6.2 Playing Handicap Calculation

6.2a Standard Calculation

A Playing Handicap is calculated as follows:

Playing Handicap = Course Handicap (unrounded) 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.

Rule 6.2a Clarifications:

6.2a/1 – Use of Full Calculated Value of Course Handicap

Handicap allowances are designed to provide equity for players of all levels of ability in each format of play (see ) and are applied to a player’s Course Handicap as the final step in the calculation of their Playing Handicap. To avoid any undue effect of double rounding, handicap allowances should be applied to the unrounded Course Handicap.

Approximately 25% of the time, double rounding can produce Playing Handicaps that are significantly different and counter intuitive to players. For example, two players with a Handicap Index up to 2 strokes apart could both receive the same calculated Playing Handicap, see below:

Course Rating = 71.0

Slope Rating = 125

Par = 71

Format = Four-Ball stroke play (Handicap Allowance 85%)

Playing Handicap Calculation (using rounded Course Handicap)

  Player A Player B
Handicap Index 8.6 10.3
Course Handicap (Rounded) 10 11
Playing Handicap (85%) 9 9

This does not occur when the handicap allowances are applied to the unrounded Course Handicap (see below):

Playing Handicap Calculation (using unrounded Course Handicap)

  Player A Player B
Handicap Index 8.6 10.3
Course Handicap (Unrounded) 9.5132... 11.3938...
Playing Handicap (85%) 8 10

For the other 75% of the time, there would be no difference in the result.

In limited circumstances, for example when a player is required to calculate their own Playing Handicap and they do not have easy access to their unrounded Course Handicap, for practical purposes, the handicap allowance may be applied to the rounded Course Handicap.

Note: Where no handicap allowance is applied or it is set at 100%, the Playing Handicap is the same as the rounded Course Handicap unless an adjustment for multiple tees is required.

6.2b Calculation When Multiple Tees 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

    Notes:

    1. 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 fewer strokes for the round, equal to the difference between the pars.

    2. For the avoidance of doubt, when there is no difference in par, no additional strokes are needed.

    (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.

    This means that when two players are competing from different tees with a different par, the hole is considered halved or the score remains even if both players record a par on that hole. This is because the score on the hole is recorded relative to par rather than as the number of gross or net scores.
    (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.