yds, Pars 3 up to 235yds, 4= 236-450yds, 5= over 450yds.

Group 4 run 25 to 34yds, Pars 3 up to 245yds, 4= 246-465yds, 5= over 465yds.

Group 5 run 35 to 44yds, Pars 3 up to 255yds, 4= 256-485yds, 5= over 485yds.

Group 6 run 45yds and over, Pars 3 up to 265yds, 4= 266 to 500yds, 5= over 500yds.

With the above figures each group was given an Average Length Adjustment and depending on this length the Standard Par was reduced or added to. Then the course recieved a Course Value and "First Class Courses" added two shots.

Now they added a Putting Adjustment by deducting one shot, in 1963 a scratch player was assumed to take only 35putts per round.

So a course now had a SSS and a Par.

TheLyth

I never played a course in that era that was remotely like anything you have listed there, David and that was the period when I was a scratch player.

My memory back to the late fifities tells me that par 3's were up to 250Yards, par 4's up to 475 yards and anything over that was a par five.

I played on courses that had been established well over fifty years and I can think of many holes that were much longer than what you have quoted. the 10th at Chingford public course was 580 yards. I could carry the river at the first at Whitewebbs G.C. another public course. 246 yards was the carry needed. The last at Richmnond Park on the Dukes is a par 3 of 247 yards. the fifth on the same course is a par 5 of 529 yards which I have hit in two shots many times. All of these courses were laid down at the beginning of the Century, so very well established courses.

The average length of a course in those days was marginally over 6000 yards and quite honestly I have never come across courses less than 5800 yards in my life.

One thing I have learned is that length alone does not make a golf course difficult, in fact I would say the opposite. Bunkers on the modern courses do not penalise one little bit unlike the pot holes on all the established links courses. Without the many water hazards now deemed to be the answer to everyones prayers in golf course design, the modern course would be bland and uninteresting.

Courses do not have to be this stupid length to be a good test, Every well established Surrey or Berkshire course will test anyone, but those clubs know what they have and have no wish to have the professionals there, strictly for members. We are the losers because of this.

John,

If you are ever in Leeds, we can show you a 5166yd par 68 with 8 reachable Par 4's, an American type course where the greens will give you nightmares and then one of a number of First Class Tracks including a Ryder Cup Course.

TheLyth

David,

I know you have some great courses up in your neck of the woods, but in over fifty years of playing I have very rarely managed to drive a par 4. There were not too many of them in my days. Now of course it is different as we have players of 28 handicap belting the ball over three huindred yards and with the wind and a bit of downhill then these holes do get driven on occasion. South Winchester, which is an excellent test has a par four (The 5th)where the drive has to carry a large quarry type indentation and then down hill all the way to the green. The hole measure 394 yards and there is a plaque on the tee recoding a hole in one on this hole. For me it is a drive and at least a five iron now.

Perhaps I could bring a good three ball up to have game with you David.

Have a look at St. Georges Hill golf club website, I was an artisan member here in the early sixties. two short pars but still very difficult, the remaining par fours are still the same today as they were when they were built in 1913.

"One of Surrey’s most hilly and spectacular courses, in heavenly surroundings, but also designed on the soundest of lines which discard any element of fluke" - Frank Pennink in 'Golfer's Companion'

"By a merciful dispensation of Providence, fir trees, sand and heather which are beautiful things in themselves, are the ingredients from which inland golf courses should be made. The prettiest courses are also the best, and certainly one of the prettiest and the best is St George’s Hill" - the thoughts of Bernard Darwin.

Another snippet from this 1963 book is that we now use the word Bogey to mean something completely different to its origional meaning.

With the way the course was measured and the SSS worked out, it was very rare for the SSS to be under Standard Par. The Golf Clubs were allowed to spread the SSS out over 18holes and produce a "Bogey" for each hole, along with a Par. I remember the Scorecards at both Lindrick and Moortown had a column for Bogey. So Moortown GC in 1963 was 6604yds par 69 Bogey 73, so a scratch golfers was expected to score a 73.

In 1963 GANTON GC was 6823yds SSS75, by 2003 it was 6734yds SSS73 even though its total yardage should have made it SSS72.

TheLyth