What is a golf handicap?

Although you want to play equally and fairly, do you ever feel intimidated or demotivated when your fellow players constantly outperform you in golf?

It's a common concern for many.

If that's the case, it's definitely time to consider a golf handicap number. With one of these, you will be on a level playing field, able to compete with players that are better than you and even have a decent chance of winning.

It's a system designed to be both fair and equal, allowing golfers of all abilities to play together and have fun while doing so by using a mathematical system.

As previously touched on, an amateur golfer can benefit from using the golf world handicap system when playing golf against other players, regardless of their golfing skill level and on any course - and even potentially win!

But how exactly?

A player's handicap is the total number of additional shots over par they are expected to take on the golf course. Handicaps are a great indicator of how good a player is; those with a low golf handicap won't have as many additional strokes to take on the course, whereas someone with a high golf handicap will be allowed more of these additional shots to complete the game.

Let's look at this in a bit more detail below.

Imagine the scenario: You have a 7 handicap, and you are considered quite the adequate amateur golfer because of this.

But what exactly does this mean?

Well, say you were playing on St Andrews Old Course, which has a total course par of 72, you would be predicted to hit 79 strokes during this round of golf to complete the game.

While a golf handicap is a brilliant indicator of how well an amateur golfer plays, it isn't its primary purpose.

Imagine you have a weekly game of golf with your friend. But, there's always a downside to these games; they beat you every, single time - and not just by a little bit either. They smash a drive off the range landing 300 yards away and putt with perfect precision each and every game.

There are a variety of reasons why you should think about using a handicap at an amateur level.

These include:

• Learning your potential: Many people believe they are good at good and proudly tell the world of their prowess on the green, but believing in anything doesn't exactly make it true! With the measure of a handicap, the average golfer is able to confirm how good they are and, just as importantly, where they need to improve.
• Increasing the fun: Golf is meant to be enjoyable, not a torture method, and little demotivates players more than when they know they don't stand a chance of winning or even coming anywhere close! Only a golf handicap will level the playing field and create and much freer, more fun game.
• A difficult course is no longer an excuse: Because the course handicap is the golfer's index simply amended to the difficulty of the course, players can no longer blame a tough round on the difficulty of the course he just played.
• An official handicap is great to show off: Who doesn't enjoy boasting a bit when it's warranted? With a good handicap, you have measurable results that you can use to show off! The lower the score, the better, remember, and it'll only get better with time, patience and practice, giving you even more to boast about further down the line.
• It's good for a flutter: It's no secret that many golfers love a good bet, and a handicap allows players to do it without the risk of falling out over contextual and abstract matters, instead of focusing on the conditions allowing a fair and equal game.
• Finally, you will be able to provide an answer to the question: What is your golf handicap?: It is usually the very first question some asks when you tell them you play golf. Well, now you can answer it proudly, or maybe not, depending on how well your performance has been going!

Now we know the benefits of having a handicap in the first place, the next question must be asked: what are the benefits of having a good handicap?

Well, for one, if you have a single-digit handicap, you can pat yourself on the back. You are considered to be a great golfer, and far better than average which is a great thing when you are informing people about your golfing game.

It lets potential players know what they could be up against when you face off on the green, and a score below 10 can boost your confidence too.

However, if you can't play to this handicap and your golf balls go astray more times than you would like to count, then having it isn't worth much. With a low handicap, there is very little margin for error, so you will have to be on your A-Game to stand a chance of beating your opponent in many cases.

But, if your handicap accurately reflects your number of strokes as well as your skill as an amateur golfer, then there isn't going to be too much of an issue!



 

In 2020, the golfing world was set for a big change when it was announced that the new World Handicap System was about to streamline the handicap rules across the world. It was hoped this would encourage new players to the golfing world.

This World Handicap System is now implemented across the globe to allow golfers to measure their skill level against any other player and in any course in the world.

The World Handicap System consists of two main components:

• The Rules of Handicapping
• The Course Rating System

Below we will discuss what these mean and how these affect a handicap score.

The golfer's handicap index is a measurement of their playing ability which is based on the previous scores used to make up your handicap.

The handicap index starts at 1 and continues up to 54, with the average male handicap index being 14.2.

Just to eliminate any confusion; a handicap and a handicap index are NOT THE SAME THING! A handicap is a player's total average number of strokes they are expected to hit on a golf club course over par, which is not what a handicap index is.

A slope rating is a measurement of course difficulty which is based on how a scratch player will play against a regular player. The slope rating index starts at 55 (meaning a course is very easy), right up to 155 (meaning that the course is very tricky to complete).

Any golfer will tell you that golf courses can vary wildly in their difficulty, so this system will take into account the difficulty of the course when calculating golf handicaps.

A course rating system in based on the average number of shots than an average scratch golfer could be expected to take.

No matter how busy you are, it's a great idea to get into the habit of setting aside at least 10 minutes a day to practice. A quick practice session can keep your golfing memory fit and active and improve your swing.

Here are a few quick ideas that you can implement into your daily routine:

Don't be shy; put yourself out there! Continue to challenge yourself while evolving your game at a variety of different golf courses.

You probably play on one golf course most of the time. Try playing different golf courses to strengthen your game, as its challenges will be new. Before starting, it's a good idea to get on the putting green in order to become familiar with the speed in order to navigate the course handicap.

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In order to answer this, you need to be aware of the par for the golf course on which you are playing. Say the golf club you were playing at was a par 80, and you are continuously finishing on 90, then you would have a handicap of around 10.

While this sounds straightforward, with the new implementation of the WHS rules having been rolled out across the globe, you might find that your handicap can fluctuate based on what golf course you are playing.

With the introduction of new handicap rules from the new World Handicap System, the maximum handicap for both men and women is currently 54, whereas previously the maximum handicap was different for both sexes.

But - and it's a big but - a player's handicap does not have to equal the Handicap Index. A calculation is made based on the difficulty of a particular golf course and the Handicap Index in order to give a course handicap.

While golf handicaps seem like a straightforward method to level the playing field when enjoying a round of golf, it's not the easiest idea to get your head around. But essentially, a golf handicap is little more than a design to allow you and anyone else to play golf against better, more experienced players and still get the most out of the game.

Allow it to be a measure of your performance; if you can play golf regularly, you are much more likely to get the most out of the game and, who knows, maybe even drive down your course handicap.

As the rules changed in 2022, bringing in a new system to calculate golf handicaps, this new way of framing the game of golf allows the rules around the world to be much more standard and, if it means players can take a few more shots at a difficult golf club, it definitely can't be a bad thing, right?

We hope this article has helped allow you to understand the fundamentals of the handicap system, the role of the World Handicap System, the benefits of uniforming the requirements across the world and well as learning how to calculate golf handicaps.

If you've managed to navigate your way through the sometimes complex world of the golf handicap and made it to the other side, you deserve a treat. See you on the 19th hole!