World Handicap System 2020 – WHS Winter Golf

This post may be a little academic at this time of a Third Lockdown and Golf Courss being closed in England, Wales and Ireland (Scotland remaining open), but I have received a number of emails over the last few weeks concerning the WHS and Winter Handicaps, Winter Tees, Winter Courses and Winter Rules.

The most common problem has been where Clubs have not rated their Winter Tees, because of their temporary nature, but wish to run competitions on these courses.

Added to this is is the fact that Club Handicap Software will not offer the option for winter handicaps under the WHS.

It is the intention of the national federations that there is a 12-month handicapping season. WHS allows for the return of scores less than 18 holes, when a club designates some unplayable, for example due to wet conditions or lack of light. Handicap Software Systems have guidelines allowing for shortened holes and winter tees. PCC (the new equivalent to CSS) is designed to account for daily playing conditions and handicaps are calculated against this, not the course rating (the new equivalent to SSS) or par.

Your Club will still be able organise non-qualifying competitions and process these through your Handicap Software for publication.

The World Handicap System states that acceptable scores for handicap purposes should be posted throughout the year.

However, this is not really feasible when winter courses are in play, especially courses which are not sand-based; the advice is that when course conditions are poor then it is not reasonable to be submitting qualifying (Acceptable) scores.

Regardless of the season, acceptable scores can only be submitted on a rated course (which would include a temporary rating where necessary).

If a Club does not have such a course, for whatever reason and a common one now is that Winter Tees have not been rated, then clearly such scores cannot be submitted.

Appendix G of the Rules of Handicapping is solely for when there are temporary adjustments to a course for reasons such as emergency maintenance on a tee etc. and does not include a winter course.

So, if a club wants to offer Acceptable Scores during the winter period when winter tees are in use, then the course being played needs to have a rating, whether that is a full rating or a temporary rating.

A Club must apply for this rating and it is up to the appropriate County to provide this service (albeit at their convenience – they are all volunteers!).

Whilst the aim is to allow submission of Acceptable Scores all year, a level of realism is required on courses that are clearly sub-standard due to weather conditions (as they would have been in previous years).

This situation may not just be for winter, it would not be unreasonable, even in the Summer playing season, that a club could prevent the return of Acceptable scores (competition and social/General Play) if the course is not in a good condition – examples of this could be when the greens have been hollow-tined or heavily top dressed.

Until a Course Rating has been issued a Club may only run Non-acceptable Competitions.

To sum up:

Acceptable Scores – Winter Competitions

To run Competitions and want scores to be acceptable for Handicap Purposes:

Competitions must be run over 9 or 18 Holes.
Rounds must be played in accordance with Rule 2.1 of the Rules of Handicapping Page 26.
Preferred lies are allowable under the guidance below.
Scaling up is allowed in accordance with Rule 3.2 of the Rules of Handicapping (Page 36/37).

If a Club cannot run Competitions that are acceptable for Handicap Purposes, it can still run Non-acceptable Competitions that can be set up using Club Software or Manually to record Scores and Winners.

The following procedure is quite permissible, and several Clubs are following similar ones.

Non-Acceptable Scores – Winter Competitions

To run Competitions where scores are not acceptable for Handicap Purposes, but where results can be processed, a neutral slope of 113 and a Course rating equal to the Par of the holes being played can be used.

This will mean a Chart to generate the Course Handicap is not required (i.e., your Course Handicap is your rounded Handicap Index). The scores cannot be Acceptable for handicap purposes, but it does allow non-qualifying competitions to be run during this period (lockdown notwithstanding).

- If your Club uses Software to run the competition you can follow the guidelines within the software to cater for unrated courses.
- If your Club runs its competitions manually, you can use the Handicap Index as the basis for the calculation of a Course Handicap and/or Playing Handicap which should then be adjusted relative to the number of holes being played.

Guidance on the Preferred Lies Period

Preferred Lies – Model Local Rules E-2 and E-3.

In England, Wales and Scotland the Preferred Lies Period runs from 1^st October to 30^th April while in Ireland, the Preferred Lies period is from November 1st to April 30^th.

Clubs can run competitions where scores are acceptable for handicapping purposes during this period when both Model Local Rule E-2 and E-3 are in force.

It is recommended that a Local Rule permitting preferred lies in the general area outside of the preferred lies period should be used only in extreme circumstances where scores will not be accepted for handicapping purpose (WHS Guidance document Appendix H).

