Thanks for the comment.

Actually the 'hole difficulty' method of allocating SI is not the recommended process. Although you are right in saying this was calculated from previous history. Most handicapping software has got the calculation built in to rank the holes over 1 round or over a number of years if required. Certainly the ones I am familiar with actually print a rider saying that the results should not be used to determine SIs for the course.

As I said, SIs are allocated according to their significance in a match. I can post the CONGU text here but it will take umpteen pages to display. You should be able to find it on the www.congu.co website. But that only supplements the R&A notes, which I don't think are on their website, but published in the Guidance to Running a Competition book.