A Handicap Index is updated daily.

A player needs a minimum of three 18-hole scores to calculate a Handicap Index (or six 9-hole scores). See “How is a Handicap Index Calculated?” below for more details.

Your scoring record will show NH (no Handicap Index) until you have posted the minimum number of scores (three 18-hole scores or six 9-hole scores) to establish a Handicap Index.

Between Jan. 7, 2020 and sometime in April there are no Handicap Index updates scheduled. When those become available the SCGA will advise members how to participate in receiving updates and via what method (email, push notification, etc.)

A golfer must contact their club’s Handicap Chair to have a score corrected or removed. The SCGA normally does not perform any file maintenance requests that come directly from individual members, unless it is clear that a score has been replicated in error.

For each score posted, a score differential is calculated. This is to determine which scores are the best scores, considering the course difficulty (Course Rating, Slope Rating and a Playing Conditions Calculation are all important). The formula is:

Score Differential = (Adjusted Gross score – Course Rating-Playing Conditions Calculation adjustment) x (113 / Slope Rating).

Using this example:

• Adjusted Gross Score was 95 at a course with 73.5/130 (Course Rating/Slope Rating) and no Playing Conditions Calculation adjustment existed
• Adjusted Gross Score 95
  Minus the course rating (73.5)
• Result = 21.5
• Use the standard Slope (113) of a golf course /Slope Rating: 113/130 = .869
• Multiple 21.5 x .869 = 18.688 Score Differential = 18.7 (rounded to nearest tenth)

Once your score file consists of 20 scores, your eight lowest differentials are added together, and averaged and rounded to the nearest tenth, the result being your Handicap Index. Your eight lowest differentials are used, not necessarily the ten lowest scores in your score file.

A player needs a minimum of three scores to calculate a Handicap Index. To learn more about the Handicap Index calculation, including when a player has at least three, but fewer than 20 scores, please visit this section of the SCGA WHS hub.

Your Handicap Index is a generic standard that is not tied to any course or tees. In order to get the right value for a particular day, you need to convert the Handicap Index into what is called a Course Handicap for playing purposes each time you play. This is the number of strokes needed to play down to the par of the tees you are playing. There are many ways to determine your Course Handicap for the tees you will be playing, but you will need the Course Rating, Slope Rating and Par for those tees. There are often charts near golf course computers used for score posting; those same computers will convert your Index after you have identified yourself under “My Handicap Information”; if you use the GHIN Mobile App chose the Course Handicap Calculator; or use ghin.com Visit the SCGA WHS hub here if you want to know more about Course Handicaps.

An adjusted gross score is a player’s gross score adjusted under the World Handicap System procedures for unfinished holes, conceded strokes, holes not played or not played under the Rules of Golf. The player has a maximum hole score for handicap purposes, identified as Net Double Bogey, which means double bogey plus the strokes received on the hole based on the player’s Course Handicap/ par plus two (double bogey) plus the strokes received on the hole based on the player’s Course Handicap. For more on the net double bogey maximum, please visit the maximum hole score section of the SCGA WHS Hub.

As an example, a player with a Course Handicap of 19 receives two strokes on the hole identified as the #1 Handicap stroke hole/Stroke Index hole. That same player receives one stroke on the other 17 holes. If on a par-four hole identified as the #5 Handicap stroke hole/Stroke Index hole the player made a nine would have a maximum hole score of seven for handicap purposes. This is because their net double bogey for this hole is double bogey (6) plus one stroke that they receive handicap wise. Their nine would need to be adjusted down to their maximum of seven. If the player completed the round with no other scores that exceeded their maximum hole score and shot 105, their adjusted gross score for handicap purposes would be 103 and that is the score that would be posted for handicap purposes. NOTE: All score posting tools have an option for hole by hole entry, which will calculate the maximum hole score for every hole for a player and calculate the adjusted gross score.

The SCGA issues the rating values and populates the computers tied to GHIN, the SCGA website and the USGA website. Please use the computer display/SCGA.org information. Often times a course will print a large number of scorecards and continue to use those until they run out, even if new ratings have been issued.

No, only your GHIN number and last name are important for posting a score.

When you look at your scoring record, you should see a heading of Recent Scores and Revision Scores. The score posted today should be in the Recent Scores section. When an update takes place shortly after midnight that score would then be categorized in the revision scores section and incorporated into the calculation.

The Low Handicap Index is the lowest Handicap Index value that an individual has had in the 12 months. It is not calculated; it just looks at each of the issued Handicap Index values that a golfer has on record during the time period. A player does not have a Low Handicap Index until they have 20 scores in their record. Only World Handicap System Handicap Index values are considered in the display of the Low Handicap Index, so when the first Handicap Index issued under the World Handicap System is calculated in January it will also be the Low Handicap Index.

Yes, the World Handicap System requires that you are to be a part of what it identifies as a “golf club” in order to receive a Handicap Index. The Handicap System is built around something called peer review, which is oversight by a group and the ability of people you play with to support or dispute the validity of your scores. There are more than 1500 SCGA Golf Clubs, many tied to social, fraternal or work groups, so there should be a fit for you. If you are not formally connected to a club in any way and don’t believe an existing group matches up with your needs, you might consider SCGA Associate membership.

Your SCGA membership card, tied to your club with the various partner benefits, including the Roger Dunn gift card, is emailed to you by the SCGA. Email distribution may take up to four weeks. Membership cards are not connected with the delivery of FORE magazine in any way. In addition, for verification purposes, those using the GHIN Mobile App can access and display their card and Handicap Index from the More section.