When should we apply a penalty score, and what value should it be?

Q: When should we apply a penalty score, and what value should it be?

Apply a penalty score when a player has failed to submit an acceptable score without a justified reason and the actual score can't be found. (If the actual score turns up later, post it; you can then keep or remove the penalty score.) You can also consider a penalty score when a player deliberately didn't finish a round or skipped holes to gain an unfair advantage, or in addition to the actual score when they withheld it on purpose. The value should suit the circumstances and the player's intent: Situation Penalty score Player acted to lower their Handicap Index Equal to the highest Score Differential in their last 19 scores Player acted to raise their Handicap Index Equal to the lowest Score Differential in their last 19 scores Score not submitted for any other reason and not discoverable Course Handicap + Course Rating of the tees played, rounded to the nearest whole number Repeated failures to submit scores should lead the committee to consider withdrawing the player's Handicap Index or other disciplinary action. Source: Rules of Handicapping (2024), Rules 3.2a and 7.1b.

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Accepted Answer

Apply a penalty score when a player has failed to submit an acceptable score without a justified reason and the actual score can't be found. (If the actual score turns up later, post it; you can then keep or remove the penalty score.) You can also consider a penalty score when a player deliberately didn't finish a round or skipped holes to gain an unfair advantage, or in addition to the actual score when they withheld it on purpose.

The value should suit the circumstances and the player's intent:

Situation	Penalty score
Player acted to lower their Handicap Index	Equal to the highest Score Differential in their last 19 scores
Player acted to raise their Handicap Index	Equal to the lowest Score Differential in their last 19 scores
Score not submitted for any other reason and not discoverable	Course Handicap + Course Rating of the tees played, rounded to the nearest whole number

Repeated failures to submit scores should lead the committee to consider withdrawing the player's Handicap Index or other disciplinary action.

Source: Rules of Handicapping (2024), Rules 3.2a and 7.1b.