Starting in January, the WHS will use an “expected score” formula to take nine-hole scores and adjust them to 18-hole score differentials. Mining the data gathered from the 100 million scores posted yearly around the world under the WHS, a model scoring formula for every handicap index for males and females has been developed. The appropriate one will be applied to your index and create an expected score on any remaining holes you had for handicap purposes, taking the place of applying a score of net par for any missing holes. The new formula is built to account for a standard golf course, so the calculations are no longer course-dependent compared to the math applied in the past.

For decades in the U.S., golfers had been posting nine-hole scores but then needed to wait for an accompanying nine-hole score to be paired with to create an 18-hole number for handicap purposes. That system was good enough, said Steve Edmondson, managing director of Handicap and Course Rating for the USGA, but he acknowledged it did create inconsistencies.

“As you can imagine, I could be combining two low scores; a score that was really good for a day with a bad score, so you’re not getting a true reflection of how I played on that day; or two bad scores,” Edmondson said. “When you combined two low scores you might have an 18-hole differential that you’re really not capable of shooting if you were to play 18 holes.”

If you’re designing a new system from scratch, Edmondson said, you would want something that offered a more consistent and comparable approach, as well as something more responsive. “We want to be able to understand somebody’s true demonstrated ability, so you want to remove some of those outliers, and we feel like that has done so.”

Another benefit of the change is it will allow new golfers who primarily play and post nine-hole rounds to have their handicap index updated in the same timely manner as those posting 18-hole rounds. “It will be responsive,” Edmondson said. “The next day that score will be reflected, as it should, and it will be based off the play of the day rather than the play off two days. That goes back to the consistency and more comparable.”

The impact of the change comes in conjunction with another alteration the USGA and R&A have announced for the WHS in 2024: a reduction in the minimum yardage for a course to be included in the Course Rating System. Previously, 18-hole courses had to be at least 3,000 yards and nine-hole course had to be 1,500 yards. Now must be 1,500 and 750 yards respectively.

This change reflects the rise in short courses as a place for new golfers to be introduced and learn the game. The yardage reduction will translate to allowing these new players more opportunities to play rounds that can be posted for handicap purposes.

“Just over 700 par 3 courses in the United States alone are not part of the WHS today,” Edmondson said. “So somebody new coming into the game might not understand why they can’t get a handicap index based on that course, etc. This now brings them into the fold.”

According to USGA data, nine-hole rounds accounted for 21 per cent of scores posted by new male golfers in the US, and more than 45 per cent of scores posted by new female golfers. By providing more opportunities to utilize nine-hole rounds for handicap purposes, Edmondson says, “We are trying to make sure we are meeting the game where it is moving, meeting the golfers as they are playing it.”

Any lingering nine-hole scores will be recalculated under the new system in mid-January and any short-course score posted in the new year will show up around that time as well.

Another change to the WHS that will go into effect in 2024 comes in regard to the playing conditions calculation adjustments created in 2020. The PCC made sure the score you posted on a given day impacted your Index in relation to the average of all scores posted at that course that day. Say 20 mile-per-hour winds caused you to shoot in the high 80s when you normally post 78s and 79s. The WHS algorithm accounted for this to keep the score from negatively affecting your Index, particularly if all scores that day were high.

The PCC will continue to be in place, but will be applied more frequently as the statistical barrier on which an adjustment is triggered has been relaxed. According to Edmondson, the model in 2020 allowed for adjustments at a 5 to 10 per cent rate. It will now come into play in 10 to 15 percent rate.

Additionally, the USGA and R&A will be offering additional guidance to handicap committees at clubs and courses to assist with conducting regular handicap reviews. Included in this will be new reporting tools that national associations can incorporate into their handicapping software to assist Committees in conducting the review process effectively and consistently.

Since the launch of the WHS, the number of people in the U.S. who have a handicap index has grown from 2.59 million in 2020 to 3.03 million in 2022 with another 394,321 added year to date in 2023.

Main images: monkeybusinessimages

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Nope, if you’re looking for the state with the best golfers on average for 2022, head over to the southeast portion of the country and check out: Mississippi. Combining all the male and female golfers with handicap indexes in the Magnolia State, their average index is an impressive 11.8.

RELATED: This 20-handicapper pulled off something even Tiger can only dream about
The flaw in the World Handicap System

Second to Mississippi is another state that might surprise you. Golfers in North Dakota average a 12.4 Handicap Index to rank No. 2 in the US. Coming in third is Oklahoma with a 12.8 Handicap Index.

Here’s the top 10, according to the USGA:

What’s most striking about the results is the diversity of states within the top 10. Oklahoma, Georgia and Texas might have been relatively predictable, but Kansas, Utah and Iowa probably aren’t.

Meanwhile, there’s still no Florida, California or Arizona. So where are they? Arizona, as it turns out, ranks 28th with a 16.3 average Handicap Index among all the state’s golfers, with California ranking 39th (16.8) and Florida coming in at 48th (19.0). Mind you, there are reasonable explanations for why these three states would rank so low. All three have among the biggest golf populations, meaning while they might have more single-digit handicappers, they’ll have more high handicappers as well, weighing down the average. Florida, with its large number of retirees, particularly gets hurt by the law of averages.