The purpose of preferred lies as described in Model Local Rule E-3 is to protect areas of the course cut to fairway height or less. This Model Local Rule allows players to lift, clean and place the ball within six inches in the General Area cut to fairway height. It is recommended that the ball should be marked before lifting. The ball must be placed in the relief area within six inches of the reference point.

However, it is not recommended that this Rule is routinely adopted for the General Area as a whole because it could give a player an unfair advantage by offering her/him free relief from an unplayable lie, e.g., a ball located behind a tree or under a bush.

There is another Model Local Rule, E-2, that may be adopted which allows balls to be cleaned in the General Area when conditions such as wet ground throughout parts of the course may cause mud to stick to the ball.

The purpose of Model Local Rule E-2 is to allow players to clean the ball in the general area (which would include the Rough) when conditions throughout parts of the course cause mud to stick to the ball. This allows the ball to be cleaned and replaced and should be limited to those parts of the course where needed, not to the whole course. The ball must be marked before lifting and cleaning and must be replaced on its original spot before playing.

During the Preferred Lie period scores may not be returned for handicapping purposes if any of the following local rules or restrictions apply: –

1. Preferred lies in the general area or where the relief area exceeds 6 inches.
2. The ball is lifted from the fairway and placed or dropped in the semi-rough
3. The competition is over less than 18 holes but is not a 9 hole competition
4. If the competition is played using winter tees or greens and a temporary modification to the course and slope ratings has not been approved by the area authority
5. Where the use of fairway mats does not follow the rules provided in the WHS Guidance document Appendix H GH/2.

I hope this offers some help and guidance for those of you trying to work through the Winter Period and organise competitive Golf Competitions

You can download a copy of this advice by clicking on the link below:

World Handicap System 2020 – WHS Winter Golf • Getting to Grips with the Rules of Golf (my-golf.uk)

Stay safe and well

Best wishes

Tony

Email: tony@my-golf.uk

Blog: www.my-golf.uk

21st December 202023rd December 2020

World Handicap System MIxed-Tee Handicap Calculator and Coronavirus Updates

WHS MIxed-Tee Handicap Calculator

Well Christmas is nearly upon us and the end, I hope, of an extraordinary year.

What had all the promise of an exciting golfing year with the launch of the

World Handicap System proved to be exciting in a way we did not expect.

I feel sorry, not just for the disruption to everyone’s golf but to the year that many Captains of all sections had planned and were looking forward too.

But what I have seen is that many adapted to the unprecedented circumstances and became quite enterprising in adapting their golfing calendar and competitions.

AGMs and Captains’ Drive-ins also had to be adapted, but I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate everyone of you have taken on a position within your club this year and wish you every success for 2021.

Despite the COVID-19 Restrictions it is good to see many of you able to play golf and organise or participate in competitions.

The drive to introduce Gender Neutral Tees and also to encourage more mixed competitions, has , from the number of emails I have received, been taken up worldwide and actually includes many Clubs in England.

This has led to more Mixed-tee Competitions being organised.

However, with the complex nature of calculating Mixed-tee Playing Handicaps under the World Handicap System, many have struggled with the new Handicap Calculations.

CONGU have come to the rescue and produced a WHS Mixed-Tee Handicap Calculator, set out in a Microsoft Office Excel Spreadsheet for everyone to use it covers:

1. 18 Holes – 2 Tees
2. 18 Holes – 3 Tees
3. 9 Holes -2 Tees
4. Foursomes and Greensomes
5. Scrambles
6. Team Competitions, including Best of 4 and Best f 3

To read more about the WHS Mixed-tee calculator, how to use it and Download your own copy click on the link below:

World Handicap System Mixed-Tee Calculator

Enjoy your golf

Stay Safe

Tony

PS England Golf have updated their recommendations on Play Safe for those of you who, unfortunately, find yourselves in Tier 4. Follow the link below:

England Golf FAQs and Play Safe Framework

4th December 202016th December 2020

Team Formats of Play: Best of 3

The WHS recommended stroke allowances does not cover advice on ‘Best of’ 3-ball teams.

I have updated the Handicap Allowances Document to include the following recommendations from CONGU:

The following stroke allowances should be used:

Best 1 of 3	Best 2 of 3	All 3 of 3
70%	85%	100%

You can download a copy of the document by clicking on the Download Button below:

Enjoy your golf, but for those of you who cannot play at the moment stay patient until the day is announced that you can return to playing golf safely.

