Mixed Gender Competitions/Multi-Tee Competitions - Stroke Play Medal

Mixed Gender Competitions/Multi-Tee Competitions - Stroke Play Medal

This article will focus on scenarios that involve 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. 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. Added to this, competitors will be playing from a set of tees which hold a different Par figure. As a result, the difference in the Course Rating and Par figures means certain competitors may need to be compensated, in the form of "equalisation strokes". 

It is important to note, "equalisation strokes" apply solely to the competition.

The introduction of Course Rating – Par has simplified the requirement for equalisation strokes in such scenarios. Take Stableford and Par/Bogey as an example, the "play to handicap" (P2H) score from any tee is 36 points (or level Par) which means that no additional strokes are required; both players have the same target score and the difference in Course Rating figures is accounted for in the Course Handicap Calculation and subsequently the number of strokes the player receives to achieve the target score of 36 points. 

From a Medal point of view, the target score for a player to “play to handicap” is now Level Par. Therefore, if both players were to do what's expected of them, some form of compensation is necessary for those players competing against a higher Par figure.  As a result, equalisation strokes are required.

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



Norman and Norma both have a Handicap Index of 15.0. Using the formula C.H. = (HI x SLOPE/113) + (CR – Par), the Course Handicaps of Norman and Norma are:

Norman: (15.0 x 113 / 113) + (67.2 – 70) = 15.0 + (-2.8) = 12.2

Norma: (15.0 x (129 / 113) + (72.0 – 71) = 17.124 + 1 = 18.124

For singles stroke play the stroke allowance is 95% of the Course Handicap. In addition, because the players are playing from tees with different Pars, the competitor playing over the higher valued Par receives the difference in the Par values added to the Course Handicap after the application of the stroke allowance.

(Note: as an alternative, if the majority of the field are playing from the tees with the highest Par then players competing from tees with a lower Par may be allocated less strokes for the round).

In this case Norma receives an upward adjustment of 1 stroke (71 – 70) after the stroke allowance is applied.

Norman’s Playing Handicap = Course Handicap x Handicap Allowance
= 12.200 x 0.95
= 11.590 rounded to 12

Norma’s Playing Handicap = (Course Handicap x Allowance) + Difference in Par
= (18.124 x 0.95) + 1
= 18.218 rounded to 18

Both players returned gross scores of 89 strokes.

For placing in the mixed/multi-tee Medal competition:

Norman’s net score is 89 -12 = 77

Norma’s net score is 89 – 18 = 71








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