Establishing a USGA Handicap

Establishing a handicap is easy and fun. Once you join a golf club (the DGA is a golf club) and pay for your OGA membership, you will receive your very own GHIN number. With this number, you can post your scores, either at the computer at the course just played or later online at www.ghin.com. You can check your handicap online at anytime, and you will be e-mailed a new handicap card automatically at least a dozen times from April through November (every other Friday June through September).

Please start posting your scores as soon as possible. Post all the scores, not just the DGA tournaments, and remember the four way test (is it the truth; is it fair; etc.) since there will be no peer review.

The following excerpts are taken from the book “The USGA Handicap System” to help you understand your responsibilities when maintaining a handicap.

Section 3 THE PLAYER

A Handicap Index is the USGA’S mark used to indicate a measurement of a player’s potential scoring ability on a course of standard playing difficulty. It is the result of a mathematical calculation based on scores returned. A Handicap Index is converted to a Course Handicap for competition from a particular set of tees.

3-1. Obtaining a USGA Handicap Index

In order to obtain a USGA Handicap Index, a golfer must join a golf club and post adjusted gross scores. These scores are subject to peer review. After at least five scores have been posted, the club will issue a Handicap Index to the golfer in accordance with the USGA Handicap System.

3-2. Using a USGA Handicap Index

A USGA Handicap Index, issued by a golf club, is a number that represents the potential ability of a player on a course of standard difficulty. The USGA Handicap Index is expressed as a number taken to one decimal place and is updated and re-issued at established revision dates. A player is responsible for knowing his USGA Handicap Index issued at the most recent revision. A player must convert his USGA Handicap Index to a Course Handicap. For example, a USGA Handicap Index of 16.2 would be converted to a Course Handicap of 20 at a course with a slope Rating of 140.

3-3. Course Handicap

A Course Handicap is the number of handicap strokes a player receives from a particular set of tees at the course being played.

To convert a USGA Handicap Index to a Course Handicap, a player locates his USGA Handicap Index on a Course Handicap Table to find the corresponding Course Handicap. Each set of rated tees will have a different Course Handicap Table for men and women based on their respective USGA Slope Ratings for those tees. It is the player’s responsibility to determine his correct Course Handicap, and to know the holes at which handicap strokes are to be given or received.

Section 4 ADJUSTING HOLE SCORES

The game of golf is based on the premise that a golfer will play as well as he can. Under the USGA Handicap System a player is required to record a hole score for a hole not finished, not played, or not played under the Rules of Golf, and to adjust any hole score when it is higher than the maximum number allowed under Equitable Stroke Control.

4-1. Unfinished Holes and Conceded Strokes

If a player starts but does not complete a hole or is conceded a stroke, that player shall record for handicap purposes the score he most likely would have made. The most likely score consists of the number of strokes already taken plus, in the player’s best judgment, the number of strokes that the player would need to compete the hole from that position more than half the time. This number may not exceed the player’s Equitable Stroke Control limit, defined in Section 4-3. This most likely score should be preceded by an “X.”

There is no limit to the number of unfinished holes a player may have in a round provided that failure to finish is not for the purpose of handicap manipulation.

Example 1: A and B are partners in a four-ball stroke-play competition. On a hole on which neither player receives a handicap stroke, A lies two, 18 feet from the hole. B lies two, 25 feet from the hole. B holes his putt for a three. A picks up his ball because he cannot better B’s score. A records X-4 on the scorecard because 4 is his most likely score.

Example 2: A and B are playing a match. On a hole on which neither player receives a handicap stroke, A has holed out in 4; B has a 30-foot putt for a 5. B has lost the hole, and picks up. He records X-6 on the scorecard because 6 is his most likely score.

4-2. Holes Not Played or Not Played Under the Rules of Golf

If a player does not play a hole or plays it other than under the Rules of Golf (except for preferred lies), his score for that hole for handicap purposes shall be par plus any handicap strokes he is entitled to receive on the hole. This hole score, when recorded, should be preceded by an “X.”

