There are many kinds of people who hold a handicap – there’s the addicted poster, the once every blue moon poster, or even the golfer who wanted to join a club with their friends and don’t know (or care) about posting. Either way, there is always something to learn about the World Handicap System™. We’d be here all day if we told you about it cover to cover, so here are our top five things you should know as an SCGA member.
Your total score is NOT your score for handicap purposes
There is a maximum holes score a player can post for handicap purposes, depending on their handicap. This has a moniker: "net double bogey" or "double bogey plus strokes received." For example, if you have Course Handicap of 20, net double bogey is four over par on the holes identified as 1 or 2 on the handicap or Stroke Index line of the scorecard and three over par on any other hole. This is because the player receives two strokes on the 1 and 2 handicap holes and one stroke on all others.. Thanks to your maximum hole score, those blow-up-hole moments don’t define you!
You can only stink so bad
The maximum Handicap Index for men and women 54.0. If you think you’re in that ball park, think again. You’re a much better player than you think! According to the USGA, four percent of women and one percent of men are between a 50.0 and 54.0.
Most golfers are just like you
Also, according to the USGA, 57 percent of men have an index of below 15, with 57 percent of women playing at 30 or lower. That means the average golfer breaks 100, which is a win in our books. Where do you stack up? Are you considered an average Joe (or Jane)?
You played, but you really didn’t
Yea, we know, we play some of the best rounds when we’re alone. No incessant banter from your partner or pressure from the eyeballs staring behind you on the tee-box. Nothing against you, but the WHS is just trying to keep it fair in not allowing solo rounds. You can blame that one buddy at the club who screams and hollers about his “under par round while you were out of town,” even though he’s a 15.
Your handicap is a SCAM
The internet is a black hole of scammers and frauds – all kinds of people trying to make a buck. While “register for a golf handicap FREE” sounds enticing, it’s not quite like the real thing. Becoming a member through your local club who is registered through the SCGA or an authorized member club of any other USGA Allied Golf Association is the only accepted way to get a Handicap Index. (Did we mention an index through us gets you free stuff?)