WHS - Handicap Index

Handicap Index

A Handicap Index is calculated from the best eight scores from a player’s last 20 rounds. As a new score is submitted, a player’s Handicap Index will automatically update to the most recent 20 scores.

A player’s Handicap Index will update promptly overnight after the submission of an acceptable score and be ready before the next time they play.

With Handicap Index being calculated by working out an average of the best eight rounds from a player’s last 20, golfers might be apprehensive that the change in their Handicap Index may be volatile.

However, through the implementation of a Soft Cap and Hard Cap, the WHS will limit any extreme upward movement of a player's Handicap Index within a 365-day period, therefore protecting against handicap manipulation

The Soft Cap will suppress movement by 50% after a three-stroke increase over a player’s Low Handicap Index. For clarity in this instance, a Low Handicap Index is the lowest Handicap Index a player has had during the previous 12-month period.

The Hard Cap will restrict upward movement of five-strokes over the Low Handicap Index. Restricting the extreme upward movement of a Handicap Index will ensure that a player’s temporary loss of form does not cause the Handicap Index to move too far away from their actual ability.

It is important to note that caps will only start to take effect once a player has at least 20 acceptable scores in their record.