Handicaps
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The handicap system
How to check your handicap
How to get the HHTC Handicap List
Benefits of the new system
The Handicap System
For some years, the Club has operated a results based handicapping system. This was centred on a computer programme devised by Charles Wroth for club use. Although not universally popular and far from perfect, it was widely regarded as being a great improvement on the previous system of largely subjective handicapping.
By the turn of the Millenium, the weaknesses and inflexibility of the ageing Wroth system had become apparent, particularly for national and inter-club handicapping. As a result, John Trapp, Chairman of the T&RA's Handicaps & Rankings Sub-Committee, together with Tim Graham from Ballarat, worked together on developing a new system, which was introduced during the latter part of 2001.
How to check your handicap
The essence of the new system is that it is Web-based, providing an ideal medium for club professionals to input match data, and for players to gain ready access to the resultant handicap details. The system utilises more sophisticated algorithms than its predecessor, to deal with a range of competitive circumstances, including big wins and losses, as well as the normal win/draw/loss situations and, through a volatility option, it can deal effectively with newcomers and other players whose handicaps are changing rapidly.
The site also serves as the T&RA's official website and includes news items, tournament results and an Open Forum. It can be visited at www.realtennisonline.com
Members wishing to access players' handicap details need to register using an E-mail address and Password, which have to be vetted by their club professional.
Benefits of the new system
The main benefits of the system are:
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The ease of inputting results from a variety of sources
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The increased flexibility provided by the new algorithm
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The instant processing of handicap data that can be readily accessed, together with recent history and other statistics, by individual players and tournament organisers
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The constraint that each player can have only one handicap, regardless of which club he or she is a member, which will facilitate progress towards compatibility of handicaps between clubs.
By and large the system is working very well and is greatly appreciated by the majority of players that use it. However, as with any results based system, its success is totally dependent on the extent to which players record their results, preferably against a range of players. Those players that regularly enter results find that any rogue results tend to be averaged out and that the end result is accurate. Consequently:
MEMBERS ARE URGED TO RECORD ALL THEIR RESULTS ON THE BOOKING SHEET.
Inevitably, there have been teething problems with a new system. Some of these have been rectified already, but others - particularly those involving the algorithm parameters have had to be assimilated, before making considered adjustments. Amendments to the software are currently being written.