The tournament handicapping uses Poststats Points.

GOLF COURSE HANDICAPPING
The handicap system is based on posted scorecards to the website, USGA Slope Rating, and yardage played. The USGA Slope Rating is a number (between 55 and 155) given to each tee box in America by the USGA. The number represents the difficulty to the average bogey golfer. The average USGA Slope Rating in America is 115.

Poststats.com uses total yardage played and USGA Slope Rating to apply a "course bonus" to each tee box in America. These bonus points are used to level the course difficulty and handicap each golfer participating in the Carl Spackler Open. The course bonus is not used at the Carl Spackler Open since all participants are playing the same course.

Use of Golfer Scorecards
Each golfer is required to post 4+ scorecards to participate in the Carl Spackler Open. The handicap system and computer will use the last 15 posted scorecards regardless of year to determine a golfer handicap. The handicap system will omit the best scorecard and four worst scorecards from the previous 15 posted scorecards. It will tally the average number of birdies, pars, bogeys, double-bogeys, and triple-bogeys for each golfer. (Eagles are converted to birdies.)

The "personal profile" for each golfer has a date field for health setbacks. This field is used for heart attacks, strokes, broken legs, surgeries, and anytime past scorecards are not a representation of a golfer's skill level. The computer does not use scorecards prior to the date entered.

TOURNAMENT LEADERBOARD DESIGN
The handicap system is designed with quite a bit of detail. Ulitimately, the Tournament Leaderboard is designed for the Top 10 to consist of four A players, three B players, two C players, and one D player. A quick sorting of the event roster by stroke handicap and grouping golfers equally into 4 groups provides A, B, C, and D status.

TARGET POINTS BASICS
The system is designed to set all golfer handicaps to reach 60 target points. Each participant is handicapped to score 60 points per round with their course bonus.

The handicap system is designed to address (1) probability of lower scores for hackers vs scratch golfers, (2) golfers who handicap at familiar golf courses, and (3) golfers with volatile scorecards from lack of play.

TARGET POINT BUMP - HACKERS VS SCRATCH GOLFERS
The chances of one unknown high handicapped golfer (from a pool of 12+ high handicapped golfers) dropping 15% of their strokes per hole over a 54-hole period is 99% certain. The same is not true for scratch golfer. Target points for each golfer are raised as stroke handicap decreases. The lower the stroke handicap, the more target points a golfer will receive. Golfers with a stroke handicap of +8 to +11 receive an elevated target to 62 points per round. Participants with a handicap +6 to +8 strokes are bumped to 63 points per round. Handicaps of +6 strokes have target of 64 points and +5 strokes get 65 points. Golfers with a handicap of +2 are targeted at 65 points per round. A scratch golfer or negative stroke handicap receives a target of 67 points.

TARGET POINT BUMP - PLAY AT FAMILIAR GOLF COURSES
In addition to golf skill, golfers who play the same course 70 percent of the time will be given an elevated target of 1 point. These "home course" participants will be given 2 points if they play the same course 90 percent of the time. Golfers statistically play worse when leaving their home course. The point upgrade allows the entire tournament field to handicapped equally and remove scoring based on extensive course knowledge.

TARGET POINT BUMP - SCORECARD VOLATILITY

Lack of play promotes volatile scoring. Frequent play lowers volatility. Golfers who post scorecards per year (365 days) will receive additional target points. Point targets will elevate by 1 point for every 4 scorecards posted with a maximum of 5 target points added.

SETTING HANDICAPS
The computer sets handicaps for golfers within 5 seconds. For each golfer, the computer cross-check the database of 250 different "sets of points" and assign a set of points that matches a golfer target points. Each set of points available to computer are prioritized for ties.