World Handicap System

The R&A and the USGA have developed a new World Handicap System (WHS) which delivers a unified and more inclusive handicapping system, which has been implemented globally on a staggered basis throughout 2020.

In this article, Golfing Herald provides an overview (albeit from 50,000 ft.) of the key objectives and features of this worldwide initiative and how it will impact all amateur club golfers.

Objectives

The new WHS has the following objectives:

1. To enable golfers, whatever their gender, nationality or ability to compete on a fair and equitable basis anywhere in the world.
2. To provide a consistent measure of playing ability.
3. To provide an indication of the score a golfer could achieve playing under normal conditions on any course in the world.
4. To encourage as many golfers as possible to obtain and maintain a handicap.

Terms and Concepts

To achieve the objectives as set out by golf’s governing bodies then golfers will firstly need to become familiar with the following terms and concepts:

• All golfers will be allocated a ‘Handicap Index‘. This index will effectively provide an indication of playing ability and is taken to one decimal place (e.g. 14.7).
• All golf courses will be assigned a ‘Slope Rating‘ which provides the measure of the difficulty of a particular course. This rating may also vary based on which Tees are being used…White, Yellow, Red, etc.
• The ‘Standard Slope Rating‘ is a fixed number, providing a measure for courses evaluated as having standard playing difficulty.
• A ‘Course Handicap’ is the number of strokes, to the nearest whole number, a player will receive calculated from their ‘Handicap Index’ and ‘Slope Rating’
• The ‘Playing Handicap’ is the number of strokes, to the nearest whole number, a golfer will receive in a competition calculated using their ‘Course Handicap’ adjusted by the format (Strokeplay, 4BBB, etc.) ‘Allowance’…there is a list of recommended allowances at the end of this article.

Thus, in theory, when playing golf on any course in the world on or after 1st January 2020 where the new WHS has been implemented, a golfer’s ‘Playing Handicap‘ on that particular course/day will be calculated using the following (simple) formulas:

Course Handicap = (Slope Rating x Handicap Index)/(Standard Slope Rating)

Playing Handicap = (Course Handicap x Allowance)

Conversion Chart

Rest assured, it is nowhere near as difficult as the above may sound as all Golf Clubs should have easy to access conversion charts which very simply map your Handicap Index to your Course Handicap, leaving only the Playing Handicap to be manually calculated…once used never forgotten…honest!!

Worked Example 1

Player Joe Bloggs has a current Handicap Index of 10.4 and is playing in an individual Strokeplay competition on a course which has a Slope Rating of 130.  Using a Standard Slope Rating of 113 then Joe’s playing handicap would be calculated as:

Course Handicap

((130 x 10.4)/113) = 12 (rounded up from the calculated 11.96)

Playing Handicap

(12 x 0.95) = 11 (rounded down from the calculated 11.40)

Worked Example 2

The following day, Joe plays in another individual Strokeplay competition but this time on a different course which has a Slope Rating of 100. Assuming his Handicap Index has not been adjusted from the day before, then his playing handicap would be calculated as:

Course Handicap

((100 x 10.4)/113) = 9 (rounded down from the calculated 9.20)

Playing Handicap

(9 x 0.95) = 9 (rounded up from the calculated 8.55)

I am not aware of the lower and upper limits of Slope Ratings, though currently in the USA they range from 55 to 155…I would imagine courses such as Bethpage Black, the venue for the 2019 USPGA Championship, are rated 155!!

Framework

Over and above the terms and concepts already covered, the following provides high-level details of the other key features that underpin the framework of the new WHS:

• A player must be a member of a golf club affiliated to the respective national association.
• There will be a maximum Handicap Index of 54.0 (applies to gents, ladies, boys & girls).
• For new players to obtain a Handicap Index they must return scores from 54 holes comprised of any combination of 9-hole and 18-hole rounds.
• For existing players, the Handicap Index will be based on the best 8 scores from the last 20 recorded scores, which can include competitive and non-competitive (recreational) rounds.
• The prevailing course and weather conditions on a particular day may adjust the Slope Rating and thus your playing Handicap Index.

There are other ‘features’ such as Course Conditions Adjustment, Maximum score on a hole for handicapping purposes, Annual handicap review and possible penalties for a No Return…but they can be put in the ‘Information Overload Locker’ for the time being!!

Thoughts & Observations

Only time will tell whether the new World Handicap System is a success and meets (or even exceeds) the objectives and expectations drawn up by the R&A, the USGA and the other golf handicapping authorities.

Could take some time to settle down whilst golfers adjust to the concept of a Handicap Index and that the handicap allocated on the day for playing a specific course will be adjusted based on a variety of factors, in particular, the difficulty (Slope Rating) of the course.

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Allowances

List of recommended allowances for some of the recognised formats:

• Individual Strokeplay, Stableford and Bogey ~ 0.95
• Individual Matchplay ~ 1.00
• Foursomes ~ 0.50 (combined Playing Handicaps)
• 4BBB Strokeplay and Stableford ~ 0.85
• 4BBB Matchplay ~ 0.90