World Handicap System

Calculation of Course Handicap
Under the World Handicap System the calculation is:

(Handicap Index X Slope Rating / 113) + (Course Rating – PAR)

 And yes, there’s an app for that!
Calculation of Adjusted Gross Score – Net Double Bogey
Net Double Bogey
the maximum that you can take
on each hole
(for handicap purposes)
is
Par + 2 + Pops
Frequency of Revisions
Under the World Handicap System,
the index will be revised

DAILY

and will be adjusted to reflect
adverse playing conditions
Incomplete Holes – Most Likely Score
For Pace-of-Play considerations, sometimes we need to “Pick-Up” or “X-Out”.
Use the table at the right to estimate the number of strokes to add after the “Pick-Up”.
PCC – Playing Conditions Calculation
Under the World Handicap System,
an algorithm will account for
adverse weather and course conditions
Daily Index calculated using best 8 out of 20 scores
With the World Handicap System,
the daily index is calculated using the best 8 out of 20 scores
Handicap Index Soft Cap & Hard Cap
With the new World Handicap System,
the handicap index is
automatically prevented
from rising or dropping too fast
Maximum Handicap Index
The Maximum Handicap Index
is
54 for both men and women
Number of Scores Needed to Establish a Handicap Index
With the new World Handicap System,
three 18-hole rounds (54 holes) are required
to calculate an initial handicap index
ESR – Exceptional Score Reduction
The World Handicap system will recognize the potential scoring ability immediately by adjusting the other scores appropriately. This restatement can be viewed in the Adjustments Column in the player’s GHIN account.
Acceptable Scores to Post
  • Scores from home and away courses.
  • Scores in all forms of play; match play, stroke play, even team competitions in which you are requested to pick up.
  • A score from two nines even if it’s the same nine, or nines from different days.
  • Score from a single nine. Each nine holes on a golf course has its own Course Rating and Slope Rating. Two nine-hole scores will eventually be combined to create an 18-hole score and be designated with the letter “C.”
Do Not Post The Following Scores:
  • If you played fewer than 13 holes. (Remember you still have an acceptable 9-hole score.)
  • When you play in a competition limiting the types of clubs used, such as a one-club or irons-only tournament.
  • When an 18-hole course is less than 3,000 yards long.
  • When a majority of the holes aren’t played under the Rules of Golf, as in a “scramble.”
  • “Inactive season” scores. Caveat: If a round is played on a course that is observing an inactive season, that score is unacceptable for handicap purposes. However, if a member whose golf club is currently observing an inactive season plays at a course observing an active season, that score must be posted.
  • Playing two or more balls as practice at a small, local 9-hole course in lieu of going to the driving range. This is practice play and should be treated the same as practice at the driving range.