Golf Handbook: what is a handicap?

If you are even marginally familiar with golf, you have probably heard of the handicap. It is a fairly common term in the golf world. But what does it actually mean?

What is a golf handicap?

A golf handicap is a certain numerical value that expresses the abilities and skills of a golfer. It is used to compare individual players, and it allows even players who are not equal in skill to compete against each other.

Every amateur golfer has a handicap and starts with a handicap of 54, which is also the maximum possible value, and then tries to reduce it to the smallest possible number.

Since it is possible to go negative with a handicap, there is no theoretical minimum value.

And what does a particular handicap number actually represent? It means the number of shots over par that a golfer usually plays. This means that if the course is par 72, a player with a handicap of 0 will play it for 72 strokes.

How does this work in practice?

As mentioned above, the golf handicap is used to compare players and its great importance lies in the fact that it allows even players who are not equal in skill to play against each other.

The handicap is calculated by subtracting each player’s handicap from their total number of shots at the end of the round. Thus, a player with a handicap of 40 subtracts 40 from his score, while a player with a handicap of 0 keeps his score.

In practice, this translates into most players playing around the par course and not constantly moving into the plus numbers, which could be demotivating for many novice golfers. In addition, everyone will quickly see if they are playing above par or if they are thriving and moving below par on the course.

How is the handicap calculated?

Handicap can be adjusted in several ways. The first is to participate in tournaments, after which the result of the tournament is automatically entered and the handicap adjusted accordingly.

The handicap can also be adjusted by entering a non-competitive result. This can be recorded if the golfer plays 18 holes and the result is confirmed by a player with a handicap lower than 36. However, there is also a restriction that players with a handicap lower than 11.5 cannot have a non-competitive result recorded.

The final option is the annual handicap check, which is carried out at the end of the year to match the player’s handicap with actual actual performance.

It is used, for example, in cases where a golfer plays few tournaments and his handicap may not match his actual performance. The handicap is then adjusted accordingly at the end of the year.

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