World Handicap System (WHS)

begins 1/1/2020

Gleaned from several sessions on WHS:

First, we must remember that the handicap index is an indication of how well you can play, your potential. Many rounds will result in scores above your potential and a few will be below. So what follows will fit within that objective.

Your Handicap Index will change as a result of moving over to the WHS. Most players will be assigned a lower index.

Handicap indexes will be calculated each day after playing and reporting your score.

The maximum handicap index will go to 54.0 for both men and women. I haven't figured out how this will affect things downstream for the clubs I belong to.

When reporting scores, the maximum that you can report on a hole is net double bogey. I will help explain this later with examples. To be clear, when in a tournament you report the gross score you took on each hole subject to any maximum score limit. When reporting for handicap purposes, the net double bogey procedure kicks in and should be used. For many players, this will not be necessary for most of the round except for the few holes where exceptionally large scores were earned.

All courses will be re-rated and slopes will be calculated from all tees. There may be a bigger difference in slope from tee to tee going ahead. Use the new slopes when calculating your net scores.

Clarence Bakken, RIGG and Foon Hay

From Jim Cowan at NCGA:

Darkness . . . and then light.

Normal score posting will continue until December 31. Then all will go dark as tens of millions of existing scores in the U.S. are uploaded to the new GHIN platforms. A few days and a quick reboot later, the WHS commences.

The math will be slightly different.

Presently a handicap is based on the upper half of a golfer’s score . . . 96% of the best 10 differentials of 20 most recent rounds, to be exact. Under the WHS, it will be 100% of the best eight of 20. Eight is thought to be more responsive to a real good score . . . less responsive to a poor one.

Handicaps will be updated nightly.

No more revisions on the 1^st and 15^th days of the month. Every time a score is posted prior to midnight, an update will be issued the following morning.

The maximum Handicap Index is going up . . . way up.

Today, the maximum Handicap Index a man can carry is 36.4 . . . a woman, 40.4. Under the WHS, a Handicap Index will be calculated up to 54.0 for both genders.

It takes fewer scores to obtain a handicap.

A brand new golfer can hit the ground running and be issued a Handicap Index after posting scores for as few as 54 holes.

Equitable Stroke Control has changed . . . in name and in practice.

For score posting purposes only, the Maximum Hole Score will be a net double bogey. That is a gross double bogey, plus any handicap strokes the golfer is entitled to on that hole based upon the ranking of the stroke holes. A 25-handicapper’s max hole score, for example, will be a gross quadruple bogey on the seven top ranked holes / a gross triple bogey for the remaining holes. See further explanation.

“Caps” will be in place to prevent wild upticks in a handicap.

A “soft cap” will slow the rate at which a handicap increases once a golfer climbs 3.0 strokes above their low watermark of the past twelve months. A “hard cap” will prevent a handicap from increasing more than 5.0 strokes within a year. Of course, if there are exceptional circumstances (i.e., illness, physical setback, etc.), the club can intervene.

An automatic reduction will kick in with the posting of an exceptional score.

To my disappointment, a T-score reduction process will not be a part of the WHS. Much of the world simply does not have an appetite for such a concept. Instead, whenever a golfer records a differential at least 7.0 strokes lower than their Handicap Index for any round of golf, an automatic 1.0 stroke reduction will be applied (2.0 reduction for any round at least -10.0).

Identifying and posting T-scores will remain a priority for clubs as we anticipate the development of new and enhanced diagnostic tools from GHIN that will assist clubs in identifying “problem” golfers and suggest the proper level for their handicap.

One club calls the shots.

Golfers who maintain a membership at two or more clubs will be asked to designate one as their “home club.” This home club will assume responsibility for managing their handicap.

There is a feature that factors in weather and course condition variables.

The automated Playing Conditions Calculation (PCC) will analyze daily scores to determine if conditions of play differed significantly from “normal” to an extent that scoring was impacted. If so, all differentials for the day will be uniformly adjusted upwards or downwards. The calculation is performed each evening just before handicaps are updated, providing yet another incentive to post a score by midnight on the day of play. If a golfer delays posting, the score will inherit any PCC adjustment, but it will not have been a part of the process that led to the decision to adjust.

The recommendation for the ranking of the stroke holes (known as Stroke Index) has changed.

Match play is out . . . stroke play is in. Specifically, holes should be ranked according to their raw difficulty versus par, with the top-rated holes spread throughout each nine. NCGA Course Rating data can assist in the process.

Par is relevant.