Here’s the entire list, which also includes Washington DC and Puerto Rico.

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The new system, which stemmed from the modernised Rules of Golf introduced last year and incorporates the Rules of Handicapping and the Course Rating System, consolidates the half dozen handicap calculations previously used around the world into a single, portable Index.

It will enable golfers across the EGF network to:

•      Obtain and maintain a handicap Index
•      Use their handicap Index on any golf course around the world
•      Compete, or play recreationally, with anyone else on a fair and equal basis

RELATED: Five things you need to know about the new world handicap system

Beginning March 1, what the EGF are terming phase one of the UAE roll-out, each golfers handicap will come under the new “Live” World Handicap System which will mean a daily revision at 10pm UAE time with the average of the best eight out of the last 20 (18 hole) games counted. Also from March 1, the maximum handicap for all genders will be 54.

The EGF will begin phase two on June 1 by:

•    Amending the Course Handicap calculation formula to include the adjustment of the difference between Course Rating and Par
•    Limit on Upward Movement of Handicap Index– using a ‘Soft Cap’ and ‘Hard cap calculator and adjustments. Under the soft cap, when a player’s new Handicap Index increase is greater than 3.0 strokes, the value above 3.0 strokes is restricted to 50 percent of the increase. The hard cap triggers to restrict a player’s Handicap Index to never increase more than 5.0 strokes above their Low Handicap Index.
•    Put the ‘Exceptional Scores’ component of the World Handicap System into play.
When an exceptional score is posted to a player’s scoring record, the Handicap index will be reduced in accordance with the following adjustment table:

There is a dedicated page on the EGF website with educational videos to explain the various points in detail. The EGF urges members to continue referring to the page for “regular updates”.

Key features of the World Handicap System – What’s new and already in place in the UAE?
Interestingly, the EGF have decided not to apply the ‘Abnormal Course and Weather Conditions Adjustment’ available under the new system. It considers the impact of daily course or weather conditions on each golfer’s performance and promises “conservative” adjustments “only be made when there is clear evidence that an adjustment is warranted.”

Here’s what’s new (from March 1, 2020) or already existing under the EGF’s jurisdiction:

Calculation of playing handicap (EXISTING)
The number of strokes received during a round will be based on the choice of course, tees and format of play. This will include any Handicap Allowances that have been set to promote fairness of play.

Submit your score (EXISTING)
The player should submit their score as soon as practicable after completing the round, preferably before midnight on the day of play for inclusion in the daily revisions. This allows a responsive update of the player’s handicap for the next day they play.

Minimal number of scores to obtain a handicap (NEW as at March 1, 2020)
To encourage new players to the game, the minimum number of holes is 54, in any combination of 9-hole or 18-hole rounds. i.e. 3 x 18-hole rounds (6 x 9-hole rounds)

Maximum Handicap (NEW as at March 1, 2020)
Under the new system, the maximum handicap that can be issued to a player of any gender is 54.0.

Basis of Handicap Calculation (NEW as at March 1, 2020)
Averaging the best 8 (eight) of a player’s most recent 20 scores provides a good indicator of potential ability. When combined with memory of demonstrated ability over time, the resulting handicap provides a balance between responsiveness and control – so a temporary loss of form should not automatically lead to an excessive increase in handicap.

Daily Revisions (NEW as at March 1, 2020)
The player should submit their score as soon as practicable after completing the round, preferably before 8pm on the day of play. This allows for a responsive update of the player’s handicap before the next day they play (daily at 10pm UAE time).

Acceptable Scores for Handicap Purposes (EXISTING)
Singles and Stableford formats of stroke-play competitions must be submitted by all players. National Associations have discretion within their jurisdiction to decide if other acceptable formats of play can be submitted for handicap purposes – giving players plenty of opportunities to submit scores and provide evidence of their potential ability.

Maximum Hole Score (EXISTING)
Golfers of all skill levels will occasionally make a high score on a hole, which does not reflect their potential. Under the new system, the maximum score per hole will be limited to Net Double Bogey, which is the equivalent of zero points in Stableford formats.

Course Rating and Slope Rating (EXISTING)
Course Rating indicates the difficulty of a golf course for a 0-handicap golfer. Slope Rating is relative to the Course Rating, providing strokes needed to play at the same level as the 0-handicap golfer for a specific set of tees. Course and Slope Ratings enable golfers’ handicaps to be portable from course to course, country to country.

9-Hole Scores (EXISTING)
The new system can accept both 9-hole and 18-hole score formats for handicapping purposes. 9-hole rounds are combined to form C9 18-hole rounds in the order they are played.

In an email explainer to all members, the EGF said “golfers should feel like they can simply play and enjoy their round – just the same as always” under the new World Handicap System.

