How is your ghin handicap calculated

Knowing your handicap is a must when a player wants to participate in tournament-style formats. Your handicap is the great equalizer. Many tournaments format their play so that a players handicap is used to score a round. This increases competition and allows players who may not be the strongest golfers a chance to taste victory.

But this leads us to a few important questions. What is your handicap, and more importantly, how do you calculate it? Golf handicap began over years ago and has been in operation ever since. In the previous years, it was known as a hands-on cap, involving three parties: the referee and two players.

Later on, they changed the name to handicap in Handicaps are used in tournaments large and small. From a scramble with friends to club championships.

Essentially, the lower your golf handicap, the more skilled you are. Handicaps are often used to judge how a player performed compared to their average level of play opposed to a straight head-to-head matchup. Handicaps allow players to compete and win against more talented golfers based on how they each played that day. For example, let us say you and a friend are going to play a hole course with a par of It is calculated by averaging the best 8 score differentials out of the most recent 20 within your scoring record.

Can be made up of both competition and general play scores. If your record does not have 20 scores on it already, a modified calculation will be carried out to provide you with a Handicap Index.

The maximum Handicap Index has been raised to 54, so it works for golfers of all skills. USGA studies show golfers with handicaps make better connections inside the golf community and play more rounds. Here's a list of all 59 with easy to access links. Full Leaderboard. News Five things you need to know about the new World Handicap System. By Ryan Herrington.

December 31, Share this story Facebook Twitter LinkedIn. Fewer scores count toward your Index. This means that the score differential for that round was at least 7. The differential with the E, as well as the other 19 if a full scoring record of 20 scores score differentials in place at that time have been adjusted.

As additional scores are posted the new scores do not have their score differentials adjusted. The Low Handicap Index is the lowest Handicap Index value that an individual has had in the last 12 months. It is not calculated; it just looks at each of the issued Handicap Index values that a golfer has on record during the time period. Your Handicap Questions, Answered.

July 31, By Kevin Greenup. Not an expert yet? Why do I need a Handicap Index? Do I have to join a golf club to get a Handicap Index? Intermediate What is score posting? What kind of rounds can I post? How do I post a score?

How many scores do I need to establish my Handicap Index? How long does it take to get my Handicap Index? Do I have to post every score? Do I lose my scores if my membership lapsed? Who can change my posted scores? Is there a maximum Handicap Index?