Example: A player with a Course Handicap of 10 receives a handicap stroke on the first 10 allocated handicap-stroke holes. If he does not play the sixth allocated stroke hole because of construction on the green, he shall record a score of par plus one for handicap purposes.

4-3. Equitable Stroke Control

Equitable Stroke Control (ESC) is the downward adjustment of individual hole scores for handicap purposes in order to make handicaps more representative of a player’s potential ability. ESC sets a maximum number that a player can post on any hole depending on the player’s Course Handicap. ESC is used only when a player’s actual or most likely score exceeds his maximum number based on the table below but is applied to all scores for handicap purposes, including tournament scores. There is no limit to the number of holes on which a player may adjust his score.

EQUITABLE STROKE CONTROL

Example: A player with a Course Handicap of 13 has a maximum number of 7 for any hole regardless of par. A player with a Course Handicap of 42 has a maximum number of 10 for any hole.

Section 5 SCORES

5-1. Acceptability of Scores

Fair handicapping depends upon full, accurate information regarding a player’s potential scoring ability as reflected by a complete scoring record. Every golfer shall be responsible for returning all acceptable scores, as defined in this section. For handicap purposes, all Section 4 adjustments, including Equitable Stroke Control, must be applied to all scores including Tournament Scores.

a. Scores to Post
If 13 or more holes are played, the player shall post an 18-hole score. If 7 to 12 holes are played, the player shall post a nine-hole score.

b. Scores on All Courses
Adjusted gross scores from all courses with USGA Course and Slope Ratings made during their active seasons, both at home and away, shall be posted by the player along with the appropriate USGA Course Ratings and USGA Slope Ratings.

c. Scores in All Forms of Competition
Scores in both match play and stroke play shall be posted for handicap purposes. This includes scores made in match play, multi-ball or team competitions in which players are requested to pick up when out of contention on a hole.

d. Scores Made under the Rules of Golf

Scores must be made in accordance with the principles of the Rules of Golf.

5-2. Posting Scores

a. General
Posting scores in person immediately following the round at the course where the round is played is the preferred way to expose scores to peer review.

b. Posting a Score When a Complete Round is not Played
If 13 or more holes are played, the player shall post an 18-hole score. If 7 to 12 holes are played, the player shall post a nine-hole score. In either case, scores for unplayed holes shall be recorded as par plus any handicap strokes that the player is entitled to receive on the unplayed holes.

Section 6 SCORING RECORDS

6-1. Continuous Records

Scores made in a new playing season (or calendar year) shall be added to those of the preceding playing seasons (or calendar years) to make up a scoring record. Scoring records shall be maintained continuously from year to year.

6-2. Inactive Season

The authorized golf association having jurisdiction in an area is responsible for declaring the duration of any inactive season. A golf club located within the area covered by an authorized golf association shall observe any inactive season established by the golf association.

Scores made at any golf course observing an inactive season are not acceptable for handicap purposes. Scores made at a golf course in an area observing an active season must be posted for handicap purposes, even if the golf club from which the player receives a Handicap Index is observing an inactive season.

Example: If a member of a golf club in Michigan plays golf in Florida in January, his scores made in Florida are acceptable and shall be returned to his club in Michigan.

6-5. Player Belonging to More Than One Golf Club

If a player belongs to more than one golf club, he shall do either of the following:

(a) Register as a multi-member with the authorized golf association or computation service, if such service is provided, so that all scores at every club will enter into his handicap record for computation; or

(b) Return all scores to all his clubs in person, or, if the club allows, by mail, facsimile, e-mail or the Internet together with USGA Course Ratings, USGA Slope Ratings and dates.

Section 7 PREFERRED LIES (WINTER RULES)

7-1. Acceptability of Scores When Playing Preferred Lies

“Preferred Lies” and “Winter Rules” is a Local Rule that may be adopted by the Committee when adverse conditions are so general throughout a course that improving the lie of the ball in a specified way would promote fair play or help protect the course. The USGA does not endorse “preferred lies.”

Scores made when the Local Rule “preferred lies” and “winter rules” is used shall be posted for handicap purposes unless the Committee determines that conditions are so poor that such scores should not be posted.