Golf Stats Documentation

Getting Started With Golf Stats

Menus

GolfStats has four main menus, each which has sub-menu selections:

Menu Name: Courses Rounds Stats Utils
Submenu 1: Courses List Add Round Handicap Settings
Submenu 2: My Courses Latest Round Overall Stats Help
Submenu 3: Add Course My Rounds Latest Round About
Submenu 4: All Rounds Scoring History

Settings

When first using GolfStats, users are directed to their Settings, which is the first selection under the Utils Menu. The following settings can be configured in the user Settings:

  • Handicap Formula (USGA, EGA or CONGU)
  • Tracking Options (Full statistics or scores and handicap only)
  • Privacy (allow or disallow public view of scores and stats)
  • Gender (CONGU handicap limitations vary based on gender)

Handicap Formula

USGA (United States Golf Association) handicap is based on calculation between the differential and course rating of the last 5-20 rounds. A minimum of five rounds must be entered into GolfStats for the USGA handicap to calculate. If the player has recorded over 20 rounds into GolfStats, the handicap is calculated based on the most recent 20 rounds.

CONGU handicap formula is the standard formula for the United Kingdom. A CONGU handicap is established based from an initial three rounds, and updates as each round is entered into GolfStats. If a user selects CONGU for the first time, or has cleared the CONGU handicap, the user is directed to the CONGU handicap setup form. In the CONGU handicap setup form the user inputs the last three round’s scores as well as the last three course’s Standard Scratch Score. The new CONGU handicap is automatically calculated as the data is entered into the form.

EGA handicap is the standard in Europe. EGA is new as of Golf Stats 1.5.5. Users may enter last three rounds to establish their EGA handicap, or simply input a handicap if one is already established. Stats or scoring rounds entered properly adjust the EGA handicap, with a maximum handicap of 36.

If a player wishes to reset or start over with their CONGU or EGA handicap, the handicap can be reset from the Handicap page which is found under the Stats Menu.

Warning: Resetting the CONGU or EGA handicap will nullify any previous round handicap calculations, and those calculations cannot be restored unless the user re-enters those rounds.

Tracking Options

The 2nd option in GolfStats Settings is Tracking Options. Tracking Options allows the user to select:

  1. Scores and Handicap Only – Simple, no statistics.
  2. Full Statistics – More complex with full stats tracked.

Privacy

Users can choose to allow or disallow public view of their golf scores and statistics via the Privacy setting. Privacy is set in the Settings sub menu under the Utils Menu.

Gender

Because some handicap formulas differ based on gender, GolfStats Settings contains a Gender setting. Gender can be set in the Settings sub menu under the Utils Menu, but also appears in the CONGU handicap setup page for first time CONGU handicap users.

Courses

Adding A Course

Rounds/scores are entered for golf courses which are in the GolfStats database. Courses may be added to the database by any logged in GolfStats user. The Add Course function is located under the Courses Menu. When adding a course, the course’s primary information is entered: Name, address, city, country, web site, phone, hole by hole pars.

Adding a course to Golf Stats

  1. Search the course database (search located at top of Courses List) to insure the course you wish to enter is not already there
  2. Select Add Course from the Courses Menu
  3. Enter course information
  4. Enter hole pars
  5. Check information and click “Submit”
  6. Course will now appear in Courses list, located in the Courses Menu

Adding tees to course in GolfStats

Once the primary course information is entered, any logged in GolfStats user can add a specific tee to that course. To add a tee to a course follow these steps:

  1. Choose course from Courses List, located in Courses Menu
  2. Click on Add Tee link for the course
  3. Enter tee color, course rating/standard scratch score, slope. If you do not know the rating/slope, enter default par for the course rating and 113 for the slope. Slope is used for USGA handicap calculation and not used in CONGU handicap calculation.
  4. Enter hole yardages and handicaps.
  5. Check information and click “Submit”
  6. Tee will now appear in the course row of the courses list

Viewing a course

Viewing a course shows all of the primary course information, as well as all tees and yardages. To view a course, click on the course name from the Courses List submenu, located under the Courses Menu.

