New World Handicapping System in 2020

GOLFERS all over the world are set to have their handicaps transformed by a new system developed by the Royal & Ancient and the USGA, which will be implemented in 2020 following an extensive review of systems administered by six existing handicapping authorities - Golf Australia, Council of National Golf Unions (CONGU) in Great Britain and Ireland, European Golf Association (EGA), South African Golf Association (SAGA), Argentine Golf Association (AAG) and the USGA.

This basically means that golfers everywhere will have a worldwide standard system making it easier to obtain and retain a handicap, and most importantly it will be easier to understand as the introduction of flexible formats to count for handicap purposes will also ensure that the game contin- ues to become more inclusive and recognises more modern formats of the game, which in turn will encourage more players into club membership.

The new system reads a little complicated but I will try to simplify it some of the features:

Both competitive and recreational rounds will count for handicap purposes to ensure a golfer’s handicap is more reflective of ability

In order to obtain a new handicap, a player will require a total of 54 holes which can be made up of any combination of 18 hole or 9-hole rounds

Handicaps under the new system will be portable from country to country and recognised throughout the world

The handicap will be calculated on the basis of the best 8 rounds out of the last 20 but previous demonstrated ability will also be factored in

The calculation will, however, factor in abnormal course and weather conditions and the effect that they can have on a player’s performance each day

There will be daily handicap revisions, taking account of the course and weather conditions calculation

There will be a limit of Net Double Bogey on the maximum hole score for handicapping purposes only

There will be a new maximum handicap limit of 54.0, regardless of gender, to encourage more golfers to measure and track their performance to increase their enjoyment of the game

Research for the new system took place in fifteen different countries around the globe involving some 52,000 participants 76% of whom were in favour of a Unified World System.

This was followed by a series of focus groups, in which more than 300 golf administrators and golfers from different regions around the world offered extensive feedback on the features of the proposed new system and it was this feedback which helped shape the new system.

The WHS has three main objectives which are (a) to encourage as many golfers as possible to obtain and maintain a handicap, (b) to enable golfers of differing abilities, genders and nationalities to transport their handicap to any course globally and compete on a fair and equitable basis and (c) to indicate with sufficient accuracy the score a golfer is reasonably capable of achieving on any course around the world, playing under normal conditions.

When adopted in 2020 the World Handicap System will be governed by The R&A and the USGA and administered locally by the six existing authorities and National Associations around the world, with safeguards included to ensure consistency as well as adaptability to differing golf cultures.

The six handicapping authorities currently represent 15 million golfers in 80 different countries who currently maintain a golf handicap.

There will no doubt be some teething problems when the system is introduced but give it time and I’m sure it will be beneficial to us all.