Handicap and Handicapping

SELF NOMINATED HANDICAP SCORING SYSTEM

WHAT
Shooting for Perpetual Trophies is typically done for outright or handicap winning honours.

Outright is simply the use of raw scores to determine a ranking (winners, runners up, etc) by comparison with other raw scores.

Handicapping is a system imposed in order to offset advantages or disadvantages to make for a better contest and creating parity amongst competitors. 

APPLICATION
Applying a handicap is usually easiest done by simply adding or subtracting from one’s score. 

There are various forms of Handicapping in addition to score adjusting, such as limiting equipment, time, distance, etc but these are often difficult to administer and apply without the handicap then defeating its purpose for a level playing field.

SCORE HANDICAP
Governed Score Handicap amounts may be added or subtracted from results based on history.  This is often considered too difficult to administer, for many reasons, such as shooters changing equipment from meet to meet, and is not putting the onus back on the shooter to know their skills and abilities.  Consideration needs to be given to:

            - the course of fire being contested
            - general shooter ability
            - equipment being used (rifle specification, sighting systems, etc)
            - physical ability of the shooter (injuries, etc)

Self-Imposed Score Handicap amounts are determined by the competitor.  This system is quick, simple and avoids any issues or criticisms of undue or unfair penalties.  Self imposed means self responsible, and encourages shooters to know their skills, helping them to improve..  This is the preferred method.

HOW TO APPLY SELF IMPOSED SCORE HANDICAP
A shooter wishes to contest a match.  The shooter then nominates a handicap amount that is then added to that shooters raw score to give a final “handicap” result.

If the addition of the raw score and handicap amount equates to a result higher than a “possible” score, then each point over is deducted from the possible, and that final result is then used.

Example 1:  Note enough handicap,
            - Match possible is                            100
            - Shooter nominates a handicap of        10
            - Shooter finishes with a raw score of    87
            - Final handicap result is 87+10            97  (this score is used for placing).

Example 2:  Too much handicap,
            - Match possible is                            100
            - Shooter nominates a handicap of        10
            - Shooter finishes with a raw score of    96
            - Handicap + Raw score                     106 (6 over)
            - Final handicap result is 100-6             94  (this score is used for placing).

TIED SCORES
In the event that results are tied after applying the handicap, then the winner will be the shooter with the highest pre-handicap score.

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