Golf Handicap Companion

Golf Handicap Companion is an app that works with an official handicap record to provide more insight into a handicap.  The handicap data in the app is manually maintained to be the same as the official record.

This app then provides visibility of where the best 8 scores are, shows the calculations used to calculate differential and course handicap, and provides information of how the handicap might develop over time including what score would be needed to reduce the handicap in the next round.  The app also maintains a history of how a handicap has developped over time.

File: GolfHandicapCompanionNotes.docx

Once the data is set up in the app the main screen shows the current player handicap index.  Pressing on the handicap index brings up the score list screen.  The score list screen shows the 20 scores that are being used for the current handicap index.

The scores that form part of the best 8 are highlighted.

The chart below shows the counting scores in yellow with the actual differentials above them.

Clicking on a score on the list brings up the update page which allows any adjustments due to playing conditions to be made.

On first startup of the app the setup information screen is shown.  This screen allows a name to be entered and a default course to be setup. To setup a course the course name, tee, par, slope and rating are required.  These can be obtained by using the link to the R&A website.  If a different website is preferred it can be entered in the setup information.

The main screen will not be shown until 3 scores have been entered.  When there is less than 20 scores in the record the appropriate formula is used to calculate the handicap index.  Some items, such as low handicap index are not appropriate until 20 scores have been entered.

Scores can be entered from the main screen or from the score view.  The date and course played are selected and then the adjusted gross score.  Once the score has been entered the calculation to gain the differential is shown.

The day following the round entered the score should be edited via the score view or round list.  This is in case there has been a playing conditions adjustment following the previous days play.

The differential entered must match the official score on the players handicap record.  If required the override can be used and the differential entered exactly.

Note :

The differentials must match the official differential for the companion to be meaningful.  In the case of Scotland in generating the 20 scores to create a first handicap the old CSS was used.  This means that in most instances the differential will not match the result given by the calculation.  In cases like this the exact published differential should be entered using the override button.

The next round information shows the course handicap for the course that is to be played.  Once 20 scores have been entered it also shows what differential will be dropped, what score is required on the course for the handicap index to begin to decrease, and what the handicap index would be if a score outside the top 8 was scored.

Playing records in either graph or list form are available from the main screen.  These records can be filtered on either start and end dates or number of rounds.  The filter setting is persistent over app runs and the same filter works for both list and graph.

The Filter is set from the button on the top bar and it can be switched on and off at the toggle.

On the graph the blue bar can be dragged to identify the data on a given point.  A filled in circle for a differential means that it is in the counting 20.

The list shows the 5 measures AG - adjusted gross, DI - differential, HI - handicap index, L8 - average of last 8, and 3B - what the HI will be if the next 3 scores are not in the best 8.

The HI, L8 and 3B scores are the result following the latest round.

The last 8 and 3 bad indicators are not available until 20 scores have been entered.

The app has a companion small widget which can be added to the home screen.  The app can be started from this widget.

The app works both in dark mode and landscape.