Best wishes

Tony

4th December 202011th December 2020

CONGU Unified Handicapping System – RIP

Getting to grips with the World Handicap System is presenting some of you with problems.

But now that England Golf and Independent Software Vendors are managing to overcome some of the teething problems it is evident, from the many emails I am receiving, that many of you, who can play golf at the moment, are doing so and entering and organising a number of competitions.

In1983 the Council of National Golf Unions (CONGU) introduced the Unified Handicapping System) UHS) to GB&I for the first time.

It was based on the Australian Handicapping System and has stood us in good stead since then.

But on 2^nd November 2020, the World Handicap System (WHS) was introduced bringing together and regularising six different Handicap Systems.

So, what does this mean for us and organisers of competitions?

Firstly, a steep learning curve because there are many changes to get used to and implement.

Secondly, the CONGU UHS Manual no longer applies as a source of reference and we must turn to new publications for information on Handicapping.

The sources we must now use and rely on are:

Unfortunately, the Guidance on Rules of Handicapping as Applied to GB&I, is not as clear and precise as the old CONGU UHS Manual, and no doubt will be re-written over time, but it is all we have at the moment.

But love it or hate it, the WHS is here to stay and once understood and used properly will, in my opinion, provide a much fairer Handicapping System for all.

Keep safe

Tony

20th November 202011th December 2020

Will Golf Courses in England Re-Open After 2nd December 2020? – Launch of My England Golf App

Will Golf Courses in England Re-Open After 2 December 2020?

Now we all hope that courses will re-open on 3rd December, or as soon as possible after that and give us some respite from Lockdown-2 in England.

There may be some light on the horizon, if common sense prevails and it does not put lives at risk.

A forthcoming debate by the UK Government may offer us some sort of promise, but we should know more by Monday evening.

England Golf has confirmed that the UK government will debate the petition that was delivered to it ‘Exempt golf courses from the list of venues required to close due to Covid-19’, which attracted over 250,000 signatures, on Monday 23 November.

As you know, Golf courses in England have been closed since Thursday 5th November, when we started a four-week national lockdown.

That was despite arguments being put forward by England Golf, members of the golfing industry and the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Golf.

England Golf has said that it wholeheartedly supports the views of the petition, details of which you can read by clicking here, that golf courses should be allowed to remain open through this current lockdown, enabling golfers of all ages to continue playing golf and to exercise safely.

England Golf, however, has also acknowledged that there is no guarantee of courses re-opening on 3rd December,

Jeremy Tomlinson, England Golf CEO, said, “We know the benefits our sport can provide for both mental and physical health at this time of isolation and hope the government can recognise this during the upcoming debate and support golf’s return to playing,”.

“Earlier this year, the game of golf was able to clearly demonstrate that it could be enjoyed in a COVID-safe way, which is why it was one of the first sports to return once restrictions were lifted.

“This was a privilege that the sport took incredibly seriously and accordingly adopted the highest possible standards to keep participants safe.

“Our sport has come together in one voice during this difficult year and it’s thanks to the support of our members, clubs and counties, as well as our collaboration with the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Golf.”

Don’t get too despondent if the decision is not the one we would want

On a lighter note,

England Golf have Released a MyEG Mobile App.

My England Golf (MyEG) will allow golfers to stay up to date with their Handicap Index as part of the World Handicap System (WHS).

The app, available now to download for free in Apple and Google Play stores, follows on from the official transition on 2 November to the new WHS for the 1,800 golf clubs and 630,000 golfers across England.

England Golf has created the app to provide golfers with the ability to access their Handicap Index on the go, as well as to easily keep track of their overall playing record on a regular basis.

A Course Handicap calculator is another unique feature of the new My England Golf app.

This function will allow golfers to cross-reference their Handicap Index with whichever set of tees they will be playing from on a particular day, for any course in the country, in order to work out their Course Handicap.

You can read more about MyEG App and how to download it by clicking on the MyEG App link below:

Take me to MyEG App

As ever

Stay safe and well

Tony

15th November 202011th December 2020

Addendum to Last Post on Whether to Record Gross Score against Course or Player Handicap

Addendum to Last Post on Recording Gross Score against Course or Player Handicap

A reader commented on my mention of Stableford and Maximum Score formats relating to England Golf and not other jurisdictions.

