Golf Handicap Information

By Jon McCammon

A golf handicap is an essential tool that can be used to gauge a golfer's proficiency. It allows fair play between golfers on courses with varying grades of slope and rating. It is suggested by the United States Golf Association (USGA) that a golfer use the handicapping system

History

Golf handicapping has been around since 1911 when the USGA developed the system. Years of study on golf course difficulty added slope and ratings into the calculation.

Benefits

A person's handicap helps him play a round against other golfers by taking the slope and course rating into consideration. These ratings will increase or decrease a person's handicap, evening the playing field.

Getting a Handicap

You will need to accumulate at least five rounds for the first calculation. Subtract the course rating from your final gross score. Multiply that number by 113, then divide that result by the slope rating. Take your lowest resulting number and multiply it by .96.

Using It

You can adjust your handicap each time you play a round by inspecting the course handicap index sheet. Each tee will have its own handicap index.

Golf Clubs

Join a golf club for a yearly fee and use the automated handicapping system to keep your handicap current and correct.

Resources

USGA

About The Author

Living in Corona California, Jon McCammon has been writing about golf and golf related activities for several months. His articles appear on GolfLink.com where his background gives an insider's view of the casual sport. McCammon is a technical writer for a large U.S. based corporation and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from West Coast University.

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