Dear Golfer
The following is a recent announcement by the R&A and the USGA, concerning changes to the Rules of Handicapping, which will be introduced on the 1st January 2024.
The R&A and the USGA recently announced the first update to the World Handicap System™ (WHS™) as part of an ongoing review of the Rules of Handicapping™ and Course Rating System™ with a continued emphasis on accuracy, consistency and equity. The latest revisions will go into effect from 1 January 2024.
Further guidance on the implementation of these rules, by Golf RSA and HNA, will be communicated later this month.
Many countries have seen significant increases in the number of scores being submitted for handicapping purposes since the WHS was introduced, which reflects golf’s broadening appeal.
More than 100 million scores are posted each year, unifying millions of golfers through a standard measure of playing ability.
The 2024 update leverages the performance data gathered from around the world, in addition to feedback received from many of the 125 countries now using the system. Significant updates to the WHS include:
Inclusion of Shorter-Length Golf Courses Within the Course Rating System:
The overall length requirements for Course Rating in the WHS will be significantly reduced. A set of tees on an 18-hole course may be as short as 1,370 metres to be eligible for a Course Rating and Slope Rating®, and a set of tees on a 9-hole course may be as short as 685 metres. This change is intended to expand the WHS to thousands of shorter length courses, including par-3 courses, and enable more golfers to obtain and use a Handicap Index.
Use of an Expected Score for a Hole Not Played:
Improvements have been made to the method used to handle holes not played, which will now be based on a player’s expected score rather than a score of net par. This new method will produce a 9-hole or 18-hole Score Differential that more accurately reflects a player’s ability. As golfers across the world are playing more 9-hole rounds, an expected score can also be used to convert a 9-hole round into an 18-hole Score Differential.
Playing Conditions Calculation Adjustments Made More Frequent:
The Playing Conditions Calculation (PCC) has been modified to increase the likelihood of an adjustment for abnormal playing conditions. National associations were given discretion, beginning in July 2022, to introduce this revision within their computation platforms, which will be complete by 1 April 2024.
Enhanced Guidance on Conducting a Handicap Review:
The role of the Handicap Committee is vital to the success of the WHS and the Rules recommend that a Handicap Review is conducted regularly, or at least once a year to ensure a Handicap Index® remains reflective of a player’s ability. New reporting tools have been developed that national associations can incorporate into their handicapping software to assist Committees in conducting the review process effectively and consistently.
Claire Bates, Director – Handicapping at The R&A said, “We have made good progress in the early stages of WHS but we know there are always areas that can be improved as we gather more data and information on the system from around the world. Conducting a regular review process is important in terms of good governance and enables us to examine some of the key areas in which we have received feedback. We will continue to work with the handicapping bodies and national associations around the world to ensure that the WHS is providing golfers with a system that provides a sensible balance between inclusivity and integrity, making it as easy as possible to get a Handicap Index, subject to meaningful safeguards.”
Steve Edmondson, Managing Director – Handicapping & Course Rating at the USGA said, “The game of golf continues to evolve and the WHS has embraced those changes in a dynamic way to help all golfers, everywhere they play. It is a monumental time in golf, and improving both the accessibility of obtaining a Handicap Index and leveraging powerful data and technology to easily and accurately track performance is a great step forward.”
The R&A and the USGA jointly launched and govern the WHS to provide a modern and responsive system, that gives an accurate reflection of a player’s demonstrated ability.
It is calculated by incorporating the Rules of Handicapping and the Course Rating System, and is administered by a range of handicapping bodies and national associations around the world.
The more flexible and accessible nature of the system, has led to the introduction of successful initiatives from a number of national associations aimed at making it easier to obtain a Handicap Index and be part of the WHS.
Mirroring the review processes of other areas of governance in golf, including the Rules of Golf and the Rules of Amateur Status, reviews of the WHS will continue to be conducted at regular intervals, taking into consideration performance data and feedback to help identify areas for improvement.
To learn more about the World Handicap System please visit – www.WHS.com.
‘If you are going to throw a club, it is important to throw it ahead of you, down the fairway, so you don’t have to waste energy going back to pick it up.’ – Tommy Bolt
Swing easy!
The Handicaps Team