“First and foremost, there is no intention to change the way golf is played around the world. The World Handicap System is designed to accommodate the many different golfing cultures, whether they be predominantly recreational or competitive in nature, or whether there is one particular format of play that is more popular than others. Go out and enjoy your round!”

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By Alex Myers
Welcome to another edition of The Grind where we started the new year not with a bang, but with a beep. In fact, a series of very annoying pre-dawn beeps thanks to the batteries dying in a carbon monoxide alarm. Fortunately, because I’m old and hadn’t even stayed up until midnight on New Year’s Eve, I didn’t lose too much sleep. In any event, the first PGA Tour event of the new decade delivered lots of drama and gave us plenty to talk about as we begin an eighth(!) year of The Grind. Wow, time flies when you’re having fun, and doing, well, whatever the heck it is I do in this space. Thanks as always for following along.

WE’RE BUYING

Justin Thomas: Is it too early to start putting together the next round of player-of-the-decade posts? Because this guy has a great chance to be at the top, and he’s already off to a fantastic start. Thomas won the Tournament of Champions for a second time in four years, outlasting Presidents Cup teammates Patrick Reed and Xander Schauffele in a playoff at Kapalua, and overcoming some bad swings and a crazy decision on the 72nd hole that almost made Josh Allen’s absurd attempted lateral look smart by comparison. In the end, though, JT won for a third time in seven starts. HOT.

In fact, his 12th career PGA Tour title made him the fourth player to reach that milestone before turning 27 (Tiger, Jack and Sneed are the other three. Decent). And, amazingly, the artist formerly known as Jordan Spieth’s little buddy has now passed his good friend in career wins after once trailing 8-1. I hope this doesn’t affect the dynamic of #SB2K20!

Pat Perez’s $8,000 toilet: Or, rather, Pat and Ashley Perez’s $8,000 toilet. Apparently, Pat has put his wife in charge of interior decorating and the couple will now have a chamber pot fit for a King and Queen. Check this thing out:

Does anyone need to be massaged or have their feet warmed while doing his/her business? Of course not. But it sure sounds luxurious. Considering Perezes’ recent $10K Vegas dinner bill, getting this magical toilet for less seems like a steal.

The World Handicap System: The new system that’s going into affect and will put most of the world on the same system makes a lot of sense. I applaud such changes as attempting to factor in conditions and updating daily so there isn’t as much luck as to when your handicap is calculated ahead of your big event. I also like the net double bogey max rule for everyone. It never made sense to me that different players could take different max scores. However. . .

WE’RE SELLING

The World Handicap System: There are still some problems, starting with the system counting even fewer rounds. I’m not a math major, but the fewer the rounds that count, the smaller the sampler size and the less accurate you get. I thought they’d go the other way with that. Also, as Dean Knuth points out, the new extra calculation to adjust course handicaps to par defies logic (since course rating already factors par into its equation) and makes this process even more confusing. In related news, I hate course handicaps because I always feel like I’m giving everyone on my golf trip too many strokes. I’m calling for a course handicap revolution! Get rid of them altogether!

Patrick Reed’s reception: It may be a new year, but people haven’t forgotten about Reed’s sand shenanigans in the Bahamas last month. One fan went as far to scream “CHEATER!” after Patrick Reed missed his birdie attempt on the third and final playoff hole. And one player—former U.S. Ryder and Presidents Cupper Chris DiMarco—went as far as calling Reed, well, see for yourself the tweet that has since been taken down:

Wow. Reed is under such fire from all around that I’m surprised Ricky Gervais didn’t take a shot at him in his Gold Globes monologue/bloodbath.

Rickie’s pineapples:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B60k04_nkmh/?utm_source=ig_embed

Nope.

ON TAP

The PGA Tour continues its Hawaiian Swing with the Sony Open, AKA that event where everyone thought a ballistic missile was on its way to wiping out the entire island. And yet Justin Thomas just kicked back on his hotel couch, opened up a sliding door and listened to music. No wonder he’s so cool under pressure. Well, other than that horrendous decision to hit 3-wood on 18 on Sunday.

Random tournament fact: Seven of the past eight winners of this tournament played at Kapalua the week before. So do with that what you will. For the record, I’ve got $10 on Brendon Todd at 50(!)-to-1 odds. Sure, he didn’t have a good week at the Sentry TOC, but he played, damn it.

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

—That’s the last time a fan will heckle Patrick Reed this year: 1-MILLION -to-1 odds

—Brooks Koepka will publicly criticize a golfer for slow play this year: 40-to-1 odds (Actual odds)

— Brooks Koepka will privately criticize a golfer for slow play this year: LOCK

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Yes, this came out a few weeks back, but we were on break and didn’t get the chance to properly discuss. And because it’s one of the greatest golf photos of all time.

Well played, TaylorMade.

VIRAL VIDEO(S) OF THE WEEK

I don’t care that more that we have more than 99 per cent of the decade to go, there will not be a more unlikely putt holed in the next 10 years than this:

$5,000 PUTT! ?

