Finally, players around the world will have an apples-to-apples handicap. Your new Handicap Index will be more responsive to good scores by averaging your eight best scores out of your most recent 20 (currently, it’s 10 out of 20 with a .96 multiplier). In short, your Handicap Index will be determined by your demonstrated ability and consistency of scores. In most cases, for golfers in the U.S., it will change less than one stroke.
In the new system, your Course Handicap will be the number of strokes needed to play to par. This will result in greater variance in that number and presents a change, as historically, it has represented the number of strokes needed to play to the Course Rating. This is a good thing, as par is an easy number to remember. The target score for the day? Par plus Course Handicap. The Course Rating will now be inherent within the calculation to be more intuitive and account for competing from different tees.
The maximum hole score for each player will be limited to a Net Double Bogey. This adjustment is more consistent from hole to hole than the Equitable Stroke Control procedure. Net Double Bogey is already used in many other parts of the world, and the calculation is simple: Par + 2 + any handicap strokes you receive.
One way that handicapping is being modernized is a player’s Handicap Index will update daily (which would provide a fairer indication of a player’s ability in the moment) if the player submitted a score the day before. On days when the player does not submit a score, no update will take place.
The new system will limit extreme upward movement of a Handicap Index, automatically and immediately reduce a Handicap Index when an exceptional score of at least 7 strokes better is posted, and account for abnormal course or weather conditions to ensure that scores reflect when a course plays significantly different than its established Course Rating and Slope Rating.
These safeguards help maintain the accuracy of a Handicap Index, greater integrity within the system and promote fun and fair play for golfers of all abilities.
Read more about The World Handicap System here:
www.whs.com
