World Handicap System
The vision of the new World Handicap System is to unify the six different handicap systems used around the world into one, universal system. Although the six other systems were very well-developed, each system provides slightly different results. The new system will enable players round the world to compete on fair ground, in any format, on any course, without sacrificing accuracy. As the system was adapted by all of the existing handicapping authorities and other National Associations, this collaboration will ensure the system is suitable to all golfing cultures.
When adapted, the WHS will be governed by the USGA and The R&A and administered by national and multinational associations around the world. The WHS will encompass both the Rules of Handicapping and the Course Rating System (formerly known as the USGA Course Rating and Slope System).
Five Things to Know InfographicWHS ResourcesComparison of Key Features Rules of Handicapping WHS Course Handicap Tables
GHIN Digital Profile Launch

Beginning on Monday, January 11 2021, in order to access GHIN handicap posting outlets (GHIN.com & GHIN mobile app), setup of this new credential will be necessary for any member who wishes to continue accessing their WHS account through either of the following GHIN-specific outlets. This new Digital Profile will require registration of a unique email address within their GHIN handicap record.
If you use either of these GHIN outlets to post scores or manage your WHS record, please click the ‘Launch Preview’ button below for an outline of what you will need to accomplish beginning next Monday in order to retain access to your WHS record at GHIN.com or GHIN Mobile App.
Score Posting for Minors (12 y/o and under) when Digital Profile launches
In tandem with the GHIN Digital Profile release anticipated shortly after the first of the year, the ability to post scores and communicate with Minors (12 years old or under) will be changing. Per the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), golfers designated as Minors will not be able to provide an email address, create a digital profile, or directly access GHIN Golfer Products (Kiosk, GHIN Mobile App, ghin.com, AGA Mobile App or AZgolf.org). Instead, their profile must be linked to a Guardian (19+ years old) who can then access the golfer products and post on their behalf. A Minor is defined as a golfer who is under 13 years of age per the date of birth in their GHIN golfer profile.
A new Guardian Management field will be introduced within GHIN in late-October to provide adequate time to link a guardian to each minor before digital profiles are introduced in January 2021.
Included below are suggestions of how you and your club can prepare for this change:
- Please verify the birthdate listings on all accounts on your local roster are correctly reflected. If any accounts were inappropriately setup with an erroneous birth date that indicates the adult golfer is <19 years old (a ‘Junior’), or <13 years old (a ‘Minor’), their record will need to be edited with input of a factual birthdate to avoid them being negatively impacted by this new policy’s limitations on account access beginning in January.
- Also, begin review of any players on your roster who are indeed Juniors or Minors. We (AGA) will be reaching out over the next 2 months to gather the following information to affiliate any of these records with a designated Guardian in order to facilitate future posting and account management access with the launch of the Digital Profile in January:
- GHIN Number for Guardian (if available) – the guardian does not have to be a GHIN member
- Guardian’s first and last name
- Email address of Guardian
- Guardian’s relationship to minor (e.g. parent, coach)
Training materials and additional supporting documentation will be shared over the next two months as it becomes available. At the present time, please begin by reviewing the Minor/Guardian FAQ’s for insight to the details of this upcoming requirement and the GHIN Preview-Minor/Guardian document for an initial overview of how the GHIN software will manage these relationships.
Five Things You Need to Know About the New World Handicap System
1. Your Handicap Index may change.
But that’s OK! Finally, players around the world will have an apples-to-apples handicap. Your new Handicap Index will be more responsive to good scores by averaging your eight best score out of your most recent 20 (currently, it’s 10 out of 20 with a .96 multiplier). In short, your Handicap Index will be determined by your demonstrated ability and the consistency of scores. In most cases for golfers in the U.S., it will change less than one stroke.
2. You need to know your Course Handicap
In the new system, your Course Handicap will be the number of strokes needed to play to par. This will result in greater variance in that number and presents a change, as historically it has represented the number of strokes needed to play to the Course Rating. This is a good thing, as par is an easy number to remember. Target score for the day? Par plus Course Handicap. The Course Rating will now be inherent within the calculation to be more intuitive and account for competing from different tees.
3. Net Double Bogey.
The maximum hole score for each player will be limited to a Net Double Bogey. This adjustment is more consistent from hole to hole than the Equitable Stroke Control procedure. Net Double Bogey is already used in many other parts of the world and the calculation is simple: Par + 2 + any handicap strokes you receive.
4. Your Handicap Index will be revised daily
One way that handicapping is being modernized is a player’s Handicap Index will update daily (which will provide a fairer indication of a player’s ability in the moment), if the player submitted a score the day before. On days where the player does not submit a score, no update will take place.
5. Safeguards in the new system.
The new system will limit extreme upward movement of a Handicap Index, automatically and immediately reduce a Handicap Index when an exceptional score of at least 7 strokes better is posted, and account for abnormal course or weather conditions to ensure that scores reflect when a course plays significantly different than its established Course Rating and Slope Rating.
These safeguards help maintain accuracy of a Handicap Index, greater integrity within the system and promote fun and fair play for golfers of all abilities.
