The 2019 rules change regarding maximum score on a hole, together with the HNA December Handicap Newsletter, may have unfortunately created some confusion regarding the maximum score allowed on a hole for handicap purposes.
As per the GolfRSA Handicap Manual, the current South African Handicap Rule on the Maximum Score allowed on a hole for handicap purposes is as follows:
“The maximum score on a hole for handicap score entry is 2 over par, except if a player has two handicap strokes on a hole in which case the maximum score allowed for that hole is 3 over par.”
The new Rules of Golf, effective 1 January 2019, recommends for stroke play competitions:
- A player’s score for each hole is capped at a maximum set by the Committee, which may be fixed (such as 6, 8, 10, etc), relative to par (such as two times par or triple bogey), or related to the player’s handicap (such as net double bogey).
- A player who does not complete a hole (often referred to informally as “picking up”) will not be disqualified, but simply gets the maximum score for the hole.
The World Handicap System is only set to be introduced globally on 1 January 2020 and will specify the maximum score on a hole to be Net Double Bogey (net two over par, zero Stableford points).
Until then, there is no change to the maximum score allowed on a hole in South Africa.
