What is the Playing Conditions Calculations?

The Playing Conditions Calculation (PCC) is a daily statistical adjustment used in the World Handicap System to account for days when course difficulty differs significantly from normal. Course Ratings are based on normal playing conditions, but the difficulty of a golf course can vary substantially from day to day due to:

• Course conditions,
• Weather conditions, and/or
• Course set-up.

The PCC determines whether playing conditions on a given day differed from normal conditions enough to require a scoring adjustment. It is a daily statistical procedure that compares the scores submitted by players on the day against expected scoring patterns. At the end of each day, if scores across a minimum required number of players are consistently higher or lower than expected, an adjustment is applied to the Score Differential for players on that course. For example, a PCC of +1 means players receive one extra stroke for net scoring purposes, while a PCC of -1 means players receive one fewer stroke. The PCC is a feature of the World Handicap System.