How Golf Association Handicaps Are Computed

The handicaps are computed as follows: Each time you play in a tournament a handicap differential is computed for that course. The differential is computed by subtracting the course rating from your Adjusted Gross Score (see below). That value is multiplied by 113 and then divided by the course slope rating. Until you have ten handicap differentials the lowest two from the last five differentials are used for the next step. If you have ten or more handicap differentials then the lowest seven out of the last ten differentials are selected for the next step. (If you don't have two differentials then one is selected). (Also, differentials are only saved from the previous year and the current year).

Your handicap index is computed by taking the average of the handicap differentials selected times 96% and truncated after the tenths digit. (The value is not rounded). Your handicap is computed by rounding the handicap index that was computed above. Handicap indexes above 50 are reduced to 50.

The following is an explanation of how your Adjusted Gross Score is computed: When you play in a tournament your course handicap for that course is computed by multiplying your handicap index times the course slope rating and then divided by 113. That value is rounded to the next whole number. That course handicap is matched to the table below to determine the highest score that you are allowed to have for handicap purposes. Please note this table is for handicap purposes only and must not be used to determine the maximum score for tournament purposes. The current maximum score for tournament purposes is double par.

Course Handicap	Maximum Score
<= 9	Double Bogey
10 - 19	7
20 - 29	8
30 - 39	9
> = 40	10

Your score card is then reviewed and any score that is above the maximum score from the table above is adjusted to that maximum score. Your Adjusted Gross Score is computed using these values. (In reality, I merely note the number of strokes above the maximum scores allowed and subtract that from the total score that you submitted. If you did not add your scores properly I do not correct it). Computing your Adjusted Gross Score and typing in the scores is manual. The rest of the computations are done using an EXCEL Spreadsheet which only takes about 15 seconds to compute.

Submitted by Fred Zinn Golf Association Handicapper. Golf Association Home