A Baylor fan sinks a putt on the court to win five thousand dollars. pic.twitter.com/LK4IaeGSnV

— ESPN (@espn) January 5, 2020

Good for that dude. Although he deserved the same paycheck JT got at Kapalua for that effort. And speaking of crazy “putts”:

#SCtop10 #WaitForIt @RealMattScharff pic.twitter.com/JAFjMYs7HT

— Garrett Clark (@gm__golf) January 2, 2020

That’s some impressive engineering.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK INVOLVING AN OSCAR-NOMINATED ACTOR

People freaked out about the Masters promo that ran over Christmas, but this U.S. Open at Winged Foot ad involving Don Cheadle has me even more hyped!

Did you see it…Oh, you didn’t?

Around the #USOpen, we love football…but we’re not talking about football.

This is only the beginning! pic.twitter.com/LkuqXM2xi5

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) January 5, 2020

Yes! Let the bogeys flow!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“I should have won the tournament. I know it. Everyone knows it.”. —Xander Schauffele. Substitute the word “game” for “tournament” and this statement could have also been uttered by anyone on the Buffalo Bills.

TWEET OF THE WEEK

Members – Attached are my #notes from today’s meeting with architect Hank Jones on our upcoming back nine redesign. pic.twitter.com/xafP6231Bn

— Club Pro Guy (@ClubProGuy) January 6, 2020

One of the highlights of my 2019 came when CPG followed me. A true genius.

THIS WEEK IN CELEBRITY GOLFERS

How about Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman showing off her swing?

Had no idea what I was doing… think I just got lucky ? https://t.co/tIfGq2HoUg pic.twitter.com/0Cpihr7hz8

— Alexandra Raisman (@Aly_Raisman) December 29, 2019

Of course, you’d expect a gymnast to have good balance. Speaking of decent athletes. . .

THIS WEEK IN TOUR PROS MAKING US FEEL BAD ABOUT OURSELVES WITH OUR WORKOUTS

Lexi Thompson’s New Year’s resolutions: Get stronger, win more, lose less passports.

And how about the New Year’s Eve message Brooks Koepka sent the rest of pro golf? While everyone else was out partying, the World No. 1 was in the gym:

It’s been a journey these past 3 months rehabbing my knee but it’s coming along & I’m ready to get back out there healthy for a strong 2020 ? pic.twitter.com/oIFunY7wO0

— Brooks Koepka (@BKoepka) December 31, 2019

Meanwhile, my resolution is to read our post called “12 exercises every golfer should be doing now.” Not to actually attempt them, mind you, but to read about them. Hey, it’s a start.

THIS WEEK IN PGA TOUR PRO-WAGS PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION

Harry How

Awwww.

THIS AND THAT

Brooks Koepka beat Rory McIlroy for the Golf Writers Association of America Player of the Year. I voted for Brooks and I’m glad to see golf writers put more value on major championships than tour pros. . . . Scott McCarron beat Steve Stricker in the GWAA’s vote for PGA Tour Champions Player of the Year. I voted for the Strick Show and for some reason, golf writers don’t put more value on majors when it comes to the senior circuit. . . . Dottie Pepper paid off the lunch debt for 50 students at her former elementary school in upstate New York. What a great gesture. . . . Lost in all the best-of-the-decade madness was an incredible Bernhard Langer stat. While Dustin Johnson and Inbee Park led the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour, respectively, with 18 wins, Langer led the seniors with 32! What a machine.

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

Who will wind up with more career wins: JT or Spieth?
What would Johnny Miller say about Patrick Reed?
What would Ricky Gervais say about Patrick Reed?

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Editor’s Note: On Jan. 1, 2020, the World Handicap System goes into effect in the United States along with several countries around the globe. In the U.S., the new process replaces the old USGA system. You can read a general overview of the new system and five keys you need to know here. For those interested in more of the intricacies of the WHS—and the issues one expert has with the new system—continue reading.

• • •

I love the USGA. I was a charter member of the USGA Handicap Research Team. I created the USGA Course Rating System in 1976 and later the Slope Rating System to make handicaps more reliable and portable. I gave up a great career in the Navy to join the USGA staff in 1981 as its first Director of Handicapping. Over the next 16 years, I helped establish the use of Slope Rating throughout the United States and many other countries. My nickname even became “The Pope of Slope.”

I offer this preamble to underscore that I have no grudge against the association. I strongly support its work in handicapping. And I firmly believe the introduction of the Course Rating and Slope Rating System globally as part of the new World Handicap System is a good thing.

That said, as the USGA, in conjunction with the R&A, rolls out the much-anticipated WHS—consolidating a half dozen handicap calculations previously used into a single Index—throughout much of the world, including the United States, I have serious concerns with some of the details of the new system. In an effort to create a “One Size Fits All” process every golf association can accept, I believe the WHS is a downgrade from the old USGA system. What was a straightforward and careful system has become something more complicated and less precise. And American golfers will immediately feel its changes.

My biggest concern has to do with the introduction of what I’ll call “par handicap.” What is a par handicap? Simply put, it’s when par is used in the calculation that creates a golfer’s playing/course handicap.