Par, the correct par, is a factor within the WHS. We see this in the Maximum Hole Score procedure (net double bogey) and we will forcefully see this in the composition of Course Handicap tables. Gone will be the days where a Course Handicap is nearly identical from all tees at a course. Instead, the difference between the Course Rating and par will be factored into the tables. If the Course Rating is above par, the difference will be added to the Course Handicap. If below par, the difference will be subtracted. Where once a Course Handicap was a 12 from the Blue and White tees, and an 11 from Gold, look for, perhaps, a 13, 11 and 8 next year. Of course, this requires calling things like they are. That straightaway par-5 that measures 510 from the Blue tees, 485 from White and 450 from Gold (440/415/380 for women), is not a par-5 for men from Gold . . . and it doesn’t matter that those that play the Gold tees do not hit the ball very far. Par remains the standard for a Scratch golfer, not the golfers who frequent that tee.

Handicap Certification is back.

Each club is required to have a representative complete intensive education (online) on the WHS prior to next summer. No completed training, no handicaps for that club.

Net Double Bogey:

The single part of this new process that may be difficult for some players to implement is adjusting hole scores to a maximum of Net Double Bogey. So let's start at the beginning.

When you apply your Handicap Index to the Slope Rating of the tees you are going to use, you end up with a Course Handicap. If, for example, you have an index of 22.4 and are playing from tees that have a slope of 119, the Course Handicap will be

22.4 x 119 / 113 = 23.6 => 24. [Available from posted handicaps or available from apps or club scorer.]

With this handicap, in calculating net score you are allowed 24 "pops". With a total of 18 holes, you are thus allowed 1 pop on each hole and a second pop on holes rated 1 through 6. To illustrate:

Rating
17
7
15
5
9
11
13
3
1
2
14
18
16
4
8
10
6
12
Total

Pops allowed
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
2
2
2
1
1
1
2
1
1
2
1
24

Another player has a Handicap Index of 14.2, so if he/she plays the same tees, their number of pops will be as follows:

14.2 x 119 / 113 = 15 -- So they get 15 total pops. On three holes they will get none, the three easiest holes.

Their pops will be:

Rating
17
7
15
5
9
11
13
3
1
2
14
18
16
4
8
10
6
12
Total

Pops allowed
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
15

If we want to see what a Net Double Bogey looks like, we apply the number of pops and the par for the hole and add 2 strokes for the double bogey. This is shown for the player with course handicap of 24:

Rating
17
7
15
5
9
11
13
3
1
2
14
18
16
4
8
10
6
12
Totals

Pops
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
2
2
2
1
1
1
2
1
1
2
1
24

Par
4
4
5
4
3
5
3
4
4
5
4
3
4
4
3
4
5
4
72

Net D. B.
7
7
8
8
6
8
6
8
8
9
7
6
7
8
6
7
9
7

Now let's look at the scores our example player actually shot during the round:

Net D.B.
7
7
8
8
6
8
6
8
8
9
7
6
7
8
6
7
9
7
Totals

Scores Shot
6
5
7
7
3
9
5
6
6
7
8
4
8
5
3
6
7
8
110

To Report
6
5
7
7
3
*8*
5
6
6
7
*7*
4
*7*
5
3
6
7
*7*
106

As shown, the player scored a total of 110 strokes, but needs to report the adjusted score of 106 strokes due to the four times the hole score exceeded Net Double Bogey. Again, for purposes of reporting this score during a tournament, the total of 110 would be turned in. For handicap purposes, the total of 106 would be reported.

As we get into the playing year, if you have questions about what to report for handicap purposes, you can contact John Lawrence or Clarence Bakken. Be sure to give us the course, which tees were being used, what your index is, what the slope rating for your tees is, and the score you shot on the hole(s) in question. We'll be glad to help you fight through this stage of the new system.

Posted 12/5/19

Rating	17	7	15	5	9	11	13	3	1	2	14	18	16	4	8	10	6	12	Total
Pops allowed	1	1	1	2	1	1	1	2	2	2	1	1	1	2	1	1	2	1	24

Rating	17	7	15	5	9	11	13	3	1	2	14	18	16	4	8	10	6	12	Totals
Pops	1	1	1	2	1	1	1	2	2	2	1	1	1	2	1	1	2	1	24
Par	4	4	5	4	3	5	3	4	4	5	4	3	4	4	3	4	5	4	72
Net D. B.	7	7	8	8	6	8	6	8	8	9	7	6	7	8	6	7	9	7

Net D.B.	7	7	8	8	6	8	6	8	8	9	7	6	7	8	6	7	9	7	Totals
Scores Shot	6	5	7	7	3	9	5	6	6	7	8	4	8	5	3	6	7	8	110
To Report	6	5	7	7	3	8	5	6	6	7	7	4	7	5	3	6	7	7	106