Handicap Committee Guide

An essential element of the World Handicap System is the Handicap Committee. Each golf club or Authorized Golf Association utilizing the World Handicap System must appoint a Handicap Committee to ensure the integrity of each Handicap Index it issues. The committee must make certain that the members comply with the World Handicap System. 

The Local Guidance for Golf Club Committees begins on page 117 in the Rules of Handicapping.

Handicap Committee and Club Responsibilities Checklist:

• Establish a Handicap Committee
  • It is recommended the Handicap Committee be compromised of at least three members with an odd number of members to aid when voting occurs. The Handicap Committee should be chaired by a member of the club. An employee of the club is encouraged to serve on the Handicap Committee or participate in an advisory role; however, it is preferable not to have the employee serve as the chair.
  • The Handicap Committee as a whole should meet before the start of the season to review the Rules of the World Handicap System and to establish procedures for handicapping. The procedures should include information outlining score posting and the responsibilities of the Handicap Committee for posting penalty scores or adjusting a Handicap Index. Including local rules on Preferred Lies and tournament issues is also a great idea. During the season, the Handicap Committee should meet as needed to review and audit scoring records and resolve compliance purposes.
  • The accuracy of the World Handicap System is dependent on complete scoring records. The Handicap Committee is responsible for seeing that members turn in all acceptable scores for peer review. A club will not enjoy fair games without full score reporting from all members. The Handicap Committee is essentially vouching for each member's Handicap Index. So, it is essential that each member has a Handicap Index that represents their potential ability. It is both the Handicap Committee's and the member's responsibility (jointly) to adhere to the principles of the World Handicap System.
• Ensure the Club Meets the Definition of a Golf Club
  • A Golf Club is an organization of at least ten active individual members that operates under bylaws with Committees to supervise golf activities, provide peer review, and maintain the integrity of the Rules of Handicapping.
  • Members of a Golf Club must have a reasonable and regular opportunity to play golf with each other. The members' scores are to be posted on the day of play and be available for inspection by others, including, but not limited to, fellow members and the club's Handicap Committee.
• Knowing the Rules of Handicapping
  • At least one member of the Handicap Committee needs to have participated in an educational session including passing a test to demonstrate knowledge of the Rules of Handicapping.
• Educate and Communicate the Rules of Handicapping to Members
  • An effective Handicap Committee will continually provide the education and information the players need. This includes the members' responsibility to comply with the Rules of Handicapping and the potential for consequences of not fulfilling those responsibilities.
  • The Handicap Committee should be accessible to answer member's questions and should contact WA Golf if they are unsure about how to proceed or answer questions. Education efforts should be concentrated on the key features of the Rules of Handicapping that are most relevant to players, so they understand:
    • Which scores are acceptable
    • The timeframe for submitting scores for handicapping purposes
    • How to calculate a maximum hole score for handicap purposes
    • How to convert the Handicap Index into a Course Handicap
    • The concept of handicap allowances for different formats of play
    • Where to find the scoring record
    • How their Handicap Index is calculated
    • The Handicap Committee's ability to post penalty scores
    • The process of a handicap review
    • The consequences of a player not adhering to their responsibilities
  • This can be achieved through the Golf Club's website, newsletters or policies and procedures document. The Handicap Committee might also consider holding a member's information meeting, as part of the overall communication and awareness process. Washington Golf can supply clubs with a range of materials to support this effort, including PowerPoint slides, videos, posters and/or pamphlets. Posted educational resources can be found on the Washington Golf website and in the WA Golf Knowledge Base.
• Ensure Course Details are Accurate (Only Applies to Clubs Associated with a Golf Course)
  • The Handicap Committee should periodically review  the published Course Rating, Slope Rating, par and stroke index values within the handicap software to confirm they match what is listed on the scorecards.
  • Course Rating and Slope Rating: For a score to be acceptable for handicap purposes, it must be played on a set of tees on a golf course with a valid Course Rating and Slope Rating. If one or more sets of tees on your course have not been rated, the Handicap Committee should contact WA Golf at courserating@wagolf.org. 
