How to Maintain your Handicap Card

Every member of Field and Game Australia is supplied with a Handicap Card. It is an important record of your target shooting skills and achievements and you are urged to ensure it is up to date and accurate. It is the shooter’s responsibility to maintain his/her handicap card to the true and correct level. The greater proportion of complications arising at events stem from misplaced, inaccurate or poorly maintained Handicap Cards.

Handicap calculations are carried out after every 10 rounds of 25 targets, ie 250 targets. If the 10 rounds come up during a competition, either a one or two day event, then the shooter remains in the nominated grade and recalculates his/her handicap at the end of the event.

Establishing a Handicap for a new Shooter

Step One   

Every new FGA member will have his or her handicap adjusted several times before a more settled grading is established. Let’s call our new member Jack.

On his first day of shooting Jack will lodge his new handicap card with the nominations office at the range and he will join his squad and shoot the first round of 25 Targets. Jack’s first round score is 15 and he is quite pleased. After this first round his grading for the rest of the day is calculated.

Jack’s first round score of 15 is multiplied by 10 and equals a handicap rating of 150 (handicaps are calculated after every ten rounds of competition). A total of 150 would give Jack a handicap of B5 as shown on the back of his new handicap card. For the rest of the day or the rest of the event, Jack will compete with a B5 grading.

Step Two

At the end of his first day or event, Jack has recorded scores of 15, 8 and 10 respectively. His handicap is then recalculated using the following method. Adding up all scores for that day/event, Jack has a total of 33. Divide 33 by the number of rounds shot; 33 divided by 3 equals 11. Then multiply 11 by 10 and the answer of 110 relates to the grade C9. Jack will start his second shoot in C grade with a handicap of 9. 

Sample - New Handicap Card

Step Three

Wherever Jack competes next, he will present his FGA handicap card at the nominations office and begin the event in the C Grade with a handicap of 9.

Let’s assume Jack’s next shoot is another 3 rounds of 25 targets and he shoots scores of 20, 20 and 23. Jack is doing very well to achieve this on his second shoot and his grading is going to improve quite quickly.

At the end of the event the TOTAL score on Jack’s card is added up and divided by the TOTAL number of rounds. In this case 15+8+10+20+20+23 = 96. Jacks total is divided by the total number of rounds shot to date 96/6 = 16.

Again this total, 16, is multiplied by 10 equalling 160 and this promotes Jack to a grade of B4 for his next shoot.

Step Four

Let’s assume Jack continues to shoot very well and for convenience his third shoot is a four round competition. This will mean at the end of the event he will have completed 10 rounds and his first “real” handicap can be calculated.

Jack finished his last event with a grading of B4 and that’s the handicap he takes into this event. He shoots 21, 21, 22 and 23. Seasoned FGA competitors are now watching him as he is a force to be reckoned with.

At the end of the event Jack has a total for ten rounds of 183. This places him into an A2 grading. We have made Jack a crack shot to demonstrate an important part of the Grading process. For the next ten rounds Jack’s handicap is fixed at A2. Jack’s grade and handicap will be recalculated after his next ten rounds.  

It is important to note that while shooters can hop and step upwards through the grades, they cannot fall back anymore than one grade. Having reached A grade as his first real handicap, Jack cannot go back to a lower position on the handicap card than B grade. There is a Box on the handicap card for every shooter to fill in his/her highest grade attained.

No shooter is allowed to go back any more than his/her highest grade less one grade. For example, AA shooters cannot move back past A grade. A grade cannot go back past B grade and so on.

During the initial process of assessing Jack for a grade, he has traversed C, B, to A2 grade. Now that his grade is set at A grade, this is now his highest grade attained at this point and he cannot go back past B grade regardless of the scores he shoots. He will need to keep up practice and skills to stay competitive.

Where to from here?  

After every 10 rounds a shooter needs to check his handicap. He or she will never fall one level below their highest achieved grading but they can progress more than one grading UP the ladder. At this point a large majority of shooters misread the rules.

How it works:

Grade Competition:
After every 10 rounds a shooter needs to draw a line to indicate the finish of the previous 10 round section and the start of the new 10 round section. Using two different coloured hi-liters makes it very easy to see the start and finish points. The majority of mistakes are made at this point so please ensure you understand what your new ten-round total means to you.

