World Handicap System
Acceptable Scores
Acceptable Scores for Handicap Purposes
- It is anticipated that it will be mandatory for all Singles Competition Rounds in Authorised Formats be submitted for handicap purposes, subject to clarification about rounds played with Winter Rules in operation.
- Scores from team competitions and match play will not be acceptable in England initially, although this may change based on feedback from other jurisdictions that include those formats
- The recommendation from England Golf is that scores from regular organised social events (Swindles and roll-ups) in authorised formats are submitted
Pre-registration
- Players are required to register their intention to submit a score from general (non-competition) play before commencing the round.
- Scores submitted from general play are called Social Scores and are similar to the current Supplementary Scores
Minimum Number of Holes
- Scores may be submitted over 9 holes or 18 holes.
- All 9 holes must be played to submit a 9 hole score. Two 9 holes scores will be combined to produce one 18 hole score on the Scoring Record
- An 18 hole score will count as long as 10 or more holes have been completed. Holes not played are recorded as Net Par or (Net Par + 1), depending on the number not played.
Adjusted Gross Score
- For handicap purposes a big score on any hole is reduced to Net Double Bogey, using the player’s Course Handicap. Holes started, but not completed are also recorded as Net Double Bogey.
Score Differential
- The Adjusted Gross Scores is compared with the Course Rating and is “de-sloped” to give the Score Differential for the round, which is added to the player’s Scoring Record.
Playing Conditions Calculation (PCC)
- Determines if course and weather conditions on the day differed from normal to the extent that they significantly impacted players’ performance.
- Calculated using all scores submitted on the course that day, as long as 8 or more golfers with a Handicap Index of less than 36 and a fully developed Scoring Record played.
- It is conservative in nature and can increase the Adjusted Gross Score by 1 in easy conditions or decrease it by 1, 2 or 3 in difficult conditions.