I must thank him for bringing it to my attention and hope I have not caused any confusion for anyone.

The reason I mentioned that my comments related to England is that, although I do try and advise on all jurisdictions (worldwide) I do concentrate on England and have to remember that some of my readers are from other countries and I could easily confuse them if I don’t qualify some of my points.

Although the WHS is supposed to be worldwide, not all of its features have been adopted by some Countries.

My comments therefore on Stableford and Maximum Score formats do also apply to Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

However, unlike England, Scotland and Wales, it is Ireland’s intention to trial the inclusion of some match play events into handicapping and to also include some Four Ball Better-Ball scores in situations where the returned scores are better than a target expectation for this format of play.

Where scores returned in match play or four-ball formats are Acceptable Scores there is a need for calculating a ‘Most Likely Score’ when a player starts a hole but does not hole out.

So in Ireland, when using a ‘Most Likely Score’ a player must still bear in mind the score that would be recorded compared to a Net Double Bogey against their Course Handicap.,

NOTE: This will not be in use for the rest of GB&I, although it is part of the WHS and in use in the rest of the world.

Something, no doubt, England Golf will review that situation in the future.

Golf Ireland will issue details of the inclusion of match play and 4BBB in due course, but at the moment these formats are not acceptable in England or Scotland.

Hope this clears things up.

Sorry, however, if I did manage to confuse you.

Tony

14th November 202011th December 2020

WHS – Do I Record on My Scorecard, the Number of Strokes Taken Based on My Course Handicap or My Playing Handicap?

Well while we, in GB&I, find ourselves in Golf Lockdown again, some golf is being played around the world and I am receiving both Rules of Golf and World Handicap System queries, which is why I have not posted anything yet on Mixed Tee Competitions as promised.

While England Golf struggles with teething problems over the introduction of the WHS the 4-week lockdown may give them some respite and time to sort things out before we get back to playing golf with a vengeance.

I recently received a query from a reader to which I could provide a straight forward answer but which also raised a point with the New World Handicap System that many players may not be aware.

Unlike the previous CONGU Qualifying Rounds, which were played off Full Handicap, under the the WHS there are occasions when acceptable rounds will be played off a percentage of a Course Handicap and you must be aware of both your Course Handicap and your Playing Handicap in the same round so that you ‘do not pick up before you run out of strokes, according to your Course Handicap’

Now this goes against the teachings of improving the Pace of Play, but is a necessary action under the WHS when competitions are being played for Handicap purposes.

The R&A will no doubt have to reconsider Rule 21 in the light of the WHS and remove the wording ‘To help pace of play, players are encouraged to stop playing a hole when their score will result in zero points.’ for Stableford Formats and ‘To help pace of play, players are encouraged to stop playing a hole when their formats. score has reached the maximum’, for Maximum Score formats.

All will, I hope be revealed below.

The question was:

‘In a Stableford qualifying competition, do I record on my card, the number of strokes taken based on my course handicap or my playing handicap for the competition?’

My answer was:

You record your Gross Score for each hole, and you should base it on your Course Handicap not your Playing Handicap for the reasons which I will give below.

Under the Rules of Golf ,you must record your gross score for each hole, whatever the competition format, it is the score that you enter into your Golf Club’s Handicap Computer.

The Course Handicap, calculated from your Handicap Index and your Course’s Slope Rating, replaces your CONGU Handicap, and could be considered to be one and the same. It is this Handicap that dictates if any Adjustments to Hole scores need to be made for Handicap purposes.

The Playing Handicap is your Handicap for a particular competition depending on the format being played and is the number of strokes you actually receive for that round and is the one you use, in the case of a Stableford Competition, to calculate your points for each hole and the one that your Club’s Handicap System will use to calculate your points for each hole for a competition result.

Under the new World Handicap System, there are a couple of points that you need to be aware of that can influence your play of a hole, especially if you think you are unable to score on a particular hole and decide to pick your ball up.

Your Playing Handicap may be a percentage of your Course Handicap and not its full value, e.g. in an Individual Stableford your Playing Handicap will be reduced to 95%.
For scores being submitted for Handicap Purposes, your Adjusted Gross Score for a competition is used in your Handicap Index calculation. There is a maximum score that can be accepted for each hole this is a Net Double Bogey, and this is applied by the WHS, when you submit your score, based on your Course Handicap.
If you fail to score on a hole or complete the play of a hole the WHS will award you a Net Double Bogey for that hole.