Prior to the WHS, par was not a factor in the USGA system of course handicap calculation—nor need it have been. A golfer’s Handicap Index was adjusted around Course Rating to create a course handicap. At the risk of getting wonky, here was the old formula:

Course Handicap = Handicap Index x (Slope Rating/113)

Take the Slope Rating of whatever tee you’re playing, plug it into the formula, round that result up or down to a whole number and that’s how many strokes you were getting.

Under the new WHS, however, course handicaps reflect the strokes you get in relation to par with a subtle but significant change to the formula.

Course Handicap = Handicap Index x (Slope Rating/113) + (Course Rating – par)

This par-based adjustment (Course Rating minus Par) has been part of handicap systems in a handful of countries but for specific reasons. It originated in Sweden and Australia, where golf is often played using a Stableford format (based around scores in relation to par on each hole), and points, not strokes, are posted for handicap purposes. It made sense then that their formulas would include a step to add par to the equation.

What does not make sense, though, is applying the par adjustment throughout the rest of the world, in particular to the U.S., where it creates an assortment of issues. Let’s start with the fact that par is hardly the most reliable measure of course difficulty (that would be course rating). Almost any golfer can list two courses that are both par 72s but vary greatly in how tough they play. Differences in length, in obstacles, in penalty areas, make one drastically harder than another even when they have the same par. Par as a metric, then, is somewhat arbitrary. It’s why course architect Tom Doak, among others, have advocated an “Abandon Par” ideology, saying that it has become meaningless to tour pros and other golfers. Maybe you don’t want to go that far, but calculating a handicap around a less reliable measure of difficulty inherently makes for a less equitable system.

Where this issue becomes noticeable is how the new formula changes course handicap values from tee to tee as you compare the WHS to the USGA system at any course. For example, where once a course handicap was a 12 from the back and middle tees, and an 11 from the front, under the new WHS calculations there will be much larger variations—as many as 18 shots in some instances—between tees. Part of the reason for this is that during the calculation, an approximation is being approximated again by adding Course Rating minus Par, creating an imperfect “over-spreading” of the course handicaps. Golfers moving to longer tees will think this is a logical change (they’ll be getting more strokes). Golfers playing shorter tees won’t be so happy.

Let me try to apply this to real-world scenarios. Living near San Diego, I’ve explored a large sample size of courses in Southern California and found a male golfer with a 14.1 Handicap Index under the old USGA system has a range of course handicaps from 12 to 18 with an average course handicap of 15. Under the WHS, due to the par adjustment, his range now varies from -1 to 22 with an average course handicap of 11.6, effectively giving him more than three shots less in the process. It’s why, to me, the WHS produces an unacceptably large course handicap variation for the same ability player. (An aside: Scratch golfers are no longer 0 handicaps everywhere. They could be playing anywhere from a plus 12 to a 6 handicap.)

Players who play from the same tees at their club will see another inconsistency. Say your Course Rating is 70.5 and par is 71. The calculation of Course Rating minus Par comes out to -.5. Based on the way course handicaps are calculated, half the players will have their playing handicap drop one shot lower in the WHS but the other half will not; it all depends on how that -.5 impacts your course handicap number and whether you will get to round up or round down your final number. As we all know, one stroke often determines handicap-event outcomes.

So why add the par adjustment? USGA officials argue that basing course handicaps around par is a more intuitive approach for players who don’t have an understanding of what Course Rating means. “Golfers have indeed found it difficult to disconnect par from the equation,” says John Bodenhamer, the USGA’s Senior Manager of Championships and the association’s senior representative on the World Handicap Committee.

But to what end will it serve? Golfers competing from more forward tees will be receiving fewer strokes than is truly equitable. And if you want to follow the USGA’s “Tee it Forward” initiative, there is a disincentive because playing from shorter tees more drastically lowers your course handicap.

The other argument USGA officials make supporting the par handicap is that the switch eliminates the need in the old USGA system for an additional adjustment when two players are competing from different tees (Old Section 3-5 for handicap nerds), something many tournaments and leagues neglected to apply. Replacing the misunderstood section is a good idea, so long as it can be done reliably. But that’s not the case because in the WHS, when the pars of the two tees are different, the same correction must be applied to account for par difference. And since players will be told the old correction is already taken care of, there’s a danger that this par difference will not be corrected. The end result will hurt women competing against men, or senior men who compete from more forward tees.

There are other changes with the WHS that cause me concerns. Providing daily handicap updates will create logistical nightmares for handicap committees at courses. Also, the new Playing Conditions Calculation that aims to account for unusual weather on daily scores sounds good, but what happens in instances when the weather is great in the morning but bad in the afternoon? Tournament score monitoring is disappointingly weakened in this new process. And the use of net double bogey as a maximum hole score is better than what that it replaces but also has faults. For golfers to apply it manually is complex—you have to know where you’re getting shots and that will vary from each set of tees—and will lead to players guessing or not applying it at all.

Indeed, all these “improvements” will contribute to a less precise system because of the introduction of par.

