New handicap system should make the game enjoyable for all

One of golf’s greatest strengths has always been its handicap system.

It means two players of differing ability can have a great game together on any given day.

But it needed updating. That’s why I’m pleased that The R&A and the USGA are implementing the new World Handicap System from 2020.

Golf is a global game, so it is only right that a standardised method should be used to assess a player’s ability, wherever he or she plays in the world.

A lot of thought has been put into these changes and it shows the governing bodies are trying to move with the times.

Golfers need only play 54 holes to gain a handicap and it can be done in any combination of 18 or 9 holes.

That is a good move. Lots of people now only have time for nine holes, whether that’s because of age or time restrictions.

I still believe that nine holes provides the right balance to show a player’s true ability. There was a suggestion about that being possible over six holes, but I don’t agree.

That is either just a warm-up or not a proper game of golf. I’m mindful that ours is a game of skill, and not one that should be played at breakneck speed without due care and attention.

The new system will see men and women able to have a maximum handicap of 54.

That seems a huge jump when some clubs still operate a maximum of 28 for men, but again I am fully supportive.

This should encourage newcomers to the game, as it won’t take long before they gain an official handicap.

Start at 54 and it shouldn’t be long before they can reduce that by a few shots.

It’s psychological because, if a golfer feels they are improving, they will want to play more and that is only a good thing.

Fifty four does seem a lot, but it’s there to help rather than be any kind of stigma. When I first started, the maximum male handicap was 18, so it’s quite a leap. But that system was very restrictive.

From 2020, if a player quickly gains a handicap, they will start to feel like a “proper” golfer.

That’s important to create a more-inclusive environment within the sport.

The idea of handicaps now being measured by the average of the eight best scores out of 20, from both competitive and recreational golf is another good move.

Most clubs probably already have roll-up events where players’ handicaps are adjusted on a regular basis by each other, and now this will become official.

Gone will be the days of a player having one good round a year to maintain a handicap.

From my experiences of giving lessons, most golfers can’t play to their handicap very often, apart from Category One players.

So if handicaps have to go up, but we have a fairer reflection of amateurs’ natural level and ability, that is sensible.

If all these measures help to make golf more inclusive and more enjoyable, that is the ideal combination.