Where to start - give it a go!

Simply enter 3 scorecards and the Par or SSS for the course.

What you have just calculated is an initial handicap value, basically a starting point from where your handicap begins.

A Golf Handicap is the measurement of your golfing ability and allows you to play against others on a fair basis. It's therefore an excellent measurement of how your game is improving and in an ideal world your handicap should always be reducing or staying the same.

Handicap's represents the number of stokes you play above a 'scratch golfer', someone who plays off a ‘0’ handicap.

	Calculating a Handicap
	The 'SSS' - Standard Scratch Score
	Your Initial Handicap Value
	How to calculate your golf handicap
		Buffer Zones
		Adjusting your Score
		Stoke Index
		Golf Handicap Calculator
		How does your handicap Increase
		How does your handicap Stay the same
		How does your handicap Reduce

To calculate your initial handicap, an average of your first three rounds is used. What must be remembered is that the CONGU system does not allow a player to score more than a double bogey (+2) on each hole.

Under CONGU the maximum handicap for a man is 28 and for a women 36. However,  we have extended Men’s Handicap to 36 for our Handicap Tracker but our Handicap Certificates are limited to 28 for men. In other countries the maximum handicap is 53.5!

While the Par for the course is important, your handicap is calculated using the SSS of the course. The reason is that while the Par for different courses might be the same, some courses are more difficult than others and this difference is shown within the SSS.

The SSS value can typically range between 67 and 74.

If you do not have a Handicap we will calculate this for you. Just complete 3 scorecards. For greater accuracy, please complete hole by hole information to enable any adjustments to be made where you may have played more than +2 on a hole.

Buffer Zones –

Each time you add a scorecard, your handicap is recalculated. The Buffer Zones relate to your Handicap and determines how you handicap changes, either up or down. As your handicap decreases, becomes closer to 0, it becomes more difficult to lower your handicap. You will also notice that your handicap does not jump up when you have had a bad round, but increases slowly.

Your handicap is always to one decimal point, but for playing and calculation purposes, your handicap is rounded up or down to give a playing handicap. An actual handicap of 14.3 is a playing handicap of 14. 14.5 is a playing handicap of 15.

The firstly thing that takes place after adding your scorecard is that your score must be adjusted. The maximum score possible on any hole is +2 and therefore, if you play +8 on a Par 5, you adjusted score will be +7, 2 over Par.

The stroke index gives every hole on the course a difficulty rating, 1 to 18, with 1 being the most difficult and 18 being the easiest.

Depending on your handicap, you are rewarded a number of strokes per course and these are awarded on a hole by hole basis.

If you have a 6 handicap, then you will be awarded one extra shot on the 6 most difficult holes, i.e. 1 – 6.

If you have a handicap of 12, then you will be awarded one shot on the 12 most difficult holes, stoke index 1 to 12.

If however you have a handicap of 27, you will be awarded one shot for every hole, plus one extra on the 9 most difficult holes. This means you get 2 shots on the 9 most difficult holes and 1 shot on the easiest holes, 

• We take your adjusted Score from the SSS of the course.
• We take this value (Gross Score) and subtract your current playing handicap giving us your Net Score (Net differential)
• We then apply your Net Score, to the various Buffer Zones for your handicap.

How confusing is that! – That is the reason we do it all for you. 

Your Handicap Increases

Your new handicap would be 28.1

Your Handicap stays the same

No Change in Handicap

Your Handicap Reduces

 To find out about Stableford Points and how they are calculated click here