Article Date : July 04, 1999  

Croquet Canada is introducing a handicap system exclusively for Handicap Singles play under International Rules. The system (a simplified version of the UK system) gives each member active in these rules a Handicap and a Tracking Index, related as follows: Hcp TI -2 = 260 and above -1.5 = 240 ... 259 -1 = 225 ... 239 -0.5 = 210 ... 224 0 = 200 ... 209 0.5 = 195 ... 199 1 = 190 ... 194 1.5 = 185 ... 189 2 = 180 ... 184 2.5 = 175 ... 179 3 = 170 ... 174 3.5 = 165 ... 169 4 = 160 ... 164 4.5 = 155 ... 159 5 = 150 ... 154 6 = 145 ... 149 7 = 140 ... 144 8 = 135 ... 139 9 = 130 ... 134 10 = 125 ... 129 11 = 120 ... 124 12 = 115 ... 119 14 = 110 ... 114 16 = 105 ... 109 18 = 100 ... 104 20 = 95 ... 99 22 = 90 ... 94 24 = 85 … 89

After each game, the winner gains 1 point, the loser loses 1 point. When the Tracking Index reaches one of the listed trigger points, the handicap changes accordingly.

Examples: Tom, with handicap 9 and Tracking Index 134, wins a handicap singles game. The point thus gained brings his Tracking Index to 135 and thus his handicap to 8. Sally, with handicap 2.5 and Tracking Index 175 loses a Handicap Singles game. Since her Tracking Index is now 174, her handicap becomes 3.0.

For play under Advanced Singles rules, our current Ranking system will be continued. (Since handicap play never takes place under Advanced Singles rules, handicaps as such have no relevance there, even though they are sometimes used as a crude ranking system).

Initial handicaps. Members who currently have an International Rules ranking of 85.0 or higher, will automatically receive an initial handicap in accordance with the following table as soon as they become active in Handicap Singles play: 90.0 or more = -1.0 89.3 ... 89.99 = -0.5 88.8 ... 88.29 = 0.0 88.4 ... 88.79 = 0.5 88.0 ... 88.39 = 1.0 87.6 ... 87.99 = 1.5 87.2 ... 87.59 = 2.0 86.8 ... 87.19 = 2.5 86.4 ... 86.79 = 3.0 86.0 ... 86.39 = 3.5 85.6 ... 85.99 = 4.0 85.3 ... 85.59 = 4.5 85.0 ... 85.29 = 5.0 Other members are asked to determine their own initial handicap in International Rules by the following simple procedure. After you have become familiar with how a 4-ball break works, set up a 4-ball break on a full sized court and then count how many bisques you require to run all 12 hoops. Your initial handicap is 2 times this number of bisques.

For example, if you typically require 8 bisques, then your initial handicap is 16. A typical handicap for a beginner is 24. We recommend that you take the average of a few trials (this is excellent practice, well worth doing for its own sake). While this initial handicap will not be entirely accurate, it is a reasonable starting point. It will automatically become more accurate once you start playing games resulting in adjustments to your Tracking Index.

Your initial Tracking Index will be determined by the Handicapping Committee based on your Initial Handicap and the results of your first few games.

Enter your initial handicap on your Sanctioned Game Card where you first need it.