THE RULES OF HANDICAPPING

RULE 1: PURPOSE AND AUTHORIZATION; OBTAINING A HANDICAP INDEX

RULE 2: SCORES ACCEPTABLE FOR HANDICAP PURPOSES

The scores a player submits for handicap purposes are at the core of the calculation of their Handicap Index.

Rule 2 covers the conditions a score must satisfy for it to be acceptable for handicap purposes, providing confidence that it will produce reasonable evidence of the player’s ability and, ultimately, a Handicap Index that is reflective of demonstrated ability.

RULE 2.1: ACCEPTABILITY OF SCORES

Rounds played:

• In an authorized format of play.
• Over a minimum number of holes.
• By the Rules of Golf.
• With at least one other person.
• On a course with a current Course Rating and Slope Rating.
• During an active season.
• Certified in accordance with Rules of Handicapping

Scores in both Match play and Stroke play must be posted for handicap purposes. This includes scores made in match play, in Stableford or in team competitions or in which players are requested to pick up when out of contention on a hole.

RULE 2.1a PLAYED IN AN AUTHORIZED FORMAT OF PLAY

Format of Play	Type of Round	Number of Holes
Individual stroke play	Organized competition		18
	General play	9	18
	Stableford — organized competition		18
	Stableford — general play		18
Four-Ball stroke play	Organized competition		18
	General play	9	18
	Stableford — organized competition		18
	Stableford — general play		18
Individual match play	Organized competition		18
	General play		18
Four-Ball match play	Organized competition		18
	General play		18

RULE 2.1b: PLAYING BY THE RULES OF GOLF

A round must be played by the Rules of Golf to be acceptable for handicap purposes.

EXCEPTION:

When a player is disqualified from a competition, but no significant advantage has been gained, the score should remain acceptable for handicap purposes.
For example, failure to sign a scorecard in stroke play.
The final determination is at the discretion of the Committee.In General Play – a score is NOT acceptable for handicap purposes if the player is known to have:

In General Play – a score is NOT acceptable for handicap purposes if the player is known to have:

• Breached the Rules of Golf and the correct penalty has not been applied as prescribed by the Rules of Golf, or
• Deliberately ignored the Rules of Golf.

Other Examples of Unacceptable Scores:

• Foursomes (also known as Alternate Shot)
• Scrambles
• When practicing or being coached
• When playing alone
• When the score cannot be verified by another player
• When using non-conforming equipment
• When the minimum number of holes have not been played

RULE 3.1: MAXIMUM SCORE FOR HANDICAP PURPOSES

MAXIMUM SCORE PER HOLE = NET DOUBLE BOGEY

Net double bogey = Par + 2 +/- +/- Handicap strokes received or given on a hole

This is the downward adjustment of individual hole scores for HANDICAP purposes to make handicaps more representative of a player’s potential ability.

This is A MAXIMUM SCORE that a player can post on a hole depending on the players Course handicap.

The net double bogey adjustment sets a maximum score on any hole for handicap purposes, ensuring bad holes do not impact a player’s handicap too severely. At the end of the round your score must be adjusted to the ADJUSTED GROSS SCORE which will be entered into the handicap system. You make these adjustments as needed when you play the hole.

No strokes received on a hole
	Par Three	Par Four	Par Five
Maximum Score	5	6	7
One stroke received on a hole
	Par Three	Par Four	Par Five
Maximum Score	6	7	8
Two strokes received on a hole
	Par Three	Par Four	Par Five
Maximum Score	7	8	9

You must always enter the score you were most likely to have scored before applying MAXIMUM
SCORE PER HOLE.

RULE 3.2: WHEN A HOLE IS STARTED BUT PLAYER DOES NOT HOLE OUT

A most likely score is the score a player must post for handicap purposes if a hole is started but not completed or if the player is conceded a stroke.

A most likely score consists of the number of strokes already taken plus, in the players Best Judgment, the number of strokes the player would take to complete the hole from that position/what the player can reasonably expect to score – more than half the time.

