WHS: 3. Handicap Index

Handicap Index

• Handicap Index is a measure of a player’s demonstrated ability calculated against the Slope Rating of a golf course of standard playing difficulty
• It represents a golfer’s playing handicap on a course with a Neutral Slope Rating of 113
• It is calculated as a rolling average of the lowest 8 from the last 20 Score Differentials  [ 2 ]
• Each time a new score is submitted the average of the lowest 8 from the last 20 is re-calculated, which may or may not lead to a change of Handicap Index
• There are additional safegaurds to ensure that a player’s handicap does not rise too quickly when a player is going through a spell of poor form

Low Handicap Index (LHI)

• A player’s lowest Handicap Index during the last 12 months is used as an Anchor Point to limit increases in Handicap Index  [ 3 ]
• Soft CAP: Potential increases of Handicap Index to a figure greater than (LHI + 3) are limited by half the amount over three, e.g. 5 is limited to 4,  6 is limited to 4.5, etc.  [ 4 ]
• Hard CAP: The maximum that the Handicap Index can increase to is (LHI + 5).  [ 5 ]

Exceptional Scores

• An adjustment to the Handicap Index after a very low score has been posted
• A reduction of -1 for scores between 7 and 9 below Handicap Index
• A reduction of -2 for scores 10 or more below Handicap Index
• The reduction is applied to the last 20 scores on the Scoring Record and drops off gradually over the next 20 rounds.

Click to see a short video about Handicap Index

New Handicaps

A New Player’s Handicap Index is initially allocated at 2 less than the best of the Adjusted Gross Scores from 3 x 18 hole cards submitted. Cards can be submitted as 6 x 9 hole or some other combination. Subsequent Handicap Index calculations change as more scores are entered:

• 3 scores: lowest score -2
• 4 scores: lowest score -1
• 5 scores: lowest score
• 6 scores: average of lowest 2 scores -1
• 7 to 8 scores: average of lowest 2 scores
• 9 to 11 scores: average of lowest 3 scores
• 12 to 14 scores: average of lowest 4 scores
• 15 to 16 scores: average of lowest 5 scores
• 17 to 18 scores: average of lowest 6 scores
• 19 scores: average of lowest 7 scores
• 20 scores: average of lowest 8 scores

Transition Handicaps