Spring Handicapping Mailbag

I typically only have time for 9 holes after work. Can I post those scores toward my Handicap Index?

Absolutely. As a matter of fact, more than 14 million 9-hole scores were posted in 2024 alone. With limited time and increasingly busy schedules, more golfers are finding that 9-hole rounds are a good fit for their lifestyles.

When you post a 9-hole score, a 9-hole Score Differential™ is calculated based on your performance, and that value is combined with a 9-hole expected Score Differential based on the Handicap Index on the date the round was played. This allows a 9-hole score to be considered in your updated Handicap Index the very next day – making the WHS™ responsive to your game.

One note: The 9-hole score must correspond to 9 holes played with a 9-hole Course Rating™ and Slope Rating®, meaning, you aren’t able to hopscotch around a course and play any nine holes you choose. Click here to watch a video about 9-hole scores.

Why should I post hole-by-hole scores?

When you play between 10 and 17 holes (typically due to darkness, inclement weather, or a match that ends early), hole-by-hole score posting allows the appropriate Score Differential™ to be calculated for the holes that were played and combine with the expected Score Differential for the number of holes not played.

In addition to that, with the help of technology (such as the GHIN app) there are several benefits to posting hole-by-hole scores:

1) Automatic adjustment of a hole score to net double bogey, when appropriate

2) Ability to see your scoring details, as well as the status of a match against others

3) Indication of the holes where you’re receiving strokes prior to starting your round

4) Increased confidence that your total round score, and Handicap Index®, are accurate

I recently posted enough scores to establish my first Handicap Index® (it’s 13.6, by the way). How do I know the number of strokes I will receive on the course I am playing today?

Congrats on signing up for a Handicap Index – and welcome to the community! Now, you are ready to start tracking your progress and playing on a level field, whether in casual or competitive rounds. Once you decide what tees you are going to play, you can convert your Handicap Index into a Course Handicap™, which represents the number of strokes needed to play to par. This is also the number used to adjust hole scores for net double bogey. As an example, if you are a female golfer lucky enough to play the white tees at Pebble Beach Golf Links today, your Handicap Index of 13.6 calculates to a Course Handicap of 21.

To see your Course Handicap for other courses, visit the USGA Course Handicap Calculator.

I have noticed in my scoring record that a soft cap has been applied to my Handicap Index®. What does it mean?

The cap is an automatic step in the Handicap Index calculation. It is a safeguard designed to prevent extreme upward movement of a Handicap Index over a one-year period and ensure that a Handicap Index reflects a player’s demonstrated ability.

During the Handicap Index calculation, the average of your best 8 out of 20 Score Differentials™ is compared to your Low Handicap Index™. If this average exceeds the Low Handicap Index by more than 3.0 strokes, the soft cap reduces any further increase by 50%. Here’s an example of a player who received a soft cap:

After a new Handicap Index is determined, a new Low Handicap Index from the past 365 days is displayed in your scoring record.

Your soft cap will remain until the difference between your 8 of 20 average and Low Handicap Index is 3.0 strokes or less. Therefore, the impact of a cap can vary with each Handicap Index revision, and there is no fixed duration for a cap.

Often, the soft cap's effect is minimal, such as a few tenths of a stroke. Many players can quickly overcome the cap by posting one or two good scores.