When most likely score is used, the Rules of Handicapping include the following guidelines for determining what score to record on a hole:

Position of the ball	Strokes to be added
On the putting green within 5 feet of the hole	Add one additional stroke
Between 5 feet and 20 yards from the hole	Add 2 or 3 additional strokes, depending on the position of the ball, the difficulty of the green and the ability of the player.
Beyond 20 yards from the hole	Add 3 or 4 additional strokes, depending on the position of the ball, the difficulty of the green and the ability of the player.

Rule 5.5 :Ageing of
Scores and Lapsing of a Handicap Index

IF REGISTRATION NOT POSSIBLE

If for some reason you are unable to register your game, you may, after completion of your game, send your card to your home club who will register the game and enter a score for you.

Do not worry if scores have been entered incorrectly or a game has not been registered, these can be added and or adjusted by your club Handicap Administrator on request via email.

RULE 4.4: CERTIFICATION OF A SCORE

Score must be signed by a marker prior to submission.
Score must be available for peer review as soon as possible after being posted to the scoring record

RULE 4.5: MINIMUM NUMBER OF SCORES TO GET A HANDICAP

To obtain a Handicap Index, a player must post at least 3x 18-hole scores.

RULE 5: HANDICAP INDEX CALCULATION

Rule 5 covers the process of calculating a Handicap Index and incorporates the safeguards needed to help ensure that a player’s Handicap Index remains reflective of their ability and that equity is retained for all golfers. It includes mechanisms which:

• Remembers previously demonstrated ability within a defined period of time.
• Caps the upward movement of a player’s Handicap Index within a defined period of time.
• Applies additional adjustments to a player’s Handicap Index when an exceptional score is submitted.

RULE 5.1: BASIC CALCULATION OF A SCORE DIFFERENTIAL

Score Differential	The difference between a player’s adjusted gross score and the Course Rating, taking account of Slope Rating. It is the value ‘played to’ on a specific course on a specific day.
Adjusted Gross Score	A player’s gross score, including any penalty strokes, adjusted for when: The player exceeds their maximum hole score A hole is not played, or A hole is started but the player does not hole out

Score Differential = (113 ÷ slope rating) x (Adjusted gross score – Course Rating)

RULE 5.2: CALCULATION OF A HANDICAP INDEX

Scoring Records	A history of a player’s last 20 acceptable scores – including: The player’s score The score Differential The date the round was played, and The Course Rating and the Slope Rating of the Tees played

This is your live calculated handicap index after 3 x 18-hole scores that have been entered on the system AND that are less than 6 months old.

Average the lowest 8 of the most recent 20 score differentials, rounded to the nearest tenth.

If you have less than 20 games in your game record a sliding scale calculation as per below is applied.

Rule 5.3: Maximum Handicap Index

The maximum Handicap Index is 54 for All players: Regardless of age or gender

Note: A maximum Handicap Index will convert to a Course Handicap that exceeds these numbers on golf courses with a slope rating greater than 113.

RULE 5.4: FREQUENCY OF REVISION OF A HANDICAP INDEX

A player’s Handicap Index should be updated no later than the day after a score was submitted, or as soon as possible thereafter.

In a situation when a new round is played before the player’s Handicap Index has
been updated, including when multiple rounds are played on the same day, it is
recommended that the player uses their existing Handicap Index. However, in
certain circumstances, the Committee in charge of the competition (or the
Handicap Committee) has the discretion to decide what Playing Handicap the player should use
(see Rule 7.2).

RULE 5.5: Ageing of Scores and Lapsing of a Handicap Index

A score continues to be part of the Handicap Index calculation as long as it remains
within the player’s most recent 20 scores recorded, regardless of the age of the score.

A Handicap Index only lapses if a player is no longer a member of at least one golf
club.

Note: A player’s scoring record should be retained wherever possible. (maximum 4 years)
This will assist a Handicap Committee if the player obtains a Handicap Index again in the
future.

