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AHEAD OF THE GAME Dawn Jones discusses how the introduction of the women’s specific handicap a decade ago has contributed to improvements in women’s polo
While playing polo over the course of the last 2 years, I have seen significant changes for the better, especially in women’s polo. The women’s specific handicap is one of these notable improvements. It was created in 2009 by Argentina’s Samantha (Samy) Perrusi, who recognised the need to build a women’s handicap along with a conversion scale to the general handicap so that one woman player could be differentiated from another more accurately when competing in women’s polo. Samy understood the compression issues
female players faced within the general handicap scale, particularly from -2 to 2, and she also understood there was a need to differentiate between female players who had comparably different skill sets. By 2013, the USPA board approved and started using the Women’s Handicap in January 2014. Since 2014, a higher level of interest began to emerge as teams were built with more accurate handicaps for a level playing field of competition. Thankfully, each country already implementing the system is taking measures through their women’s handicap
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committees to fine tune each female registered member’s handicap within the 0-10 handicap scale, with translation charts, benchmark scales, and a handicap criteria code for clear and uniform guidelines. Several noticeable benefits have resulted from introducing a women’s specific handicap. More women’s tournaments are being organised globally, and the more often women’s-specific tournament opportunities are provided with a women’s handicap, the more often a female player will be seen, evaluated and able to improve her handicap.
TONY RAMIREZ/IMAGES OF POLO
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