There is an easy solution for all this, something that the World Handicap Committee has agreed to for any of the six associations that previously administered handicaps as they saw fit: opt out of the Course Rating minus Par modification. That is what’s happening in Great Britain & Ireland, which isn’t implementing any portion of the WHS until fall 2020. They’re waiting to see the impact of the par adjustment in other parts of the world to make sure it doesn’t lead to any unintended consequences.

In my opinion, the USGA should opt out of the Course Rating minus Par modification as well and take more time to gather more data on the impact of the par adjustment. What is the rush? I made that appeal to my friends at the USGA over the summer last year, as did some of their allied golf associations, to no avail.

The way I see it, however, by implementing all of the new WHS elements, we have adopted a World system that is not as accurate as what we have enjoyed. The WHS alters a 40-year-old course-rating-based handicap system in favor of a “net par.” Maybe that might level the playing field when American golfers compete against golfers from other countries. But honestly, how often does that happen? Enough to justify degrading the U.S. system? I think not.

The post The flaw in the new World Handicap System appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Why your handicap is changing and what to expect from the new system (including how many more or less strokes you might be getting)

By Ryan Herrington
When the USGA and R&A modernised the Rules of Golf in 2019—the most comprehensive update in decades—the governing bodies challenged the stereotype that they’re resistant to change. They’re set to do that again with the launch of the World Handicap System, which starting in 2020 will consolidate the half dozen handicap calculations previously used around the world into a single, portable Index.

U.S. golfers might be relieved to learn the new WHS closely resembles the former USGA system. The formula to calculate a Handicap Index remains average-based. Steve Edmondson, USGA director of handicap and course rating, says the difference between a player’s WHS Index and USGA Index will be typically within one- or two-tenths of a point. But there are distinctions with the WHS that golfers should understand when the system goes live in the United States and dozens of other countries in January. (Some places, including the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, Sweden, Portugal and Italy, won’t switch until later in the year.) Here are five to remember:

1. Fewer scores count toward your Index.
Under the old USGA system, 10 of your past 20 rounds contributed to your Handicap Index. With the WHS, that number falls to eight of your past 20. The reduction, Edmondson says, allows for greater responsiveness to good scores and rewards more consistent play.

2. Your Index updates in your sleep.
Those accustomed to getting a new Index the first and 15th of each month, take note. That rhythm changes under the WHS, with a new Index calculated daily (or at least any day after a golfer posts a new score). This is meant to create a more responsive handicap and keeps players from having to wait up to two weeks for new scores to have an impact. Tournament committees beware: It will be best to establish clear cutoff dates for handicaps.

3. Welcome to the net-double-bogey world.
To safeguard against (cough) sandbagging (cough), the USGA system employed Equitable Stroke Control (ESC) to cap the maximum score on any hole. ESC was calculated on a sliding scale, depending on your course handicap (10-19 could take no more than a 7 on any hole, 20-29 took a max of 8, etc.). The WHS also has a maximum, but it uses net double bogey as the universal standard. This provides consistency in its application and is a nod to handicap systems used in other parts of the world, particularly those that use Stableford scoring, where net double bogey is the equivalent of zero points.

4. Your Index will weather the storm.
Modern technology can tell you within a yard of how far you are from the flag on any hole. Why can’t it make your Handicap Index more intuitive? It will thanks to the addition of a “playing conditions calculation” (PCC) that adjusts how your score impacts your Index depending on the average of all scores posted at that course that day. Say 20 mile-per-hour winds cause you to shoot in the high 80s when you normally post 78s and 79s. The WHS algorithm accounts for this to keep the score from negatively affecting your Index, particularly if all scores that day were high.

5. How many shots you’re getting will change.
Although the formula that computes your Handicap Index isn’t fundamentally changing, the one that calculates how many shots you’re getting from any set of tees is. Previously, your course handicap represented the number of strokes you got based on your Handicap Index in relation to course rating, a metric that only the most avid golfers knew or understood. Now course handicaps reflect the strokes you get in relation to par, a more intuitive measure for most golfers, Edmondson says. (To do this, the formula adds “course rating minus par” to the equation.)

Tournament chairs will appreciate this. Now they won’t always have to make stroke adjustments when golfers are playing from different tees or when men and women are competing against each other.

Note that course-handicap values from tee to tee will vary more under the new system. Golfers playing forward tees will get fewer strokes than before, and those playing back tees will get more. This might affect matches in which you’re playing from one tee and your opponent is playing from another. It’s possible you’ll receive or have to give more strokes than in the past. But if you’re playing the same tees, the difference in the shots you’re giving/getting from an opponent should be minimal, Edmondson says. That’s because the equation is applied to all.