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WHS – Overview
Coming in 2020: World Handicap System
WHS – Introduction
Why a new WHS?
Educational Resources
Acceptable Scores for Handicap Purposes
Full Infographic
Explanation for each Major change
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Course Rating and Slope Rating |
The USGA Course Rating System will be referred to as “The Course Rating System” and will join “The Rules of Handicapping” to form the World Handicap System. |
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Number of Scores Required to Obtain a Handicap Index |
A Handicap Index will be issued to a player after three 18-hole scores are submitted and a revision takes place. Scores can be made up of any combination of 9-hole and 18-hole scores. Revisions will be daily, so a player’s Handicap Index will become active the day after their third 18-hole score is submitted. |
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Basis of Handicap Index Calculation |
When a score is submitted, it will be converted to a Score Differential based on the Course Rating and Slope Rating of the tees that were played. In addition, a Playing Conditions Calculation will be included to account for any abnormal course or weather conditions.
A Handicap Index will then be calculated by averaging a player’s 8 best Score Differentials out of their most recent 20. |
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Limit on Upward Movement of a Handicap Index (Cap) |
A “soft cap” and “hard cap” will be included within the Handicap Index calculation
The soft cap will suppress the upward movement of a Handicap Index by 50 percent if a 3.0 stroke increase takes place within 12 months. The hard cap will restrict upward movement if, after the application of the soft cap, a 5.0 stroke increase takes place within 12 months. |
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Exceptional Score Reduction (ESR) |
When a player submits a score that produces a Score Differential of 7.0 strokes or more below their Handicap Index, they will be subject to an Exceptional Score Reduction.
When the Score Differential is between 7.0 and 9.9 strokes below their current Handicap Index, a -1.0 reduction is applied to the most recent 20 score differentials. When the Score Differential is 10.0 strokes or more below their Handicap Index, a -2.0 reduction is applied to the most recent 20 score differentials. Scores submitted after the exceptional score will not contain the -1.0 or -2.0 adjustment (unless they are also exceptional), which will allow reduction to gradually work itself out of a Scoring Record. |
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Playing Conditions Calculation (PCC) | When abnormal course or weather conditions cause scores to be unusually high or low on a given day, a “Playing Conditions Calculation” will adjust Score Differentials to better reflect a player’s actual performance. The “PCC” is:
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Frequency of Handicap Index Updates | A player’s Handicap Index will update daily, provided that the player submitted a score the day before. On days where the player does not submit a score, no update will take place. |
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Maximum Handicap Index | The maximum Handicap Index for all golfers will be 54.0, regardless of gender |
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Importance and Determination of Par | Par will have an important role within the World Handicap System, requiring par values to be more precise. Golf courses fall within the jurisdiction of the Authorized Golf Association, who has the final determination of par based on the following guidelines:
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Course Handicap Calculation and Application | A Course Handicap will represent the number of strokes a player receives in relation to the UParU of the tees being played. The formula will include a Course Rating minus Par adjustment:
Course Handicap = Handicap Index × (Slope Rating ÷ 113) + (Course Rating – Par) |
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Playing Handicap Calculation and Application | The term “Playing Handicap” will be introduced within the Rules of Handicapping and will represent the number of strokes a player receives in a competition. The following formula will be used to determine a Playing Handicap
Playing Handicap = Course Handicap x Handicap Allowance If players are competing from tees with different Pars, then the player(s) competing from the tees with the higher Par will receive an additional stroke(s) based on the difference. |
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Maximum Hole Score for Handicap Purposes (Net Double Bogey) | The maximum hole score for each player will be limited to a Net Double Bogey, calculated as follows:
Double Bogey + handicap strokes a player receives (or gives) based on their Course Handicap |
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Treatment of Nine-Hole Scores | To submit a nine-hole score, a player must play 7 to 13 holes under the Rules of Golf. When 14 or more holes are played, the score submitted qualifies as an 18-hole score
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Continuing Education
Club Administrators and Facility Staff
WHS Club Certification- 2020 World Handicap System (WHS) club compliance policy dictates that at least (1) representative from every licensed handicap roster participate in a WHS Certification Seminar and pass a 20-questions quiz for the affiliated roster to be in WHS compliance. The deadline to accomplish this requirement is June 30th, 2020. Certification will be offered in two formats moving forward, each covering all the standard elements included in the new WHS Rules of Handicapping:
Online – We are pleased to announce that an online self-guided WHS certification seminar is now available. This seminar consists of (4) video segments followed by a 20-question quiz. Please use or forward the following link to access this seminar option: https://www.usga.org/hdcplicclubseminar/seminar.html?clubid=79
In Person – The AGA will continue to host several in-person seminar options as well. Each in-person WHS certification seminar is scheduled to run from 9am-1pm. Note- additional in-person seminars may be added to the calendar and will be communicated in future newsletters. Signup is required for all individuals wishing to attend. A preliminary listing of sites and dates is available, here: https://www.golfgenius.com/ggid/hghhph/customerdirectory/4787 For access to the upcoming seminar opportunities and signup, please reach out directly to AGA Staff Member, Kylie Shoemake.