Handicap Review Tool - Questions and Answerslast updated April 7, 2026

An authorized golf club is responsible for ensuring that Handicap Index® values are administered in accordance with the Rules of Handicapping. As part of this responsibility, a club’s Handicap Committee conducts handicap reviews to determine whether a player’s Handicap Index requires adjustment. To support these efforts, the USGA provides the USGA Handicap Review Tool – the only authorized tool for generating recommended Handicap Index adjustments.

• Added safeguard: The handicap review process gives the Handicap Committee an opportunity to confirm that each player’s Handicap Index reflects their demonstrated ability.

• Data‑driven analysis: The tool uses a player’s scoring data to compare posted scores to expected scores, ensuring all players are evaluated consistently for flagged scores relative to their Handicap Index.

• Committee discretion preserved: A recommended adjustment is applied only at the discretion of the Handicap Committee, which may also consider any additional information about the player and their ability.

The key enhancement is an optional automated email that notifies applicable players when they are subject to a recommended adjustment. Additional updates include:

• An expanded Details Modal with quarterly data points and enhanced "Played to Handicap Index" information. Click here for a complete list of available data points.

• A 10‑day window for the Handicap Committee to apply or deny a recommended adjustment. This window operates differently depending on whether the club uses the manual or notify path. Click here to learn more.

The USGA Handicap Review Tool analyzes a player’s scoring record over a 12‑month period. While fluctuations in ability are normal, it is not necessary – or practical – to assess this every time a score is posted. Because the Handicap Committee must review and decide whether to apply any recommended adjustment, incorporating the process into each revision would be burdensome.

Instead, the WHS includes built‑in safeguards, such as the Low Handicap Index™ and the most recent 20 Score Differentials™, which already help address fluctuations. A periodic handicap review examines a broader 365‑day scoring history, allowing the Committee to identify potential abnormalities that may not appear through the normal Handicap Index calculation.

A club’s Handicap Committee may run a club‑wide or individual handicap review for any active player on its roster. The Committee then decides whether to apply any recommended adjustment.

If a player belongs to multiple clubs, the home club should make any Handicap Index adjustments. However, regardless of where an adjustment is applied, all clubs of which the player is a member should be informed of the decision and their reasoning.

In a club‑wide review, only players for whom that club is the home club are eligible for recommended adjustments. An individual review may be run by any club of which the player is a member, but only the initiating club can apply or deny the adjustment. If no action is taken within 10 days, the recommendation expires, and any club may initiate a new review.

A player is ineligible for a recommended adjustment if:

• They have fewer than 20 scores and do not have a Low Handicap Index™.

• They currently have an adjusted Handicap Index (e.g., 14.3M).

• A club-wide review is run and the player has a different home club.

Although no recommended adjustment will be provided, all other results of the handicap review will be available for the Handicap Committee to examine. They are encouraged to gather as much information as possible – from the player, any other clubs of which they are a member, and the local AGA – before deciding to adjust the Handicap Index.

A player is excluded from a handicap review if: 

• They do not have a Handicap Index (displayed as NH).

• Their Handicap Index has been withdrawn (displayed as WD).

In these situations, the analysis does not run, and no handicap review information is available.

The tool identifies players who are scoring above or below their expected score more often than anticipated or have other abnormalities within their scoring record over a 12-month period. In these instances, the tool provides the Handicap Committee with a recommended adjustment to the player’s Handicap Index. 

The tool utilizes Expected Score and Player Equations intrinsic to the World Handicap System™ (WHS™). A high or low flag is triggered when a player’s Score Differential™ falls outside of a tolerance that allows for a normal variance in expected score for a player with a given Handicap Index – recognizing that every player has good and bad rounds. It also accounts for how often a player posts scores – the more scores they have in the review period, the more high/low flags are required for an adjustment to be recommended. 

The analysis is based on the player’s Handicap Index on the day of the handicap review and compares each Score Differential within the review period against the expected Score Differential and normal standard deviation of a player with a given Handicap Index. 

For a downward adjustment:

The criteria for flagging a score is set at two standard deviations from a player’s expected score. The number of low flags and the total number of scores posted is then applied to the table below to determine the recommended adjustment. 

For an upward adjustment: 

A player’s bad scores tend to have a non-normal distribution, so the criteria for triggering a high flag is set at three standard deviations from a player’s expected score. Further, the number of flagged scores needed to trigger an upward adjustment is greater than for downward adjustments. The number of high flags and the total number of scores is then applied to the table below to determine the recommended adjustment. 

The handicap review process is iterative. It first checks how many scores are flagged – based on the player’s current Handicap Index – compared to all scores in the review period. This determines whether a recommended adjustment of +1 or -1 applies.

If an adjustment is recommended (for example, -1), the system recalculates using the updated Handicap Index and checks again for flagged scores. If enough flagged scores remain, another -1 adjustment is added (now -2). This cycle continues until there are not enough flagged scores to justify any further change. At that point, the final recommended adjustment is presented to the Handicap Committee for action.

The maximum upward or downward recommendation is 5 strokes. For recommendations of 3 strokes or more, the Committee should review all available player information and consult its AGA for additional guidance before applying an adjustment. The AGA can review the scoring record for any potential errors or other anomalies.

