The R&A (2024)

a

For Fewer than 20 Scores

b

For 20 Scores

c

For Plus Handicap Index

When there are 20 Score Differentials in a player’s scoring record and theHandicap Indexcalculates as a negative figure, this represents a plusHandicap Index.When a player’s initial Handicap Index calculates at the lower end of the handicap range for both men and women, the Handicap Committee must follow any procedures established by the Authorized Association before issuing a Handicap Index below a specified level (see Rule 5.2a).

The maximum Handicap Index a player can obtain is 54.0.Note: Committees in charge of a competition have the discretion to set a maximum Handicap Index limit for entry.

Course Ratings are based on normal playing conditions, but the difficulty of a golf course can vary substantially from day to day, due to:

• Course conditions,
• Weather conditions, and/or
• Course set-up.

The playing conditions calculation (PCC) determines whether playing conditions on the day differed from normal conditions to the extent that an adjustment is needed to compensate. It is a daily statistical procedure that compares the scores submitted by players on the day against expected scoring patterns.The purpose of this feature within the handicap calculation is to recognize that an average score submitted in harder playing conditions may be better than a good score submitted in easier playing conditions. Unadjusted, such a score may be omitted from the Handicap Index calculation.If the PCC determines that acceptable score submitted are in line with expected scoring patterns, then no adjustment is made.The calculated adjustment is dependent upon:

• Whether significantly fewer players than anticipated attained their expected score and, consequently, conditions are determined to be harder than normal.
• Whether significantly more players than anticipated attained their expected score and, consequently, conditions are determined to be easier than normal.

The playing conditions calculation (PCC):

• Is generally performed only once for a day.
• Considers acceptable scores submitted on a golf course each day and requires at least eight acceptable scores to determine if an adjustment is required.
• Includes only acceptable scores submitted by players with a Handicap Index of 36.0 or below.
• Equals zero if fewer than eight acceptable scores are submitted.
• Where applicable, does not include scores that are scaled up to 9-hole or 18-hole scores.
• Can determine an adjustment of -1.0, 0.0, +1.0, +2.0 or +3.0 and is applied in the calculation of Score Differentials for all players.

The Low Handicap Index represents the demonstrated ability of a player over the 365-day period preceding the day on which the most recent score in their scoring record was played and provides a reference point against which the current Handicap Index can be compared.

• A Low Handicap Index is established once a player has at least 20 acceptable scores in their scoring record.
• Once a player has established a Low Handicap Index, it is re-evaluated every time a new acceptable score is submitted and must be displayed in the player’s scoring record.
• A newly determined Low Handicap Index is considered in the processing of the player’s next acceptable score whenever the next round is submitted. A player’s Low Handicap Index may become more than 365 days old in the period between two rounds being played.
• Where a Handicap Committee-applied adjustment reduces a player’s Handicap Index, the adjusted Handicap Index resets the Low Handicap Index to the adjustedHandicap Index, unless a lower Handicap Index is still eligible (see Rule 7.1a).
• Where a Handicap Committee-applied adjustment increases a player’s Handicap Index, the Committee should consider resetting the player’s Low Handicap Index to the same value as the adjusted Handicap Index.

There are two trigger points within the cap procedure:i. The soft cap.Thesoft capis triggered when the difference between a player’s newly calculatedHandicap Indexand theirLow Handicap Indexis greater than 3.0 strokes. When a calculatedHandicap Indexincrease is greater than 3.0 strokes, the value above 3.0 strokes is restricted to 50% of the increase.ii. The hard cap.Thehard captriggers to restrict the amount by which a player’sHandicap Indexcan increase, after application of thesoft cap, to no more than 5.0 strokes above theirLow Handicap Index.There is no limit on the amount by which a player’sHandicap Indexcan decrease.Thesoft capandhard capprocedures start to take effect only after theLow Handicap Indexhas been established.

When anexceptional scoreis posted to a player’sscoring record, theHandicap Indexwill be reduced in accordance with the following adjustment table:

• Any reduction is applied based on the difference between the Score Differential (unrounded) and the player’s Handicap Index.
• Reductions for multipleexceptional scoresare applied cumulatively.
• A reduction is automatically appliedwithin the calculation of a player’s updatedHandicap Indexfollowing the submission of anexceptional score.
• A reduction for anexceptional scoreis applied by adjusting each of the most recent 20Score Differentialsrecorded in the player’sscoring record, which includes theexceptional score. As a result, the impact of the reduction will remain after the next score is submitted but will dilute over time as new scores are submitted.
  Where there are fewer than 20Score Differentialsin a player’sscoring recordat the time anexceptional scoreis submitted, the reduction is applied by adjusting all of theScore Differentials recorded in the player’sscoring record, which includes theexceptional score.
• Additionalhandicap reviewnotifications will be generated for theHandicap Committee’sconsideration, when:
  • Multipleexceptional scorereductions are applied to a player’sHandicap Index
  • AScore Differentialis 10.0 strokes or more below a player’sHandicap Indexin effect when that round was played and an exceptional scorereduction of –-2.0 is triggered.
• TheHandicap Committee is permitted to override any adjustment for anexceptional scoreif it considers that the adjustment would result in a player’sHandicap Indexnot being a fair reflection of their demonstrated ability (see Rule 7.1a).