Show Us Your Handicap League Spreadsheet

[Cgkdisc]

We found back in the 90s that a better way to do handicap leagues was to offer two divisions: one with handicaps and an Open division based on scratch scores. Players each week could choose which one to enter. The better players as expected preferred the scratch division and the rest preferred the handicap division. Made everyone happy.

 

[superberry]

Marquette Summer 2014. The official end of league spreadsheet, complete with tons of data like SSA for individual layouts, estimated round ratings, average player ratings, etc.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0Va_4ZODxgcOWp6RGtBVXUyajg/edit?usp=sharing

 

[whentherainscome]

We found back in the 90s that a better way to do handicap leagues was to offer two divisions: one with handicaps and an Open division based on scratch scores. Players each week could choose which one to enter. The better players as expected preferred the scratch division and the rest preferred the handicap division. Made everyone happy.

I've got <20 players coming out in the cold. I'm using the handicap to get a more interesting distribution of Tags - showing up at all and leaving with a better tag earns points - most points wins the league.

If the numbers look good at the end I may be interested in more of a classic singles league with the system. Currently, I just think it's fun to make it complicated and try new (to us) things.

 

[ERicJ]

The Southwest Handicap Mini System

I've been running a pretty successful handicap mini for seven years now. Below is my system. Check us out at www.facebook.com/swhcmini

Our weekly handicap event rotates through six different courses over a 29 week season (Mar-Sept). We're PDGA League sanctioned using raw scores. We payout and track series points based on handicap'ed scores.

ENTRY FEE
$7/week.

• $5 cash payout
• $0.50 Ace Pot
• $0.50 PDGA fee
• $0.50 Bag Tag bonus payout
• $0.50 Texas States Disc Golf Championship Fundraiser.

The bag tags are based on handicap scores. $0.25/player goes to top tag of the week, and $0.25/player goes to most improved tag of the week.

HANDICAP CALCULATION
Any good handicap system is going to get scores really close to each other, such that whole numbers would result in multi-way ties. So we use handicap values rounded to one decimal place.

• The handicap system uses realistic SSA's at each course.
• A 1000-rated player / Score = SSA is a zero handicap.
• The SSA's yield a number of ratings points per stroke value.
• The ratings points per stroke value is used to predict a player's score based on their "handicap player rating" each week.
• A Natural handicap value is the difference between the SSA and the predicted score.
• The Scaled handicap value used for play is based on 81-84% of the Natural handicap.

One of the "big knobs" to dial in the early days was the min% (currently 81) and max% (currently 84) values.
One of the little knobs was where the range of ratings the min and max values start scaling.

PLAYER RATING CALCULATION
I track three different ratings for players: (A) PDGA rating, (B) Southwest average rating, (C) Per-Course rating.

• PDGA members' rating for the week is: 1 part PDGA, 1 part Soutwest average, 2 parts course of the week.
• Non-PDGA members' rating for the week is: 1 part Soutwest average, 2 parts course of the week.
• If the player hasn't played the course of the week yet, then that part falls out of the equation

ADJUSTMENTS
Each season the handicaps reset. PDGA members start with a player rating equal to their PDGA rating. Non-PDGA members start with a player rating equal to their previous season average (until they have two rounds in the current season).

In the spreadsheet (i.e. off the course, after payout) we make multiple adjustments to weekly scores for the purposes of generating realistic handicaps, and preventing bagging/manipulation.

• Any PDGA two-stroke penalty for mis-added scorecard is not included, as it's not indicative of playing skill.
• Any round that comes in 70 points below a player's overall rating is thrown out.
• No score on an individual hole can be worse than two strokes over the average score on that hole that week.
• The first place player receives a one-stroke win streak penalty for their next appearance; which accumulates until they do not finish first. This prevents under-rated, rapidly improving, newer players from dominating.

PAYOUT
We payout top 40% of the field similar to the PDGA PayTable but modified to be slightly more top-heavy.

NEW, UNRATED PLAYERS
The hardest problem I face is how to fairly deal with new, unrated players to the Mini. PDGA members are easy because they have an established player rating. But how do you make the event open, fair, and fun to unrated non-PDGA members...?

Here's my current strategy: Ask them their typical scores on local courses and from that establish a realistic, but slightly aggressive "score-to-beat". They pay in the normal entry fee, and are eligible for the Ace Pot, but they do not get cash payout like everyone else. Instead of cash, if they beat the score-to-beat, then they get a disc from our plastic bin. If they don't beat the score-to-beat then they get a Southwest Handicap custom stamped, double sided, mini marker disc. Their score this round will establish a handicap for their next appearance. Hopefully the incentive to get the disc will encourage them to play their best.

 

[Grayson]

I have been working on a rating/handicap based on how a player performs within their division over several rounds. It's formulating in this manner:

Take each score within a particular division, dropping the highest and lowest, then averaging the remaining scores. This creates an average score within the division. Individual player ratings for that round is determined by taking the average score divided by the player's actual score.

To determine an overall player's rating, it would then take the average (player rating) of the recent rounds within the played division. Thus a skilled player would have a likely rating >1 and less skilled players <1. (A multiplier (100) could be used as well so the rating is more meaningful .... an average player would be around 100, above average players > 100, etc.)

The objective is to have a player rating even after one round. This would allow a gauge of sorts to determine the player's need to adjust which division they should be playing within. It could also be used by clubs to circumvent continual bagging a minis, leagues, etc. For example, a rating of 1.20 relays the player should "move up", a rating .80 may say they playing in a division above their skills and should consider stepping down a division.

It would not incorporate any "course rating" but mainly encompass how a player performs within his division within a particular round. It'll be used within a MySql database consisting of mini's and regular tournaments and rarely any PDGA events.

Upon reviewing many spreadsheets within this thread, it's a challenge to determine many of the variables used.
Simplicity is desired.

You guys that are better DG statisticians than I, please review and break it down the above and explain if there is a better way.

 

[Jefftice616]

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...O82igg_q33MZ163LAdkrVIQ/edit?usp=docslist_api

A link to my google sheets page from weeks 7 of 12. Pretty raw. Needs some work but it's getting the job done so far. First year running a handicapped league. Need to make a lot of adjustments. 80% handicap with any average below par equaling 0 handicap. Pretty tough course where it's tough to shoot under. Thinking next year I need to change it up a little. Seems to favor the up and down golfer/sandbaggers too much. Point system based on how many people show up and you beat. Like that I have formulas to show payouts and keep track of league money to keep me honest.
$5 per round
$1 ace pool
$1 50/50 CTP
60% payout with 1st getting 50% 2nd getting 30% and hot round getting 20%
Not Perfect but it seems to keep the people coming back. We have like 35 regulars with 62 total people showing up at least once

 

[exerrex]

Follow Up Question

Well @3j0hn your spreadsheet has made it to 2021! I want to say thank you for this! As someone who has used excel at work and had to learn a lot about it, I can tell the time and effort you put into this. I was hoping you were still around and able to answer some questions. If so, my first one is on the PPS. We currently have a 12 hole course that we play twice around for 24 total holes, would that make an adjustment needed in the PPS formula?