Handicap Scoring Guide

Please use this calculator (updated 8 July to v5-004 at request of Simon Brittain):

https://tinyurl.com/handicapcalculator

Players will be given a handicap based on their ability.

The strongest players will have negative handicaps – also called ‘owe’.

The weaker players will have positive handicaps – also called ‘receive’.

For example, if your handicap is +15.1, and your opponent's is Love (Scratch), you start each game 15-0 ahead in 5 out of 6 games and 30-0 ahead in 1 out of 6 games.

And the same applies to a player with handicap -15.1 with a scratch opponent. He/she starts each game one point behind at minus 15-0 ahead in 5 out of 6 games and minus 30-0 in 1 out of 6 games.

Take care with the scoring to ensure you start each point on the correct side!

At the beginning of each set you reset the rolling 6 game rhythm and start again from the beginning.

Where the opposing players/pairs have handicaps that are both ‘owe’ or both ‘receive’ the one nearest to scratch is ‘netted’ to love.

Handicap games often take longer.

For questions about the Handicap calculator please contact paul.serjeant@gmail.com.

Handicap methodology

- Handicaps are x.0 or x.3 in all cases. This makes it possible, by mutual agreement for opponents to decide to play a tie break as follows:

- Normal tie-break to 7, i.e. winner is first to 7 with gap of 2

- If both players are SCR nothing changes

- Every .3 counts for a point at start, so O15 vs R15.3 …. starts at -2 to +3

Scoring System

+15.3 means you start each odd game 1,3,5 etc on 15 (Only 3 points to win the game) and each even game 2,4,6,8 etc on 30 (Only 2 points to win the game).

+15 means you start each game on 15.

+0.3 means you start each odd game 1,3,5 etc on Scratch (love or normal 4 points to win the game) and each even game 2,4,6,8etc on 15.

Scratch means this is a normal start at love.

-0.3 means you start each odd game 1,3,5 etc on Scratch (love or normal 4 points to win the game) and each even game 2,4,6,8 etc on –15 (you need to win 5 points to win the game, the first to return to love and then the normal 4).

-15 means you start each game on –15 (5 points to win the game).

-15.3 means you start each odd game 1,3,5 etc on -15 (5 points to win the game) and each even game 2,4,6,8 etc on –30 (6 points to win the game).

-30 means you start each game at -30 i.e. you need to win 6 points to win the game.

-30.3 means you start each odd game 1,3,5 etc on -30 (6 points to win the game) and each even game 2,4,6,8 etc on –40 (you need to win 7 points to win the game, the first 3 to get to love and then the normal 4).

-40 means you start each game at -40 i.e. you need to win 7 points to win the game.

-40.3 means you start each odd game 1,3,5 etc on -40 and each even game 2,4,6,8etc on -50 i.e. you need to win 8 points to win the game.

-60 means you start each game at -60 moving through -50, -40,-30,-15, 0,15,30,40, Game i.e. you need to win 9 points to win the game.

If both players are on a plus or minus then the handicaps cancel on a point for point basis but a plus and minus remain for the match.

Example 1: Player A’s handicap is +15 & Player B is -15.3.

Player A players every game starting on +15. Player B starts every odd game in the set (1,3,5) on -15 and every even game in the set (2,4,6) on -30.

Example 2: Player C’s handicap is +15 & Player D is +0.3.

Player C will start each odd game in the set (1,3,5) on +15 and every even game in the set (2,4,6) on Love. Player D will start each game on Love.

Example 3: Player E’s handicap is -30 & Player F is -40.3.

Player E will start each game on Love. Player F will play each odd game in the set (1,3,5) on -15 and each even game in the set (2,4,6) on -30.

Tie Breaks

In 2025 - we played best of 3 tie-break sets, with tie-break at 6-6.

Options for 2026 - to be decided

1) Same as 2025 - best of 3 tie-break sets, with tie-break at 6-6

2) Shorten - best of 3 tie-break sets, with tie-break at 4-4

3) Shorten - 2 tie-break sets, followed by a championship tie-break