What You Need To Know About The New World Handicap System
- Updated: November 6, 2019
Twitter/@golfweek
We could all use an extra stroke or two in our weekend net games and it appears our prayers may have been answered. The USGA and R&A officially announced earlier this week that the brand new World Handicap System (WHS) is set to be rolled out in 2020.
The whole idea of the WHS is to provide golfers around the world “a unified and more inclusive handicapping system for the first time” with a focus on demonstrated ability as opposed to the player’s potential ability.
The key difference is that the new WHS will place more of an emphasis on past performances as opposed to estimating how well a golfer *might* play in the future. In other words, that lucky birdie you made on the toughest hole at your local muni won’t count as much against you next round when you make your usual triple-bogey.
Get ready for the new World Handicap System—coming January 2020! pic.twitter.com/Nlzds3yXEF
— USGA (@USGA) November 4, 2019
According to the press release, the WHS will go live in the majority of countries in January, but will roll out “throughout the year to accommodate different implementation plans and variations in the golf calendar.”
The roll out will start in the United States during the first week of January 2020, while other countries such as Great Britain and Ireland will wait until September at the earliest which is the current plan, but is subject to change.
“When the golf community works together, everyone benefits,” said Mike Davis, CEO of the USGA. “We have seen the benefit that handicapping has provided for decades, providing greater enjoyment for all who play. To have a single set of Rules of Handicapping for the game will connect golfers from country to country, and we are excited to bring the best of all worlds together through this initiative.
“It is one of the many ways we are investing in golf’s future, to strengthen and foster growth of the entire game for years to come.”
Here’s a fun introductory video that helps explain the new World Handicap System:
The WHS is comprised of two main components – the Rules of Handicapping and the Course Rating System.
- The Rules of Handicapping are encompassed within seven Rules to inform administrators and golfers on how an official Handicap Index is calculated and administered, with some flexibility given to national associations based on how the sport is played and enjoyed in their region.
- The Course Rating System, based on the USGA Course Rating System first adopted nearly 50 years ago and already adopted on nearly every continent, sets out a consistent method of determining a course’s difficulty. Together, these components become the foundational elements in determining a golfer’s Handicap Index.
5 things you NEED to know
1. The handicap index calculation is changing
A player’s index will be based off the best 8 scores out of the past 20, instead of 96% of your best 10 differentials. For most U.S. golfers, the change will be minor, but players may see that their handicap index is different by a few decimal points in January despite having not played.
2. Players will now have a “playing handicap”
Slope rating and now course rating and par will be used to determine a “playing handicap,” allowing players to compete from different tees on the same course more easily.
In other words, depending on what format and tees you will be playing, you will determine a “handicap allowance” which is the percentage of the course handicap. This will then be applied to your handicap index and provide you with the best chance to compete and do “well.”
For example, if your index is a 15.6 and are playing a format with a 95% allowance, it becomes 16.4. Take that number, get rid of the decimal point and you will get 16 strokes for the round. This is your playing handicap. However, more often than not, your course and playing handicaps will be the same.
3. Say goodbye to Equitable Stroke Control
Equitable stroke control (ESC) used to set a limit to the number of strokes a player can take on a hole depending on their course handicap as a way to be representative of a player’s potential ability. With the new system, everybody plays under the same ESC: net double bogey (par + 2 + handicap strokes received.)
Basically, if a scratch player (getting zero strokes) makes a triple bogey, it will be recorded as a double bogey max. If a 10 handicap is playing the 6th hardest hole, the max score he’d record on the hole for handicap purposes a triple bogey.
4. Handicap indexes will be updated daily, not bi-weekly
Handicaps used to be updated on the 1st and 15th of every month. Not any more. Players’ handicap indexes will update the day after a score is posted meaning the number of strokes you get can theoretically change every day.
5. Safeguards added to protect handicap indexes
The WHS system will limit extreme upward movement of an index (to help prevent sandbagging, you son of a bitch) as well as an extreme reduction of an index based on an outlying score. Handicap committees can also make adjustments in cases when a player’s handicap index when they don’t match up, like when a player consistently outscores their index in competition.
WHS will also account for abnormal playing conditions, meaning if the weather played a factor (wind/rain vs sun) or the setup was more difficult that day (Thursday pins vs Sunday pins) you potentially will see an adjustment made to your score differential from one day to the next.
To learn more about the World Handicap System, check out their website here.
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