Mixed Gender Competitions/Multi-Tee Competitions - Gross Competition

Mixed Gender Competitions/Multi-Tee Competitions - Gross Competition

This article will focus on the scenario where competitors are playing in a Gross Competition that involves more than one set of tees – be they mixed gender competitions and/or events where a single gender plays from different sets of tees (the term ‘mixed/multi-tee’ is used to encompass both scenarios).


Commonly, in a competition where competitors are competing from different tees, the players will be playing from a set of tees with different Course Rating figures, as a result, competitors will be playing from a set of tees with different playing difficulties; one tee set will technically be more difficult for the player, versus the other. This can also be the case where male and female golfers are competing from the same tee set, typically the Course Rating figure for Men will differ to the Course Rating figure assigned for Women. 


As a result, the difference in the Course Rating means certain competitors may need to be compensated, in the form of "equalisation strokes". 


It is often incorrectly assumed that handicap is irrelevant in a mixed/multi-tee scratch event. This is not the case and, instead, such an event can be considered as one in which the players’ Course Handicaps are all 0.0 so that the Playing Handicap calculation becomes:


Playing Handicap = Difference in Course Ratings


As no handicaps are involved, Course Rating – Par is irrelevant, and the equalisation strokes is simply the difference in difficulty of each tee which is given by the Course Rating.


The following mixed/multi-tees will be used in this example:





In the case of Norman and Norma above the C.R. for men was 67.2 and for women 72.0. For a scratch competition Norma would receive 5 strokes; this would also apply in a Match Play situation. Strokes would be taken against the Stroke Index of the scorecard relevant to that competitor. 


In the case of Norman and Norma competing in a Gross Stroke play Medal situation, both players returned gross scores of 89 strokes.

For placing in the mixed/multi-tee Gross (Scratch) competition: Norma's 5 strokes would  reduce her gross score from 89 to 84.

Should the format be Matchplay, the strokes would be taken on holes with a Stroke Index 1-5 for Norma (Female card).