How to Handle Absent Players and Teams

Golf League Tracker has a number of ways to handle absent players for your league. Depending on your league type, you have different options detailed below.

Individual Player Leagues

If a player is absent on an Individual Player League, when entering scores you have two options:

1. Choose a sub from the player drop down
2. Choose the Course Name from the player drop down

2-Person Team Leagues

If a Single Player Absent...

If a single player is absent on a 2-Player Team, when entering scores you have three options:

1. Choose a sub for the player
2. Choose "Absent -Teammate will play against opponent" and his teammate's score and handicap will be used in place of that player and the solo player's score will be used twice, as if the player's identical twin is his partner with the same handicap and the same score each hole. If one player on each team is absent and you choose this option, both remaining players will play against each other for double the points.
3. Choose the Course Name for the absent player

If Both Players Absent...

If both players are absent on a 2-Player Team, you can:

1. Choose a sub for the player
2. Choose the course for a player

It's possible to have a sub play for one of the absent players, and the course play for the other absent player. It's also possible to have the sub play for both absent players. It all depends on what your league rules state on how to handle this situation.

Scramble Leagues

If a single player is absent or has a sub, there's no way to accommodate that in Golf League Tracker, since the handicap that is calculated is a team handicap based on the players who make up that team. However if a team is absent, you can choose the Course Name for the absent team.

The Course Playing for Absent Player - How Does it Work?

See this example for more details on how scoring works for the course.

Forfeits and Points

If a team forfeits, how you handle that is up to you. Most treat the team who forfeitted as you would any other team who was absent as described above. If you have special rules specifically for forfeits, when you "Record Points" you can override the points the system calculates and enter whatever you like to match your league rules.

Random Draws or Blind Scores

Some leagues decide to have a random player play for absent players. To do this in Golf League Tracker, create a sub which will be your placeholder for the random player. Then, choose your random player using whatever method you use for your league. When you enter scores, enter the score for the absent player using the sub you created, and click the "Edit Handicap" button so that you can manually set the handicap for the sub.

I don't recommend using random players because it's best if players know what their opponents are shooting.

"Ghost" Players or Teams

Some leagues have an odd number of players or teams, which requires them to have a "ghost". A Ghost player or team is treated just like a real player or team who is absent for that round, and you will follow the same procedure when entering scores.

What Do Most Leagues Do for Absent Players?

In individual player leagues, most leagues give the player 2 extra strokes over their handicap (2 penalty strokes to the course).

In team leagues, most leagues have the solo player play both opponents and only use the course when two players on a team are absent.

Limiting or Guaranteeing Points

Some leagues limit the number of points the absent players/teams can win, and others guarantee points for the attending player/team. You can set these values in the settings, or you can override the points when you record points to award what you like. To see all of the setting options available, click here to view the "Absent Players and Subs" setting category.