What is a Golf Handicap?

Among golfers, a common topic of conversation is a golfer's handicap. You may wonder what a "scratch" golfer is and what it means when someone says that they have a 14 handicap. Handicaps are used to level the playing field for golfers of different skill levels.

A golfer's handicap allows golfers to compete with each other on a level playing field. If you are a scratch golfer, you have a zero handicap and are given no strokes to add to your final score. The local golf association assesses the difficulty of the course, with a course rating and index. All 18 holes are rated in terms of difficulty, with the hardest hole given the "1 rating" and the easiest given the "18." If you have a 7 handicap, then you are given strokes on the seven hardest rated holes, which allows you to be on the same level as a scratch golfer. If you have a handicap of 24, then you would get a handicap of two strokes on the six most difficult rated holes and one stroke on the rest. If a golfer has a plus handicap, his handicap index is lower than the course rating. For example, a golfer with a plus 2 handicap would add a stroke to their handicap score on the two easiest rated holes.

A handicap is calculated with at least five scores and no more than 20 scores. You must have the course rating and slope rating of each course played to calculate your handicap. To get an official USGA handicap, you must join a club authorized by the USGA. If you cannot find a club, you can form your own club with at least 10 members. You will need to turn in your golf scores to your club to use in calculating your handicap.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the USGA implemented the handicap system. The system was modified in the 1980s to include course rating and slope into the handicap index calculation. The current handicap index system is widely used throughout the United States.

Many tournaments require a certain handicap to play in the tournaments. Other tournaments use one during the actual tournament to calculate the scores Golfers often use handicaps when playing casually against each other. You may be asked to provide proof of your handicap by providing your handicap card. Note that many local golf associations are moving to online handicapping systems.

Many golfers think that the USGA calculates their handicap index. Actually, the USGA maintains the handicap index calculation, but the handicap is calculated by local golf associations. The USGA licenses and provides support to the local golf associations. A golfer's handicap is recalculated based on a set revision schedule. When a revision date passes, if a golfer's handicap has changed, he is issued a new card.

You should turn in your score each time you play. Avoid turning in only high or low scores to influence your handicap.

If you play at another course, be sure to get the course rating and slope index for the course. You can usually find this information on the scorecard.

• http://www.usga.org/playing/handicaps/handicaps.html — USGA website — handicap
• http://golf.about.com/od/handicaps/l/blhandicapincal.htm — About.com Handicap Calculator