Many competitive shooters who recently looked at competition results posted on the CMP website noted new Handicap Results lists that included scores fired by competitors in that match plus a new Handicap number and Handicap Aggregate. Most CMP competitors who looked at these new results lists have been wondering what these Handicap numbers are and what they might mean to competitors in CMP sanctioned matches.

The new CMP Handicap System is a way to rank all competitors in a match according to how they performed on the day of a match relative to their established level of ability. In a handicap competition, the competitor who does the best job of exceeding his or her average becomes the winner. Handicaps, in many recreational sports, are a popular way to equalize the competition. Golf, bowling and trap shooting all have handicap systems that often attract more participation and excitement than events that are based strictly on score.

The CMP Competition Tracker system that records match results and displays them on the Internet now has a massive database of results that provides the statistical basis for this new system. Every score fired by competitors in the National Matches, CMP Eastern and Western Games, sanctioned EIC matches, sanctioned as-issued military rifle matches that report scores and sanctioned three-position air rifle matches is now recorded in this system. This makes it quite easy to establish averages and from those averages to derive competitor handicaps.

The handicaps are based on a factor of 1.000, which reflects the average scores for the greatest number of shooters. Shooters with handicaps over 1.000 are above that level, while shooters below 1.000 are new and developing shooters who have not reached that level yet. The parameters for determining handicaps required some adjusting to make them realistic and fair. First of all, a shooter who has never fired a match before is given a handicap of 1.000. Each match a shooter competes in his or her handicap is adjusted up or down depending on how well they did against the average shooter in that match. The more matches a shooter competes in the better his or her handicap reflects their skill level. A shooter's handicap is based on their average performance over all matches they competed in over the last two years. A system to adjust for matches with high winds or poor conditions was added that is based on how all competitors in a match perform relative to their established averages. The CMP handicap system will certainly be evaluated as experience is gained to make sure it is ranking competitors fairly and accurately, but a great deal of thought and effort has already gone into designing the handicap parameters.

Applying shooters’ handicaps to the scores fired in a match is simple. After a competitor fires a match, his score is divided by his handicap. The result is his/her Handicap Aggregate and all competitors are ranked according to this Handicap score. The Handicap Results now shown in match results posted on the CMP Competition Tracker web page are derived in this way. Those results show competitors in those matches how they would have ranked if the match sponsor for that match had offered a prize list for the handicap aggregate.

The new CMP Handicap System is designed to be a powerful new tool for match sponsors to use to create additional interest and participation in their matches. Now sponsors can have one event with two different award schedules, one for raw scores that recognizes the overall best shooters and a second award schedule for handicap results that recognizes the shooters who did the best on that day relative to their established level of ability.

A match sponsor could offer a second prize list for the handicap aggregate or many match sponsors are expected to offer a second entry opportunity. A sponsor might, for example, charge a separate optional $10.00 entry fee for the handicap match with a cash prize distribution plan that awards 80 or 90 percent of these fees back to all competitors who enter the handicap match and with the winner of the handicap receiving perhaps 50 percent of this amount. Shooters who did not enter the handicap match would, of course, receive no prizes and the money would be passed down to the next ranking competitor who enters the handicap match.

If a match sponsor decides to include a handicap match, they can fire the match, submit the match scorecards to the CMP and view the match results with both raw score and a Handicap Aggregate rankings within one or two days after the scorecards arrive at CMP. The CMP expects that in the not-too-distant future, updated shooters’ handicaps will be available to sponsors before the match so that calculations can be done at the match. Until then, getting a handicap aggregate rank list will only take one or two days after scorecards arrive at CMP.

The CMP is planning to include some handicap aggregate events in the 2008 National Matches program, especially in the As-Issued Military Rifle events. The CMP encourages match sponsors to familiarize themselves with this new handicap system and to use it to stimulate more interest and excitement in their matches. The CMP also looks forward to learning more from the experiences that match sponsors and competitors have with the new handicap system.

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