What is the Playing Conditions Calculation (PCC)?

Under Rule 5.6 of the 2024 Rules of Handicapping, the PCC is a daily statistical procedure that checks whether playing conditions on a course differed from normal enough to need an adjustment. It compares the scores submitted that day against expected scoring patterns. Course Ratings assume normal conditions, but difficulty can vary with course conditions, weather and course set-up.

• It is generally performed once for a day.
• It needs at least eight acceptable scores on the course that day, and equals zero if fewer are submitted.
• It includes only acceptable scores from players with a Handicap Index of 36.0 or below.
• The adjustment can be -1.0, 0.0, +1.0, +2.0 or +3.0, and it applies in the Score Differential calculation for all players.
• The purpose is to recognize that an average score in harder conditions may be better than a good score in easier conditions.

Posting your score on the day of play means it is included in that day's PCC. A score posted later still gets the PCC adjustment for the day it was played.