By Ed Travis
The calculation of golf handicaps has gone global, with significant changes. For players in this country, however, the revised system will have minimum impact on their Indexes. The conversion to the World Handicap System will began January first in the United States and ten other countries, but will not be completed until Great Britain and Ireland are added by the end of 2020.
The concept is simple, have one worldwide process to calculate handicaps to broaden the game and make it easier for players, of all skill levels, to compete in a more equitable manner. The initiative was spearheaded by the United States Golf Association (USGA) and The Royal & Ancient (R&A) for the past several months an ambitious rollout has been underway. In this country, the efforts to educate golfers have been primarily centered in the state and regional associations. 
When the World Handicap System takes effect those having a current Handicap Index, under the old USGA GHIN rules, will see minor changes to their handicap. To Implement the new system more than 3,000 non-U.S. courses needed to be rated.
Calculation of handicaps will be based on the best eight of the last 20 rounds with two 9-hole scores counting as one round. The old GHIN system used 10 of 20 with a 4% downward adjustment. Indexes formerly were figured twice each month, but will now be available daily.
Those who sought to gain an advantage under the old rules, will be more easily exposed. The highest score allowable will be a net double bogey, based on the players handicap, along with the hole’s difficulty rating. Peer review under the old system was ineffective and so-called sandbagging was not caught until after an event, if at all. Daily recalculation of Handicap Indexes seals that loophole.
A further restriction is the maximum amount a Handicap Index may change over one year. A “Soft Cap” of 50 percent will be enacted, if a three-stroke increase is detected and a maximum “Hard Cap” of five strokes can be added over a 12-month period.
There is also an adjustment available for higher scores due to abnormal weather, which can be applied should conditions warrant. Thanks to the power of computers, the adjustment will be made immediately after scores are posted.
Additional Key Points:
Three rounds are required for an initial Handicap Index. The maximum Handicap Index for both men and women is 54.0. Scores recorded as a single are no longer allowed, plus all handicaps must be reviewed by a handicap committee every 12 months.
What has not been mentioned is that current data available show only about 20 percent of golfers in the U.S. have Handicap Indexes, or perhaps 5 million out of 24 million golfers. These presumably are the more “avid” golfers and private club members that are more likely to play in events requiring a USGA handicap.
Another largely unpublicized fact is the USGA funds the sanctioned state and regional golf associations with the fees charged for maintaining handicaps. The usual fee of $25 per year provides money for these associations to operate and administer tournaments.
The World Handicap System is attempting to solve the problem of equitable administration of handicapping for players that compete in various amateur events around the world. There is a small percentage of those who try to cheat the handicap system. Hopefully this new World Handicap System will help keep that to a minimum, in this gentlemen’s game