Isn’t It Time You Got An Official Handicap? Here’s How To Do It.
If you don’t already have a handicap (and, surprisingly, 85 percent of American golfers don’t), why not get one? With the World Handicap System launching in January, there are more reasons than ever to do it. Think you don’t play enough? You just need to complete 54 holes to qualify. Not good enough? The maximum Handicap Index has been raised to 54, so it works for golfers of all skills. USGA studies show golfers with handicaps make better connections inside the golf community and play more rounds. And isn’t that what we all want? If you don’t already belong to a golf club, contact your local Allied Golf Association about getting a handicap. (Here’s a list of all 59 with easy to access links.) Expect to pay about $50 to join your local association, which covers the handicap and other benefits such as competitions, green-fee discounts and more.

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There is, however, a flaw in the system. Specifically, there isn’t just one system for calculating handicaps. While the USGA formula is used by the largest number of golfers worldwide—roughly 10 million of the 16 million who have handicaps—it coexists with five other systems, none of which easily translates with one another. In Great Britain & Ireland, there’s the Council of National Golf Unions (CONGU), which computes handicaps incrementally off a limited number of rounds. In Europe, they use a variation of CONGU called European Golf Association. Australia, South Africa and Argentina use their own systems similar to the USGA’s. Suddenly, the virtue of having a handicap isn’t quite so virtuous.

Enter the World Handicap System (WHS), announced jointly on Tuesday by the USGA and R&A, the result of six years of conversations, deliberations and mathematical modelling among the statistical gurus who oversee the current formulas. The goal? To clear up confusion and create a single Handicap Index that’s easy to obtain and maintain, and is truly portable.

“We’d hear about the challenges [of multiple systems] constantly,” says Steven Edmondson, the USGA’s director of handicap and course rating. “Finally, we just all decided it was time. It was really everyone saying, ‘Wouldn’t one system be better for the game?’ ”

Slated to go live Jan. 1, 2020, the new World Handicap is part of a larger shift in how the game approaches handicapping. Having laid out a set of 10 foundation principles, the USGA and R&A have outlined a set of handicapping rules that will become codified much the same way there are rules that govern equipment around the world.

Courtesy of the USGA and R&A

The good news for American golfers is that the WHS will look and feel much like the current USGA system. The WHS formula will be average-based, pulling from a golfer’s last 20 rounds (though all you need are three to establish a handicap) to calculate an index based on your best eight scores. (The current USGA system takes 10.) The new formula, which will count both nine- and 18-hole scores, will use a course’s Slope and Rating and will continue to produce an Index based off a players’ potential that’s then translated to a “playing handicap” for each set of tees at each course. One difference: These playing handicaps will represent the number of strokes a golfer gets in relation to par, rather than Course Rating, which will make it easier to run competitions where player use multiple tees (such as mixed tournaments).

Edmondson says most players with a USGA index won’t see their number differ under the WHS formula. There will still be plus-handicaps for the best of the best, and scratch golfers will remain in the neighbourhood of a 0 Handicap Index. What will change is the top end of the scale, with a maximum players’ index being 54.0 for both men and women, up from 36.4 for men under the USGA system and 40.4 for women.

“For some time, we’ve heard golfers say, ‘I’m not good enough to have a handicap,’ or ‘I don’t play enough to have a handicap.’ We want to make the right decisions now to encourage a more welcoming and social game,” said Mike Davis, USGA executive director.

“Our research showed some people were intimidated to get a handicap because they didn’t think they were good enough,” says Edmondson, noting only 10 to 15 percent of golfers in the United States have a handicap. “We’re hoping this sends a message that anybody can have one.”

Perhaps the biggest adjustment from the USGA system is that the highest score a player can take for any given hole is net double bogey, regardless of their index. Edmondson says their modelling shows this should have a minor impact on most handicaps but will prevent Indexes from jumping up artificially—you’ve been warned, sandbaggers!—a concern for officials who oversaw the CONGU and EGA systems in switching from incremental formulas to an average-based model.

Uniting the six current handicap systems into one World system will help make getting a handicap easier. (Dean Mouhtaropoulos)

Modern computing will also allow the calculations to be more intuitive. For instance, players’ Indexes will be updated daily rather than every two weeks. And the formula will have a “playing conditions adjustment” component. Ever shoot an 84 that feels more like a 79? Or vice versa? The WHS seeks to account for those days. If the average score posted at a course on any day is statistically unusual—high or low—the WHS algorithm will essentially create an adjustment to the formula it uses to create your handicap. So you might shoot a score that isn’t great by your standards, but if everyone else is struggling, say, because of bad weather, say, that round may count when calculating your Handicap Index.

For the six organizations to arrive at the new WHS, each made concessions. The USGA agreed to adhere to a 2016 change disallowing scores from rounds played alone. Other handicap systems have long frowned upon counting these solo rounds. CONGU and EGA golfers, who have traditionally counted only tournament scores, will now count scores posted for other types of rounds. Some supporters of the CONGU and EGA systems feared the switch would mean sharp spikes or drops in handicaps, and the move to accepting nothing greater than net double bogey on any hole was meant to address this concern.

Between now and 2020, Edmondson says officials will use real scoring data to help refine the final formula and will start outreach programs around the world to help educate golfers on the changes taking place.

“It’s been a long process,” Edmondson says, “but ultimately it will be something I think we’ll all look back on as a good decision.”

