What is the playing conditions calculation (PCC)?

The PCC is an automatic check, run at the end of each day, of whether scores at a course were significantly higher or lower than expected, for example because of strong wind, heavy rain or an unusually easy set-up (Rule 5.6 of the Rules of Handicapping).

• It produces an adjustment of -1, 0, +1, +2 or +3.
• 0 means the course played as expected, which is the case on most days.
• A positive figure means the course played harder; a negative figure means it played easier.
• It needs at least 8 acceptable scores that day, and only uses scores from players with a Handicap Index of 36.0 or below.
• In GB&I, 9-hole scores are included in the calculation.

The adjustment goes straight into your Score Differential:

Score Differential = (113 ÷ Slope Rating) × (Adjusted Gross Score − Course Rating − PCC adjustment)

So a PCC of +2 makes your differential lower (better) than it would otherwise be. This is why submitting your score on the day matters: late scores are left out of that day's PCC.