The Double Peoria system is a way of giving every player a one-day handicap based on 12 holes that are chosen in secret. The formula is “(total strokes on the 12 hidden holes × 1.5 − course par) × 0.8”, and players are ranked on net score, which is their gross score minus this handicap. It lets golfers of very different ability compete for prizes even when many of them have no official handicap, which is why it is popular at company outings, charity days and club socials. In Japan the same 12-hole method is called the New Peoria (Shin Peoria) system and is the standard format for company golf events.
How the Double Peoria system works
Double Peoria is not part of the Rules of Golf or of any official handicap system. It is simply a method for ranking players at an event. An official handicap under the World Handicap System is calculated from a player’s recent scores and the difficulty of the courses played. A Double Peoria handicap, by contrast, is worked out from that day’s 18 holes only and is thrown away once the event is over.
On the day, the process looks like this:
- The organizer (or the golf course) chooses 12 hidden holes. Players are not told which ones.
- Everyone plays 18 holes as normal and hands in their scorecard.
- Once all the cards are in, the hidden holes are announced and each player’s strokes on those holes are added up.
- The handicap is calculated with the formula and subtracted from the gross score to give a net score.
- Players are ranked from the lowest net score.
Because nobody knows the hidden holes until the end, it is hard to manipulate your handicap on purpose. Players do not need to think about the system at all: just count every stroke accurately and hand in an honest card.
The formula and what each number means
The Double Peoria handicap is calculated like this:
Handicap = (total strokes on the 12 hidden holes × 1.5 − course par) × 0.8
| Step | Calculation | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Add up the strokes on the 12 hidden holes | A sample of how the player played that day |
| 2 | Total × 1.5 | Scales 12 holes up to 18 |
| 3 | − course par | Shows how many strokes over par (subtract 72 on a par-72 course) |
| 4 | × 0.8 | Gives only 80% of that difference as the handicap |
The final 0.8 is there so that the handicap does not wipe out the whole difference in ability. Allowing only 80% leaves better players a real chance of finishing near the top. The par figure in the formula is the par of the course you are playing, so on a par-71 or par-70 course you use 71 or 70.
How the hidden holes are chosen
The usual approach is to pick six holes from the front nine and six from the back nine so that the par of the 12 holes adds up to 48. For example, choosing one par 3, four par 4s and one par 5 from each nine gives a total par of 48.
- Avoid picking only the hardest or only the easiest holes.
- Do not announce the holes until every score is in.
- If the golf course is handling the scoring for your event, it may also choose the hidden holes for you.
Worked example (par-72 course)
Here is the calculation for three players.
| Player | Gross | Total on 12 hidden holes | Handicap calculation | Handicap | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player A | 90 | 60 | (60 × 1.5 − 72) × 0.8 | 14.4 | 75.6 |
| Player B | 84 | 54 | (54 × 1.5 − 72) × 0.8 | 7.2 | 76.8 |
| Player C | 100 | 64 | (64 × 1.5 − 72) × 0.8 | 19.2 | 80.8 |
Player B has the best gross score, but Player A wins on net. On the six holes that were not hidden, A and B both took 30 strokes. The difference came on the hidden holes: A took more strokes there, so A received a bigger handicap and overtook B on net. Under Double Peoria, which holes you dropped your shots on can change the order.
From the formula, one extra stroke on a hidden hole adds one stroke to your gross score but 1.5 × 0.8 = 1.2 strokes to your handicap, so your net score actually improves by 0.2. One extra stroke on a hole that is not hidden simply makes your net score one stroke worse. That element of luck is part of the fun at a golf day.
Handicap limits, maximum scores per hole and rounding
There are small variations in how Double Peoria is run, and each event needs to decide them in advance.
- Maximum handicap: a few big numbers on hidden holes can produce a very large handicap. A cap such as 36 is common, and events with many beginners sometimes set it higher. Some events use different caps for men and women.
- Maximum score per hole: the original Peoria system caps each hole at double par (8 on a par 4) for the calculation. Some events use actual scores, and others cap at triple bogey or double par minus one.
- Rounding: whether the handicap is used with its decimal or rounded to a whole number depends on the event and how scores are processed.
- Ties on net score: decide the tie-break in advance, for example ranking the player with the lower handicap higher.
Peoria, Double Peoria and other variations
The variations differ mainly in the number of hidden holes. Names are not fully standardized, so check how your organizer defines the format.
| System | Hidden holes | Formula | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peoria | 6 (one par 3, par 4 and par 5 from each nine) | (total × 3 − par) × 0.8 | Plenty of luck; beginners have a real chance of winning |
| Double Peoria (New Peoria in Japan) | 12 | (total × 1.5 − par) × 0.8 | Reflects ability better; the most common format at Japanese company events |
| New-New Peoria (Japan) | 9 | Scale 9 holes up to 18 and calculate the same way | Used when organizers want a little more luck than the 12-hole version |
In English-speaking countries, the six-hole Peoria is the version most often seen at charity days and company outings. The 12-hole version spread in Japan and is also used at some corporate golf events in Singapore, where it goes by the name Double Peoria.
Running a Double Peoria event in Southeast Asia
Company and community golf days in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore often need a format that works for players with and without official handicaps, and Double Peoria is one of the options organizers use. You cannot always count on the golf course to handle the scoring, so it helps if the organizer prepares a spreadsheet in advance to make the prize-giving smooth.
- Caddies often fill in the scorecard, but ask each player to check their hole-by-hole scores before handing it in.
- Only the organizer should hold the list of hidden holes before the start.
- If some players are used to a different format, explain it simply as “a one-day handicap from 12 secret holes” so everyone understands.
- Put the handicap cap, the maximum score per hole and the tie-break in the invitation.
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