Editing a course

If you have contributed the course, or have GolfStats administrative access, you can edit a course. Editing a course may be necessary if the original information was not correctly entered, or information about the course has changed. To edit a course follow these steps:

  1. Choose course from Courses List, located in the Courses Menu and click the course name
  2. Now in the Course View, click “edit course” located in the bottom left row/column of the course display.
  3. Edit the proper information.
  4. Click “Submit” after checking that changes are correct.

Editing a course’s tees

If you have contributed the course tee(s), or have GolfStats administrative access, you can edit the course tee(s). Editing a course tee may be necessary if the original information was not correctly entered, or information about the course tee has changed. To edit a course tee follow these steps:

  1. Choose course from Courses List, located in the Courses Menu and click the course name
  2. Now in the Course View, click “edit tee” located next to the tee name in the tee row on the scorecard.
  3. Edit the proper information.
  4. Click “Submit” after checking that changes are correct.

Searching the courses database

Utilizing the Course Search function is easy. Simply go to the Courses List and enter your search term in the search field at the top right section of the list. Any terms like city or course type can be entered and results will display in the Course List format.

(NEW in version 2.5) My Courses

Golf Stats installations may contain dozens or even hundreds of golf courses in the database.  To make it easier for users to find the courses they regularly play, the new “My Courses” feature has been added to Golf Stats 2.5.  In the course list a new column called “Favorite” contains a link with the world “Add.”  Clicking the favorite/add link allows users to add a course to their “My Courses” list.  A new menu item called “My Courses” shows the user’s custom course list.

Rounds

Adding a round

To add a round to the database, follow these steps:

  1. Select the tee you played from the Add Round column of the Courses List and the corresponding Course Row. The Courses List can be accessed though the Courses Menu or the Add Round submenu in the Rounds Menu.
  2. If your settings are configured for Full Statistics, the Enter Round form with full statistical fields will be displayed. If your settings are configured for Scores/Handicap, a simple form with front score and back score will be displayed.
  3. Enter information. Some information is required and if not inputted, will produce a popup warning.
  4. Check information and click the submit button.
  5. Round is now entered and will appear in My Rounds list, All Rounds List, and Latest Round information.

Editing a round

If you need to correct data which was entered for a specific round, follow these steps:

  1. Select the round from the My Rounds or Scoring History lists. My Rounds is a submenu under the Rounds Menu. Scoring History is a submenu under the Stats Menu.
  2. Make proper changes to round data.
  3. Check for accuracy and click submit.

Latest Round

To view the last round entered into GolfStats, select Latest Round from the Rounds Menu or the Stats Menu. All available information about that round, wether statistical or scores/handicap will display.

My Rounds

By clicking the My Rounds submenu from the Rounds Menu, users can view a list of all their rounds available in the GolfStats database. The My Rounds list privides access to further round functions such as Edit Round, Delete Round and View Round.

All Rounds

The All Rounds submenu, located in the Rounds Menu, shows all GolfStats user rounds in a list format. If user Privacy Settings are set to public, those user rounds may be viewed in detail by clicking the course name from the list. A listing off a particular GolfStats user’s rounds may also be viewed by clicking the username/name from the All Rounds list, provided that privacy settings for that user are set to public.

EGA Course Handicap Strokes Calculator

EGA Handicap Calculation

EGA Stableford Course Handicap Stroke Calculator. This feature is not listed in the Golf Stats menu, however a menu item linking to the EGAHandicalc can be created from the Joomla administration panel.

Stats

Handicap

GolfStats users may view their handicap by selecting the Handicap sub menu from the Stats Menu. USGA, EGA or CONGU handicaps will display, based on the user’s Settings.

CONGU and EGA handicaps may be “reset” by clicking the word “reset” in the right column of the handicap list.

Warning: Resetting the CONGU or EGA handicap will nullify any previous round handicap calculations, and those calculations cannot be restored unless the user re-enters those rounds.