  • Inactive Season: The Handicap Committee must confirm the club is observing the inactive season as determined by WA Golf. Scores made at any golf course in WA Golf territory during inactive season (November 15 through end of February) are not acceptable to be posted for handicap purposes.
  • Modifications to the Course:
    • The Handicap Committee must notify WA Golf when temporary tees and/or greens are used. WA Golf will determine whether scores made under those conditions are to be accepted for handicap purposes, and whether the Course Rating and Slope Rating should be modified temporarily.
    • For an 18-hole score to be acceptable for handicap purposes, a minimum of 10 holes must be played. 
    • For a 9-hole score to be acceptable for handicap purposes, all 9-holes must be played on a rated 9. If a player has not played at least 9 holes on a rated 9, the score is not acceptable to post for handicap purposes.
    • If between 10-17 holes have been played, a player must have played at least 9 holes on a rated 9 and post the score using the Hole-By-Hole score posting method.
  • The Handicap Committee must notify WA Golf when permanent changes are made to the course or course setup has changed significantly. WA Golf will then review the current Course Rating and Slope Rating and determine whether a re-rating is necessary.
  • Par: The determination of hole par is a part of the course rating process and done by WA Golf. It is important to note that the primary factor in determining whether a standardized par should be used is the design of the hole as it was intended to be played. Secondary factors include the most commonly played set of tees per gender and the most common par value on a hole. After consultation with the Golf Club and/or golf course staff, WA Golf will make the final determination.
  • The Golf Club must make certain the par assigned for each hole (and gender, if different) is correctly listed on any tee signs as well as printed on the club's scorecard, posted in a prominent place at the club, or available via online applications.
  • Playing from an Unrated Set of Tees: When a set of tees does not have a Course Rating and Slope Rating for the appropriate gender, the Handicap Committee must contact WA Golf for approval to utilize the Yardage Adjustment Table in Appendix G to determine a temporary rating that can be used by the player(s) to post acceptable score(s) for handicap purposes. If scores are posted frequently using the adjusted ratings, the Handicap Committee must contact the authorized association (WA Golf) so that a permanent rating can be established.
  • Stroke Index Allocation: Stroke index allocation is used to determine the maximum hole score to be posted for handicap purposes as well as knowing where the player is to give or receive handicap strokes.
  • Recommended stroke index allocations can be provided to the club by WA Golf using course rating data. The raw hole rankings are based on the combination of Course Rating and Bogey Rating relative to par, with the final recommendation adjusted to accommodate stroke play and match play. However, clubs can continue to determine stroke allocation with alternative methods.
  • The USGA recommends that each course has one allocation for men and one for women, based on the most commonly played set of tees for each gender.
• Make the Process of Converting a Handicap Index to a Course Handicap as Easy as Possible
  • The calculation of the Course Handicap is critical to determine the appropriate score to submit for handicap purposes, including any adjustments for Net Double Bogey or application of Net Par.
  • It is important that this conversion process is made as easy as possible for all players and options may include use of:
    • The USGA GHIN mobile app or other electronic tool
    • A Course Handicap Table
    • The Course Handicap Calculator located on the WA Golf website
  • Course Handicap Tables should be posted in a place which is accessible for use by all players. To determine a 9-hole Course Handicap, halve the 18-hole Handicap Index and round to the nearest tenth. Contact WA Golf if you need a new copy of your Course Handicap tables.
• Facilitate the Timely Submission of Scores
  • The Rules of Handicapping rely on the accurate and timely submission of all acceptable scores. Scores should be submitted immediately following play to ensure that they are included in the playing conditions calculation, are available for peer review and the player's Handicap Index can be updated for the next day.
  • The Handicap Committee should ensure the submissions of scores under the Rules of Handicapping, for all authorized formats of play which includes both competition and recreational scores. It is important that the Course Rating and Slope Rating information is easily accessible for all players to allow them to properly record their scores.
