6.2 Playing Handicap Calculation

6.2a Standard Calculation

A Playing Handicap is calculated as follows:

Playing Handicap = Course Handicap x handicap allowance

The calculated Playing Handicap is rounded to the nearest whole number, with .5 rounded upwards.

For recommended handicap allowances, see Appendix C: Handicap Allowances.

6.2b Calculation When Multiple Tees with Different Pars Are Used in a Competition

For the purposes of this Rule:

  • Stroke play refers to gross score, net score or Maximum Score formats of play.
  • Stableford and Par/Bogey formats of play are considered separately.

When a competition is played from two or more sets of tees (such as mixed gender or mixed ability events), depending on the format of play and any difference in par between tees, additional strokes may need to be added to the standard calculation of the Playing Handicap for equity purposes and to determine finishing positions, results and prizes.

    (i) Stroke Play and Match Play formats (where results are recorded as gross or net scores). A player competing from a set of tees with a higher par must receive additional strokes for the round, equal to the difference between the par of the tees they are playing and the tees with the lowest par.

    These additional strokes are added to the player’s Playing Handicap as follows:
    Playing Handicap = (Course Handicap x handicap allowance) + difference in pars

    Note: As an alternative, when the majority of the field are playing from the tees with the highest par, players competing from a set of tees with a lower par may be allocated less strokes for the round, equal to the difference between the pars.

    (ii) Stroke Play and Match Play formats (where results are recorded relative to par). As a player’s net (or gross) status versus par for the round is compared directly against that of every other player, no additional strokes are added to the standard calculation of the Playing Handicap when the par is different between tees.
    (iii) Stableford formats. As a player’s total number of Stableford points for the round is compared directly against that of every other player, no additional strokes are applied to the standard calculation of the Playing Handicap when the par is different between tees.
    (iv) Par/Bogey formats. As a player’s Par/Bogey result for the round is compared directly against that of every other player, no additional strokes are applied to the standard calculation of the Playing Handicap when the par is different between tees.