Ladies Handicaps

The UK Ladies Handicap list is published today with the new handicaps coming into effect for the 2015 season, beginning in April. Under the new system, women will retain their current handicap but will also hold a women’s specific handicap; for use when playing in women’s only tournaments.

This brings the English players into line with the Ladies Handicap system already in place in America, Canada, Italy, France, Singapore and Argentina.

Players who have previously played Ladies Tournaments in these countries will already hold an international ladies’ rating which will be carried across. Those who have not will have their rating calculated using their regular handicap for the first tournament using the chart below. This will then be reassessed following the first ladies tournament they play.

UK WOMENS HANDICAP CONVERSION CHART 2014/2015
	HPA H’CAP	LADIES H’CAP
	-2	0
	-1	1
	0	3
	1	4
	2	6
	3	8
	4	9
	5	10

The idea behind introducing the system is to reduce the issue of compression. Of the 763 female polo members registered with the HPA in the UK only 20 have a handicap of 1 or above, which leads to huge variations between players rated the same.

Implementing a ladies handicap system will allow for much more evenly matched and more competitive women’s polo, allowing this side of the sport to continue to develop whilst not affecting women who also play competitively alongside men.
Cirencester, Cowdray and Ascot polo clubs have all committed their 2015 season ladies tournaments to be played using ladies handicaps.

England’s highest rated female player Nina Clarkin thinks that “with the introduction of women’s handicaps, the sport is going to continue to flourish and enjoy greater exposure and coverage, allowing it to continue to develop and grow.”

Cirencester Polo Manager Tim Keyte has been working hard alongside Cowdray Manager Chris Bethell, players Nina Clarkin and Tamara Fox and the HPA office to ensure that the transition to ladies handicaps is smooth and successful.

Please view the website for the full list and for further enquiries please contact any of the below:
Tim Keyte – polomanager@cirencesterpolo.co.uk
Chris Bethell – chris@cowdraypolo.co.uk
Nina Clarkin – ninaclarkin@gmail.com