What to Know About Handicaps
At GRWGA we want to encourage golfers with a variety of golf abilities to enjoy the game and the GRWGA benefits and events. Here’s what to know about handicapping.
A golf handicap is a numerical measure of a golfer's potential ability. The lower the handicap, the more skilled the golfer.
There are multiple handicap systems used in golf. All handicap systems exist for the same purpose which is to attempt to level the playing field for golfers of differing abilities, so that those golfers can compete equally. For example, imagine someone whose average score is 65 trying to compete against someone whose average score is 36. Without a handicapping system, it can't be done. At least not fairly, so that the average-65-scorer has a chance to win the match.
When golfers belong to a handicap system, no matter what their ability is, they can play one another in a match and both will have legitimate chances to win.
With a handicapping system, the player with the higher handicap is given strokes (allowed to deduct strokes) on certain holes on a golf course. That is, on a particular hole the higher handicap player may be allowed to "take a stroke", that is “deduct a stroke “- from her score for that hole. At the end of the round, the two players of differing abilities can figure their "net score" - their gross scores minus the strokes they were allowed to take on certain holes.
The GRWGA uses the USGA GHIN handicap system to enable members of different levels to compete on an equitable basis and to flight players in events so that they are matched golfers of similar abilities.
The maximum handicap desired for GRWGA membership is 38 for 18 holes. A 38 handicap is estimated to be an average score of 111 for 18 holes or 55 for 9 holes.
Don’t know your handicap? No worries, access to an online handicapping system is a benefit of your membership. It gives you a way to watch your game improve by statistics and allows the association to match players equally for events. Once signed up as a GRWGA member, you will receive a login and password for GHIN. Scores from previous rounds or new rounds can be posted to GHIN and a handicap will be calculated. This handicap will be used by GRWGA for pairings, setting flights and scoring for GRWGA events. The GRWGA will post all scores for GRWGA events.
Have more questions about posting scores and handicaps? Visit this FAQ page or contact the GRGWA at info@grwga.com.
Common Handicap Terms
Handicap Index - the base line measurement of a player’s ability on a course of standard difficulty
Course Handicap - number of strokes a player receives from a specific set of tees on a specific golf course
Handicap Allowance - the % that the event committee recommends for a specific format of play
Playing Handicap - your course handicap adjusted for above allowance