Remember that Jack is now an A2 grade shooter. If his next 10 rounds add up to, say, a total of 119 the grading table would indicate he is equivalent to C9 BUT he cannot go back more than one grade behind his highest achievement. Jack should immediately place himself in A3 (not C9). You can only move out one handicap point at a time.

If Jack continues to shoot below his expectations he may drop down one rung every ten rounds until he reaches B6. He cannot go down to C grade. Of course if he shoots a few good rounds and his ten round total moves him up two or three rungs then that is his new grade and handicap. You can jump up but you slide down and stop in the grade below your very best.

Again, it’s different moving up:
If you are in a lower grade, say B6, and at re-handicapping you find your scores equal 226, then your handicap card should be recorded as AA0. You must move to a higher grade instantly no matter how many handicap points increase it may be.

If the going gets too tough:
If a shooter is unable to maintain the grade that he/she has previously reached or believes that he/she is unfairly handicapped. For example if the highest grade that you have attained is AA and your current scores now consistently show, say, B grade, you may, through your club executive, apply to the National Office to have your handicap reassessed in line with your current ability.

Category Competition:
Within the Field and Game Australia discipline there are five other categories – Super Veterans, Veterans, Ladies, Juniors and Sub Juniors. Members may elect to shoot in a category competition rather than the graded event. In this case the normal range of scoring and handicap numbers apply and the handicap is calculated exactly the same as for grades. Obviously the gradings don’t apply.

Again all scores shot over ten rounds will determine handicap and participants can jump ahead say from 7 to 4 but will only drop back one number at a time.

There are rules that apply to Veterans regarding their participation in Veterans or Graded competition. These are contained in the FGA Rules.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Members of Other Recognised Target organisations (National Carnival participation only)

Members of other recognised target organisations which have reciprocal arrangements with FGA are welcome to compete at the Field and Game Australia National Carnival. Such visitors must present a current membership card and their own organisation’s handicap card.

On presenting his/her handicap card at the National Carnival, the last 10 scores are added up and these scores are applied in the same manner as a FGA re-handicapped shooter. They may then enter our competitions on an equal footing with FGA member shooters.

Full cards:
Should a shooter fill his/her card whilst competing at another ground, the host club may issue a new card duly signed and with the highest grade attained score filled in and the current handicap position. The old card should remain with the new card until at least one re-handicapping is carried out.

You are strongly advised to carry your old card as proof of grade, should a dispute arise. All other renewal cards should be issued through your home club. If you know your card is going to fill, arrange a new one through your club. 

Sample Replacement Card 

No card produced:
If you arrive at a club without your handicap card you may still shoot.  Note however that you will be shooting for targets only. It doesn’t matter how well you are known, the targets only rule must apply.

Washed or lost cards:
From time to time a handicap card will go through the washing machine and the card will be rendered invalid. The home club will issue you with a new one and your grade will be recorded, according to any known records, or your home club will assess and issue you with a handicap, which the Branch committee deems a fair and reasonable assessment of the shooters performance at the time.

Special events:
At national championships etc. when shooters may nominate by post up to 8 weeks before the event, they should present their handicap cards as soon as practical on arriving at the competition. Changes in grades that have occurred during that time can be noted and the scoring computer and score boards updated accordingly.

What happens should a competitor forget to hand his/her card in at this time? It is usual for the organiser to page the shooters and give them a final call for handicap cards. This allows for an amount of good will to be shown, as some shooters may have overlooked this requirement, in the excitement of the day or owing to other factors. Anyone not able to produce their handicap card, may then only shoot for targets only.

Targets Only Rounds of 25 targets only. These scores must always be recorded on the handicap card and taken into account for re-handicapping purposes.

Club’s responsibility:
Having said this, it is now very important for clubs to set courses that are consistent and realistic and reflect our handicap system. This includes the correct amount of singles and doubles targets per layout. Clubs must also cater for the lower grades, as the market place will ultimately determine the fate of clubs. We look to all shooters to know the rules and abide by their intent.