Overall Stats

Users may view their combined statistics for all statistical rounds entered by selecting the Overall Stats submenu from the Stats Menu. These stats can tell the user what parts of their game need more work, and what parts are working well.

Latest Round

To view the last round entered into GolfStats, select Latest Round from the Rounds Menu or the Stats Menu. All available information about that round, whether statistical or scores/handicap will display.

Scoring History

Scoring History is a slightly different listing of scores than My Scores. Scoring History shows various scoring information based on whether the user Settings are set for CONGU or USGA handicap. Like the My Scores listing, scores may be edited or deleted from the GolfStats database via this list.

Utilities (Utils)

Settings

GolfStats users can customize their personal experience with the Settings function. The Settings Submenu is located in the Utils Menu. The following settings can be configured in the user Settings:

  • Handicap Formula (USGA, EGA or CONGU)
  • Tracking Options (Full statistics or scores and handicap only)
  • Privacy (allow or disallow public view of scores and stats)
  • Gender (CONGU handicap limitations vary based on gender)

Help

GolfStats’ Help section is accessed through the Help Submenu, located in the Utils Menu. The Help section contains all GolfStats documentation.

About

The About Submenu contains the GolfStats About Page. This page shows GolfStats credits and support information.

Administration

Front End Administration

Administration for most of GolfStats records is done in the Joomla! front end, for users who have administrative access. Designated GolfStats administrators can edit courses, rounds, tees and even delete rounds. See Back End Administration details for instructions on setting up administrators.

Back End Administration

The following administrative settings are configurable via the Joomla! administration Golf Stats component parameters:

  1. List Limit – Number of rounds/scores shown per page. Default: 25
  2. Maximum Records Stored – Set a limit of rounds per user stored in database. Default: 25
  3. Name or username? – Show player name or username in front end.
  4. Administrator access – Add Joomla User ID#’s to give that user admin access. Separate by comma. Example: 74,1248,984 will give users #74, 1248 and 984 administrative front end access.
  5. Show or hide the Golf Stats header and menu
  6. JomSocial Integration – When enabled JS integration will show Golf Stats activities in the JomSocial activity stream, as well as award JS user points for activities.

Requirements & Compatibility

Golf Stats runs as a 3rd party “Extension” for the Joomla! content management system, which is installed in millions of web sites. Golf Stats has been tested with up to Joomla version 3.0.x.

Golf Stats 3.0 is tested in Joomla’s MYSQL and MYSLi database modes and untested in any other modes.

Installation

Installation of GolfStats is performed in the Joomla! administration panel with the extensions installer. The zip file, com_golfstats_xxx__xxxxxx.zip is the installer for GolfStats.

Once installed settings may be adjusted in the administrative back end of Joomla.  Select “Golf Stats” in the Joomla component menu.

Once installed, a menu item should be created for Golf Stats to appear on the user facing front end of the site.  There are many menu options to show, the best general selection being the “default” menu item.

Upgrading from Golf Stats 2.5.x

Upgrading from Golf Stats 2.5.x to 3.x is easy.  Assuming the Golf Stats database tables exist in the Joomla 3.0 installation, simply install Golf Stats 3.0 as normal.  If Golf Stats 3.0 is already installed and you wish to copy your Golf Stats 2.5 data, the tables are the same.  No changes.  Simply copy the tables or the table data.

One small change to the DB from version 2.5 to 3.0 is in the Tee table to improve functionality. In phpMyAdmin or a mysql editor, perform the following where “jos_” is the database prefix:

Fix course rating table to allow for one decimal point:

ALTER TABLE `jos_golfstats_tees` CHANGE `rating` `rating` DECIMAL( 11, 1 ) NULL DEFAULT NULL

Fix course slope to allow for one decimal point:

ALTER TABLE `jos_golfstats_tees` CHANGE `slope` `slope` DECIMAL( 11, 1 ) NULL DEFAULT NULL