Once applied, the player's Handicap Index will be updated immediately to reflect the adjustment. This aligns with the "resetting the Handicap Index" method outlined in Rule 7.1a(ii) of the Rules of Handicapping. The adjustment applies to the 20 most recent Score Differentials™ in the player's scoring record at the time it is applied, ensuring the Handicap Index accurately represents the player's demonstrated ability. As new scores are posted, the Handicap Index will continue to update, and the adjustment will not apply to subsequent scores. The adjusted Handicap Index will be identified by the letter M following the numerical value (e.g., 16.8M)

The USGA strongly recommends that the Handicap Committee run a club-wide review once every 365 days. While not required for club authorization in 2026, this may change in the future.

Additional reviews may be appropriate – such as before a club competition – but should not occur more than once every three months. In general, it is best practice to run a club-wide review during the club’s peak season, such as when its members are posting the most scores for handicap purposes. This timing will vary geographically, but for many states it will likely be in the June or July timeframe.

A Handicap Committee has the discretion to run an individual review on a player when appropriate – such as due to a request or other information available. 

While the volume of handicap administration activity at the time the review is run as well as your internet connection speed can impact the timing, most club-wide reviews should complete in less than three minutes. Clubs with more than 500 members should contact their local AGA if longer review times are experienced. 

The Committee may:

• Apply the recommended adjustment.

• Deny the adjustment.

• Allow the adjustment to expire.

• Apply a different adjustment value (e.g., applying 1.5 when -1.0 is recommended.) 

In the GHIN Admin Portal, this can be accomplished by going to the ‘Handicap Management’ tab within a player’s profile and clicking “Modify H.I.”. For an adjustment other than the recommended one from the handicap review process, this is the only way to apply an adjustment.

Committees should use what is available in the Details Modal. Click here for a description of each of those data points.

In addition, according to Rule 7.1a(i) in the Rules of Handicapping, the Committee should consider all available evidence. Examples include:

• Whether the player’s scoring potential has been affected by a temporary or permanent injury, illness or disability which is significant enough to impact the player’s ability to play with or against all other players on a fair and equitable basis.

• Any Handicap Index previously held by the player.

• Whether the player’s ability is rapidly improving or declining.

• Whether the player's performance is significantly different in one format of play compared to another – for example, between organized competitions and general play.

• Whether the player has properly followed the Rules of Handicapping, including posting all acceptable scores and adjusting hole scores for net double bogey and most likely score, as appropriate.

• Where it has been determined that a player’s actions are for the purpose of gaining an unfair advantage.

More information can be found in Appendix D of the Rules of Handicapping.

The Handicap Committee has 10 days to decide, but how that 10 days is managed is determined by whether the “manual” or “notify” path is chosen.

Manual:

• The full 10‑day window is available for the Handicap Committee to review the recommendation.

• During this period, the player must have access to an appeals process, and all communication takes place directly between the Committee and the player.

• Once the Committee reaches a final decision, it may apply or deny the adjustment through its handicap administration program (e.g., the Admin Portal). 

• If no action is taken within 10 days from the time the handicap review was run, the recommended adjustment’s status automatically changes to Expired.

Notify:

• Within 5 days of running the handicap review, the Committee selects which players to notify about a pending adjustment.

• All selected players for that review must be notified at the same time.

• Any player not selected – whether intentionally denied or simply omitted – has their status changed to Denied. 

• Players who are selected have their status changed to Notified and receive an automated email about the pending adjustment and a link to an appeal form.

• Within the remainder of the 10‑day window:

Notified players may appeal by completing the form provided and sending it to their Committee, or by other means acceptable by the Committee. 

The Committee makes final decisions to apply or deny each recommended adjustment. 

• If the Committee takes no action on a notified player by day 10, their status changes to Applied.

For GHIN Admin Portal users: It may be removed from the player’s Handicap Review tab. Scroll to Handicap Review History, then click Details on the far right of the row corresponding to the applied adjustment. In the modal window, select Remove Adjustment, and then click Confirm to finalize the removal.

A Handicap Index adjustment should only be removed by the golf club that applied it. Upon removal, the current Handicap Index and all affected revisions will be recalculated.

If it is a downward adjustment, then the Low Handicap Index will be automatically set to the same value – unless a lower Handicap Index is still eligible.

If it is an upward adjustment, then the Handicap Committee should set the player’s Low Handicap Index to the same value. This is to avoid the player receiving a cap unnecessarily, such as when their Handicap Index increases slightly after the adjustment.

The adjustment applies before the Handicap Index is recalculated. If the player receives a cap, then the cap may suppress part of the intended adjustment. 

A downward adjustment reduces or may eliminate the cap since the player’s new Handicap Index with the adjustment is closer to their Low Handicap Index. For example, if a player has a 1 stroke soft cap, a downward adjustment of 1 stroke will reduce the capped value by 0.5, essentially resulting in an overall decrease to the Handicap Index by 0.5. 

The analysis uses the Score Differential as calculated under Rule 5.1 of the Rules of Handicapping, including any playing conditions calculation (PCC) adjustment, but not an ESR or Committee adjustment.

Adjustments are cumulative. For example, if the 11th through 20th Score Differentials in a player’s scoring record include an ESR of -1 and a recommended adjustment of -1 is applied, then those Score Differentials will reflect a total adjustment of -2. 

Yes. A review history is maintained for each player. A new review may be run only after a prior recommendation is applied, denied, or expired.

The status changes from pending to expired, allowing any club of which the player is a member to initiate a new review. Previously applied adjustments remain in place.

If the player becomes inactive at the club that ran the review, the recommendation expires.

However, if the player is a multi-member and their status is active with the club that ran the review, then the recommended adjustment would not be affected. 

Please contact your local Allied Golf Association for support on the USGA Handicap Review Tool. Visit usga.org/aga to find your AGA.