Rule 5.7: Low Handicap Index 
memory of the Low Handicap Index

Low Handicap Index	The lowest Handicap Index achieved by a player during the 12-month period preceding the most recent score on their scoring record
Cap	The Procedure that reduces or limits the amount by which a player’s Handicap Index can increase – when measured against the player’s Low Handicap Index.

There are two trigger points within the cap procedure:
Soft cap – the point after which there is a reduction in the rate of upward movement of a Handicap Index.
Hard cap – the point which sets the maximum limit for the upward movement of a Handicap Index.

RULE 5.8: Limit on Upward Movement of Handicap Index

The soft cap suppresses upward movement when the difference between the new calculated Index and the Low Index is greater than 3.
The increase is suppressed by 50% of any value over 3.
The hard cap prevents further upward movement by placing a hard ceiling at 5 above the Low Index.
The soft cap and hard cap procedures only start to take effect once a player has at least 20 acceptable scores in their scoring record.

RULE 5.9: Submission of an Exceptional Score

A Score Differential which is 7.0 strokes or more BETTER (LOWER) than the player’s Handicap Index at the time the round was played.

Score can be from ANY format of play, competitive or general play. (C9 and Penalty games also included)

When a player submits an exceptional score, the handicap formula applies an additional adjustment to the player’s updated Handicap Index – according to the table.

Score Differential Relative to Index	-7.0 to -9.9	-10.0 or more
Extra adjustment to HI	-1.0	-2.0

This adjustment is in addition to any reduction caused within the 8/20 calculation.

• If an additional Exceptional Score Differential is submitted after this, which is 7 or less than Handicap index
• This leads to a further -1 adjustment to all 20 previous score differentials, which can overlap with previous adjustments
• So, the effect of multiple exceptional scores is cumulative

RULE 6: COURSE HANDICAP

The NEW COURSE HANDICAP FORMULA IS :

(HANDICAP INDEX x SLOPE / 113) + (COURSE RATING – PAR) = COURSE HANDICAP

This your course handicap that you play off for a round at a specific golf course off a specific TEE according to the Slope rating, Course Rating and PAR of that TEE at that golf course.

RULE 7: Committee actions

Principle of the Rule:

The Clubs Handicap Committee plays a vital role in the successful administration of a player’s Handicap Index and is equipped with tools to intervene when the calculated Handicap Index is no longer reflective of the player’s golfing ability.

Used appropriately, these tools are designed to ensure that players are treated fairly and consistently from golf club to golf club.

The Committee in charge of the competition also plays an important role in setting appropriate Terms of the Competition for all participating players.

Player Responsibilities

To comply with the requirements of the

Rules of Handicapping , a player is expected to:

1. Act with integrity by following the Rules of Handicapping and to refrain
   from using, or circumventing, the Rules of Handicapping for the purpose
   of gaining an unfair advantage.
2. Have only one Handicap Index from a single scoring record, which is
   managed by the player’s home club in accordance with the Rules of
   Handicapping.
   Note: This Handicap Index will apply elsewhere, including at all other golf
   clubs of which the player is a member.
3. Ensure each golf club of which they are a member knows the details of:
   All other golf clubs that they are a member of, and
   Which golf club that they have designated to be their home club.
4. Ensure that, prior to playing a round in an authorized format of play,
   they:
   • Know their current Handicap Index,
   • Inform the Handicap Committee or the Committee in charge of the competition of any discrepancies with their Handicap Index and provide details of any outstanding scores yet to be submitted or posted to their scoring record,
   • Know the holes where handicap strokes are to be given or received, and
   • Record their correct handicap on the scorecard in a stroke-play competition.
5. Attempt to make the best score possible at each hole.
6. Where applicable, ensure all acceptable scores are submitted for handicap purposes, including scores from outside the player’s home jurisdiction. Acceptable scores should be submitted:
   • Before 8pm on the day of play, and
   • In the correct chronological order.
7. Submit acceptable scores to provide reasonable evidence of their demonstrated ability.
8. Provide any new golf club with the full details of their previous playing history, Handicap Index held, memberships and any other information relevant to their golfing ability.
9. Play by the Rules of Golf.
10. Certify the scores of fellow players