On course for a top rating!

Where did course rating guidelines originate and why were they deemed necessary?

Since the very early days of handicapping it was recognised that a standardised method of establishing the relative playing difficulties of golf courses was fundamental to providing an equitable handicapping system that produced fair play among members of different golf courses. Early scratch scores were based mainly on course length with subjective adjustment to take account of playing difficulty.

Over the years the USGA Course Rating System emerged as being the system that best takes account of the playing difficulties of a golf course in an objective manner and is now widely used throughout the golfing world. It has two principal components, the first of these being course measured length modified by length correction factors such as wind (speed and direction), elevation change (tee to green), roll and forced lay-up/dogleg.

The second component is the playing difficulty of the golf course as determined by 10 Obstacle Factors:

Topography - nature of the stance and lie and green visibility on the approach shot.

Fairway - measured width modified by tilt and contouring.

Green Target - length of approach shot and size of target i.e. green dimensions.

Recoverability and Rough - difficulty in recovering if either the fairway or green is missed. Takes account of mounds, swales rise and drop around the green etc.

Bunkers - number, depth, location and severity e.g. pot or revetted faces.

Out of Bounds/Extreme Rough (ball losing) - distance from centre of target to OOB or ER

Water Hazard - distance to safely cross water hazard or in the case of a lateral WH, distance from centre of fairway or green.

Trees - location and problem in recovering taking account of underbrush etc.

Green Surface - speed of green as determined by Stimpmeter together with slope and contouring.

Psychological - determined from the rating figures derived from the other nine obstacles.

What is involved in rating a course?

Course Rating Team Leaders require to be approved by their National Golf Union/Association and should have attended a USGA Calibration Seminar.

For each and every hole on the golf course, the obstacle factors as outlined above are rated on a scale 0-10. If the obstacle does not exist the rating is zero. If it is of extreme significance the rating is in the range 7-10. These figures are based on look up tables based on measurements taken at fairway landing zones and at the green and modified as required by the application of specified adjustments.

Account is also taken of Roll e.g. firmness of fairway and whether hole is level or plays up or downhill, tee to green elevation difference and effect of wind on the play of the hole.

How many golf courses have you rated?

I have been personally involved in the rating of around 150 courses and have assisted in the training of course raters in Portugal, The Netherlands, Iceland and Kenya. When the Ladies Golf Union adopted the USGA Course Rating System a number of years ago I was involved in training ladies' rating teams from Scotland, England and Ireland.

In your opinion what is the most difficult golf course to play and which was the most challenging course to rate?

The most difficult course in my experience is undoubtedly Carnoustie which was rated (for interest) the day after the conclusion of the 1999 Open Championship won by Paul Lawrie. You will recall that the fairways had been narrowed at the landing zones and the bordering rough was brutal. It was generally recognised that the course was a 'monster' and possibly unfair. The resultant course ratings were off the 'Richter Scale'. Fortunately the course presented to members and visitors, although still a severe test, is much more playable. It does serve to illustrate, however, that course maintenance practices and set-up have a strong bearing on the course rating.

Course ratings should be based on how the course will be presented for members in their normal competition play and not on the set-up for special events or tournaments.

In regard to the most challenging course to rate, the Montgomerie course at the Royal Golf Club figures high on the list! This is due to its links nature in a desert setting. The USGA System required to be interpreted to take account of the difficulty in recovery from extensive sandy waste areas as opposed to recovery from conventional rough. The Montgomerie course posed a very interesting challenge!

What is your opinion of the Montgomerie championship course at the Royal Golf Club?

I was hugely impressed with the Montgomerie course. To produce a course of such quality was a triumph of design and construction. The objective of providing a links style course with humps and bumps on the fairways reminiscent of traditional courses such as Prestwick has worked well. This together with the severe bunkers and highly contoured greens has resulted in a formidable but enjoyable golfing challenge. Before commencing play members and visitors should give consideration to choosing a set of tees that is appropriate to their golfing ability. Monty can be justly proud of his work in Bahrain.

What are your impressions of the sand based courses in Bahrain?

In my National Service days in Aden - many moons ago - I played some golf on the sand courses at Khormaksar and Little Aden. It was therefore a thrill to be asked to assess the courses at Awali and Bahrain golf clubs. Again, they presented a new challenge in taking account of their differing characteristics. I was intrigued with the water hazards at both courses (arid!) and the manner in which they had been structured to ensure that it was better to take a penalty drop than attempt any heroics by trying a recovery shot. The lips on the bunkers to thwart any attempts of using a putter for recovery were both unique and interesting!

The USGA System, however, was found to be sufficiently flexible to take account of all of the conditions peculiar to the sand courses in Bahrain and indeed the Montgomerie course.

On our return home, my wife Maureen mentioned our visit to Bahrain to the club secretary at Old Ranfurly Golf Club. It transpired that he had worked in Bahrain in the 70s and as an enthusiastic low handicap golfer became a member at Awali which he remembers with affection - a small world indeed!