Bangalore, Aug 27 (IANS) The United States Golf Association (USGA), in collaboration with the Indian Golf Union (IGU), conducted a path-breaking course and slope rating seminar at the Bangalore Golf club here Aug 23-25.

It was the first such seminar held in India and was conducted by Eric Lahman, manager of course rating and handicapping for the USGA. The idea of such a seminar, which was cleared by about 32 participants, was to have a uniform handicapping system in India and also solve the portability of handicaps by golfers, especially which they play on different courses in different countries.

A golf handicap is a numerical measure of a golfer's playing ability. It is used to calculate a net score from the number of strokes actually played. This allows players of different abilities to play each other on equal terms. A rating is arrived at after looking at five effective playing length factors and another 10 obstacle factors, including psychological obstacles.

The educative programme is a first for the Indian golfing fraternity. Currently, India has very few trained people to carry out course and slope ratings of golf courses.

The USGA course rating system was first established in 1911, exactly 100 years ago.

Lahman, who conducts these programmes regularly in the US and elsewhere, said, "I look forward to another visit in the near future after the participants would have got some experience under the IGU to carry out course rating of some of the golf courses in India. It was a terrific effort from BGC and IGU."

Hari Achanta, one of few certified raters in the country, also attended the course, and remarked, "The course was of immense benefit and I was able to refresh and refine my understanding of the process."