The World Handicap System was rolled out in Great Britain and Ireland in November 2020. Your handicap is now based on the average of your best 8 scores from the last 20 rounds. The main features of the WHS are described below.
1. Course Rating & Slope Rating
Course Rating replaces Standard Scratch (SSS) and represents the score that a scratch golfer (0 handicap) is expected to achieve on the course.
Slope Rating is the relative difficulty of a course from a specific set of tees for a bogey golfer (20 - 24 handicap) compared to a scratch golfer, as described on the Course Rating & Slope Rating page.
2. Acceptable Scores
Individual Competition rounds and General Play (Casual) Scores, if pre-registered, count for handicap purposes, as described on the Acceptable Scores page.
3. Handicap Index
A measure of a player's demonstrated ability calculated against the Slope Rating of a golf course of standard playing difficulty, as described on the Handicap Index page.
4. Course Handicap and Playing Handicap
Course Handicap is the number of handicap strokes a player receives before Handicap Allowances, on a specific course and a specific set of tees.
Playing Handicap is the Course Handicap adjusted for any Handicap Allowances. It represents the actual number of strokes the player gives or receives for the round being played.
See the Course Handicap & Playing Handicap page.
5. Transition Handicaps
In order to move from CONGU to WHS handicaps, all players' current Handicap Records have been reprocessed using the WHS principles, as described on the Transition Handicaps Page.
6. Definitions
The WHS introduces a number of new terms as described on the Definitions Page.
7. Know The Score
Know the Score is a new educational campaign by England Golf as described on the Know the Score Page.
8. Frequently Asked Questions