  • It is the responsibility of the player to post their scores unless otherwise directed by a Committee in charge of a competition.
• Maintain Accurate Player Scoring Records
  • The Handicap Index will be updated by the USGA the day after a score was submitted. This will generally be an automated procedure, within the handicap computation service. However, when appropriate, the Handicap Committee may perform a special update to the scoring record which will recalculate the Handicap Index immediately.
  • Members should be made aware of where they can access their Handicap Index and score record information. Any errors or omissions in a player's scoring record reported to the Handicap Committee must be handled appropriately, according to the situation. If a golfer is no longer an active member of at least one Golf Club, their Handicap Index will lapse.
  • The full version of a scoring record is accessible to the Handicap Committee and fellow members of the player's Golf Club. The scoring record will contain full details of the most recent 20 scores. The condensed version of a scoring record is available to all players and club administrators utilizing the Admin Portal. For privacy reasons, the condensed scoring record will omit references to the day the round was played and the golf course played.
• Apply Applicable Penalty Scores and Adjust the Handicap Index of any Member Whose Handicap Index Does Not Reflect Their Demonstrated Ability
  • The Rules of Handicapping include safeguards to ensure a member's Handicap Index accurately reflects their demonstrated ability. However, in rare instances where the handicap calculation and safeguards do not accurately reflect their demonstrated ability, it will be necessary for the Handicap Committee to consider taking action.
  • When considering any adjustment to, or withdrawal of, a member's Handicap Index, the Handicap Committee must ensure that the player is"
    • Involved in the process.
    • Fully informed of the level of any adjustment or withdrawal, and
    • Made aware of how long it applies.
  • Rule 7.1 of the Rules of Handicapping provides details on the process for each of these steps. These procedures are designed to both assist the Handicap Committee and ensure that each player is treated fairly and consistently from Golf Club to Golf Club.
  • If it is determined that an adjustment to the Handicap Index or Low Handicap Index is appropriate, as a courtesy, the Golf Club performing the adjustment is strongly encouraged to notify ALL other Golf Clubs where the member is an active member.
  • Penalty Score: It is strongly encouraged for a member to post the score on the same day of play. The Handicap Committee is authorized to post a penalty score to a member's record when a member fails to post an acceptable score from an authorized format of play in a timely manner. No prior notification is required, however, as part of the club's policies and procedures it is recommended to notify players of the consequences for failing to post acceptable scores.
    • The penalty score will be identified with the letter "P" for the score type and can be applied by the Handicap Committee through the USGA Admin Portal. The Handicap Committee should decide the appropriate penalty score based on the intent of the player and can select a high or low penalty score. This will duplicate the highest or lowest Score Differential respectively found in the player's most recent 20 scores. Alternatively, if the Handicap Committee is aware of the score information, it may post the actual score with the score type of "P" in addition to the penalty score.
  • Withdrawing a Handicap Index: In the rare instance where a member repeatedly fails to adhere to their responsibilities under the Rules of Handicapping, the Handicap Committee may petition WA Golf to withdraw the Handicap Index from the member. All handicap withdrawals must be formally submitted in writing to WA Golf for approval. When a Handicap Index has been withdrawn, the member will be identified with a "WD" as the value for the Handicap Index within the Admin Portal and on reports.
    • The Handicap Committee should submit the expiration date of the withdrawn status and request WA Golf reinstate the Handicap Index for the member upon such date. Once reinstated, the Handicap Committee should continue to monitor the member's scoring record.
  • Player Appeal Process: Prior to making an adjustment or withdrawal of a player's Handicap Index, the player must be given the opportunity to respond either in writing or in person to the Handicap Committee.
    • The player should be provided the information available as to why the Handicap Index is being adjusted or withdrawn as well as the duration.
  • The Handicap Committee should ensure that it has procedures in place to settle any disputes in relation to a handicap review or the application of the Rules of Handicapping in general. The player may escalate their grievance of the Handicap Index adjustment to WA Golf for review if they believe the club's Handicap Committee is not operating within the Rules of Handicapping.