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By Ryan Herrington
In taking the job of USGA president and setting out to work alongside Executive Director/CEO Mike Davis, Mark Newell has no shortage of items on his “to do” list. A few of note:

• Oversee the continued roll out of the modernised Rules of Golf.

• Unveil the details of the new World Handicap System.

• Examine the distance issue that faces the game.

Regarding the first two items, arguably no one is better suited for to handle them. The retired lawyer from McLean, Va., has been a member of the USGA Executive Committee since 2010 and chaired the Rules of Golf committee since 2013. In those roles, Newell—who casual golf fans might recognize as the official who walked with Dustin Johnson on Sunday at the 2016 U.S. Open—has been intimately involved in both projects since their inceptions earlier in the decade.

“There were a lot of people who worked on this, but nobody did more for the new Rules code than Mark Newell,” Davis admits.

As for the third, Newell confirmed he’s ready to continue the USGA’s examination of the distance debate, acknowledging the collective concerns about the slow “creep of distance” over the past decade. But unlike the other matters, Newell says there’s nothing on the immediate horizon in terms of action set to be taken.

“When you combine [distance] with the effect of the size of golf courses on the economics of the facilities, on the environmental issues that come from that and, in some cases, on the effect on just the enjoyment on golfers, it’s something we need to look hard at,” Newell told Golf Digest. “That’s what we’re planning to do. We have been, and we’re going to be focused on what that situation is and how we can deal with it.”     

Copyright USGA/Chris Keane
USGA officials conduct a Town Hall Q&A session during the 2018 USGA Annual Meeting.

Much of the subtext surrounding Saturday’s USGA Annual Meeting at the Fountainbleau Resort reflected the continued discussion surrounding the distance issue. No red lines were drawn and no ultimatums made; Davis even joked that it wasn’t his intent to make headlines at the meeting about the USGA taking a stand on distance. But in almost every public speech, the issue was mentioned, directly or indirectly, in cautious tone.

“When there are important issues facing golf, we will tackle those issues head-on in a comprehensive and fact-based way that focuses on the long term health and needs of the game as a whole,” Newell said in his introductory speech. “And we will find innovative solutions that promote and sustain the long-term health of this game that we all love.”

“It’s not our job to make the game harder, but it’s also not our job to make the game easier,” noted John Bodenhamer, USGA senior managing director of championships and governance, during a Town Hall Q&A session with Annual Meeting attendees.

While Newell will certainly be involved in the discussions, it’s Davis who appears likely to be taking the lead on the matter. In recent months, he’s spoken more directly about the issue, specifically in the context of the impact it’s having on golf courses and golf course design. From that standpoint, Davis believes the USGA needs to take a more holistic approach to the matter.

“This issue is a very complex issue, and an issue that’s been talked about, debated and researched,” Davis said. “This just isn’t about the male elite game. That’s not how we’re viewing it. For us, it’s understanding the past … and being very forward thinking. We know there are some severe pressures on the game. … Long term we really do believe that reducing the size of footprints is a way to help the game in so many ways. We’ve been very forthright in saying we do not think increased distance is good for the game.”

To reiterate his point, Davis reminded people that this year’s U.S. Open will be played at Shinnecock Hills at slightly over 7,400 yards compared to 6,900 the previous editions. But what about the first time Shinnecock hosted the Open, back in 1896? The distance was just 4,423 yards.   

Sam Greenwood/Getty Images
Davis says the USGA will take a holistic approach when evaluating the distance debate.

The next turning point could come later this month, when the USGA and R&A are expected to release their third-annual joint Distance Report, which breaks down statistics on seven professional tours around the world. A year ago, the report showed only a slight increase in distance.

In addition to the bigger picture issues, there are other practical matters the governing body is preparing to address. Among Saturday’s announcements was the formal transition of the USGA Members Program, established in 1975, into a newly formed USGA Foundation, charged with helping increase the ability for golfers to invest and contribute financially to the game. In conjunction, the association is launching a multi-year campaign “Driving Golf Forward” to help fund innovation and research while boosting inclusivity within the sport.

Some time in the next few weeks, details of the much anticipated World Handicap System will be unveiled, followed closely by the final version of the modernized Rules of Golf. According to Bodenhamer, the more than 20,000 responses to feedback surveys the USGA and R&A received after the original draft of the new Rules was unveiled last March were accounted for and have contributed to the final product.

“You’ll see a handful of pretty significant changes to what came out on March 1 or additions … and we’re pretty exited about it,” Bodenhamer said. “A lot more common sense and rules that are easier to understand and apply.”

After introducing the final Rules, the USGA and R&A will concentrate on creating supporting materials with the intent of beginning the formal education process around September. The new Rules are slated to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2019.

While the focus of the conversations was on long-term plans, there was also one short-term item mentioned: After two years of renovations and alternations, the USGA headquarters in Far Hills, N.J., will re-open on Feb. 12. The modernized facility will help the USGA be more collaborative and accelerate innovations from association.

Suffice it to say, its opening comes not a moment too soon.

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