Understanding Golf Handicaps

Whether you’re an experienced player or a beginner, you’re eventually going to want to get a handicap. It’s necessary to have one to play competitively. Golf handicapping is a method used to equalize the ability of golfers when they compete against each other in competitions and tournaments. It allows golfers of different skill levels to compete evenly. A golfer needs to have played 54 holes to establish a handicap. Beginning golfers often don’t have a handicap. Learning how to play should focus on the joy of golf, not on the technical aspects of it, like your handicap. Experienced golfers typically have a handicap because the essence of playing golf is competing. As beginners play more, they’ll need a handicap. It’ll allow them to play in matches and tournaments, and it’s a way to document progress.

What Is a Golf Handicap?

A golf handicap is calculated by averaging the best 8 scores out of your last 20 rounds. Handicaps range from 1 to 54. A scratch golfer is a player without a handicap. They have a zero handicap, which means their scores are consistently around par. A golfer with a plus handicap must “give” back strokes to the course. For instance, a player with a +3 handicap would have to play the three easiest holes on the course at one shot below par. A golfer with a 3 handicap would get one extra shot on the three most difficult holes on the course. Most players on the PGA Tour have plus handicaps but very few amateurs have plus handicaps. Your handicap decreases if you consistently post scores lower than your average scores, and it increases if you post scores higher than your average scores. It’s not necessary to play with a handicap in some instances. Professional golf tournaments aren’t handicapped. All the players are considered equal.

The Purpose of a Golf Handicap

Golf handicaps are used in tournaments to make it fair for players with different skill levels. When golfers start on the first tee, no matter what their ability is, they’re equal because their handicap accounts for the differences in their abilities. A lower handicap golfer is more skilled than a golfer with a higher handicap. For instance, a golfer who has a handicap of 5 is 6 strokes better than a player with an 11 handicap. In a fully handicapped tournament, the lower handicap golfer would have to give the higher handicap golfer 6 shots. That means that on the six hardest holes on the course, the golfer with an 11 handicap would get one shot on that hole. On the other holes, the golfers would be equal, and no shots are given. On a hole where shots are given, if the golfer with a higher handicap finished with a 5 and the golfer with a lower handicap records a 4, they tie because the lower handicap golfer had to give a shot. In some events, local rules can stipulate that you only get a percentage of your handicap. This typically happens in team tournaments, where players are paired together.

Taking Your Handicap to Different Courses

Most golfers have a home course. It’s where they play much of their golf and it’s where they have their handicap administered. Every golfer who has a golf handicap also has a golf index. The index allows players to travel with their handicaps to different courses, where the degree of difficulty might be harder or easier. Every course is assigned a slope and course rating. These ratings reflect how hard a course plays for the golfer. The higher the slope and course rating, the more difficult the course. A player with an index of 10 could have a handicap of 12 at their home course but a handicap of 13 at a course that is more challenging. To get a handicap, players sign up for a local organization in their area. That organization calculates your handicap after every round. All you must do is enter your score, the slope, and the course rating into their program. Those numbers are found on the scorecard. There’s typically a small annual fee that you pay for your handicap.

The History of Handicaps

Before handicaps started, golfers would negotiate individually for strokes at the beginning of a match. Scotland’s Thomas Kincaid recorded some of the earliest writings in the 16th century on handicapping. In 1911, a three-score average was introduced by the British. This was the average of the difference between your score and par. The three-score system evolved into the current system with the creation of course ratings and slopes. In 2020, the World Handicap System was established. It created a universal method for calculating handicaps because some golf organizations calculated handicaps slightly different than others. It is used by 119 countries.

Improving Your Handicap

The easiest way to get a lower handicap is to play better. It’s easy to talk about playing better but difficult to do. Developing a consistent practice routine is one of the best ways to get better. The average handicap for men is 14.1, and for women it’s 28. Some ways to lower your scores include improving your putting and chipping, eliminating bad holes, going to the driving range, and improving your fitness. Taking lessons from a professional to focus on the fundamentals is a great way to figure out a long-term action plan to improve. It’s best to combine practice at the range with course practice. Living in a warm climate is an advantage for golfers because they can play and practice all year. Golfers often practice inside with a simulator in cold-weather climates in the Winter. A simulator is a machine that allows golfers to hit into a screen. The simulator measures the distance and direction of the ball. For golfers of all levels, it’s good practice to work on your handicap. It’s an excellent way to measure your improvement.