Another Primer on 'Par Plus' vs 'Equitable Stroke Control'

Although we’ve reviewed it a number of times, we still find members who don’t understand the maximum allowable strokes they are permitted to take on a hole, in part because there is confusion about “par plus” and “equitable stroke control.” So let’s review.

Equitable Stroke Control

In posting a score for completed holes, Equitable Stroke Control (ESC) is followed for handicap purposes. It is used when a player’s score on a hole exceeds a pre-set maximum number of strokes that may be taken on any hole. ESC is based on the following table:

Handicap 0-9 = double bogey

Handicap 10-19 = 7

Handicap 20-29 = 8

Handicap 30-39 = 9

In other words, a 36 handicapper can post no more than a 9 on any hole. If he had a 10, it has to be adjusted before he posts. Likewise, a 6 handicapper might make a 7 on a par 4, but when he posts, that 7 has to be adjusted down to a 6.

If, for example, a 16-handicapper knocks two shots out of bounds on No. 3 and then takes three more to get on the green and two putts, he should record a 9 on the card. But this must be adjusted to a 7 when posting his score because he is not allowed to post more than 7 strokes on any hole. (The computer program will do this automatically when the Tournament Committee is posting scores for tournaments.)

This is not the score a player may post if he picks up. For that, a player must use “par plus” or the most likely score he would have made. For example, if 30-handicap player is in the bunker on No. 12, he can’t just pick up and record a 9 because that’s his maximum allowable score using ESC. He has to honestly assess what he likely would have made.

Par Plus

“Par plus” means adding one’s handicap strokes to par for that un-played hole. Let’s take an example:

-- No. 15 at Seascape is rated on the scorecard as the number 8 handicap hole. If a player has a 10 handicap, he gets a handicap stroke on that hole. So if he stops playing before No. 15, he would score No. 15 as a 5 on his card because he would take par plus his handicap stroke. He does NOT score 7, which his maximum allowable postable score under ESC.

-- A player with a 26 handicap would get 2 handicap strokes on No. 15. If he picks up before completing the hole, he must score 6 – par plus his 2 strokes. He does NOT score 8, which is his maximum allowable postable score under ESC.

-- On the other hand, a player with a 6 handicap who stopped after No. 14 would have to record a 4 on No. 15, because he would not get a handicap stroke No. 15.

If a player stops playing a hole for any reason before par plus becomes valid, he must use his "most likely" score that he would have made if he had completed the hole. In other words, he cannot just pick up and take the maximum allowable score under the Equitable Stroke Control rules. The "par plus" rule is especially important when playing in a match play tournament. It must be used for all holes after a match has been won by an individual unless he scores a par or better.