This last point is an important one because you must ensure that by having a Net Double Bogey recorded for not completing the hole does not award you a score higher than if you had completed the hole.

This is relevant especially when a Handicap Allowance for a particular format reduces your Playing Handicap or a Committee sets a Maximum Score for each hole.

An example would probably better illustrate my point.

Caroline has a Handicap Index of 20.1

She is playing an Individual Stableford Competition on her home course from the Red Tees which have a Course Rating of 72.8, a Par of 72 and a Slope Rating of 126

Caroline’s Course Handicap (in GB&I) is: 22

The Handicap Allowance for an Individual Stableford is 95% which adjusts her Playing Handicap to: 21

From this Playing Handicap Caroline will receive one stroke on holes with Stroke Index 4 -18 and two strokes on each of holes with Stroke Index 1, 2 and 3.

Caroline is playing well but on Hole 6, a Par 4 with Stroke Index 4, where she receives 1 stroke in this competition, she runs into a bit of trouble and after just missing a putt for a 6, decides to pick up and record a 0 at that hole, because she is out of shots for that hole according to her Playing Handicap.

Hole 6 is a hole on which she would in general play have received 2 strokes, but off 95% of her Course Handicap now only receives 1 Stroke.

This would be all right for the result of the competition, but for Handicap Purposes the WHS would record a Net Double Bogey of 8 for her not completing play of the hole, working from her Course Handicap.

This would in fact be one more stroke than if she had putted out and completed play of the hole.

It would therefore have been better for Caroline to putt out and record a 7, recording one stroke less for handicap purposes.

Many players will not fully appreciate the importance of continuing beyond the maximum hole score to reach their NDB score on a given hole.

So remember in England when playing Stableford or Maximum Score Formats you need to keep an eye on your scoring against your Course Handicap and not just your Playing Handicap or the Maximum Score for a Hole.

Think before you pick up and record a Net Double Bogey or a Zero on your scorecard.

This can be a little confusing to begin with, but just keep your wits about you.

This situation obviously does not occur in General Play, when no Handicap Allowances apply and you are playing off your Course Handicap

Have fun and

Enjoy your golf as soon as it is allowed

Best wishes and stay safe

Tony

3rd November 202011th December 2020

World Handicap System 2020 – New Video

Thought you might like to look at something during our second lockdown before you tear your hair out!

Lots of info on WHS

As WHS is now up and running, you might find this Video from Golf Monthly useful

Reproduced by kind permission of Golf Monthly

You can see more videos on WHS by clicking HERE

Stay safe and well

Tony

29th October 202011th December 2020

WHS 2020 – How to Use Your Handicap Index When Playing a Round of Golf

How to Use Your Handicap Index When Playing a Round of Golf

Remember! Remember! The Second of November!

The introduction of the World Handicap System (WHS) in GB&I is only a few days away.

Are yoiu ready?

By now you will have received your Handicap Index, and, having got over the shock, no doubt booked to play a round of golf on, or after, Monday 2 November.

If you have not received your Handicap Index, please CLICK HERE to find out how you can find your Handicap Index.

What do you do now?

BEFORE YOUR ROUND

Decide what type of round you will be playing and, for Handicapping purposes, understand what Acceptable Scores are.

- All 9-hole and 18-hole Singles Competition Rounds in Authorised Formats must be submitted for handicap purposes, subject to the competition being played to the Rules of Golf and over the measured length of the course
- General Play (Social Rounds) may be submitted but must be pre-registered according to your Club’s Pre-registration Procedure. This also includes such play as Roll-ups and Swindles etc. and can include away games if you so wish.
- Scores from team competitions and match play will not be acceptable in England initially, although this may change based on feedback from other jurisdictions that include those format
- Pre-register your round on the day you are playing

Because the WHS is an averaging system, the more scores you submit the more accurate your Handicap Index will be.

Follow the guidelines of England Golf Know your Score and use HCP.

This translates to:

Handicap Index: Know your Handicap Index. This is the replacement to your current Handicap and represents your ability to play a Neutral Course which has a Slope of 113.

It is calculated in the same way for every golfer worldwide and so is comparable between golfers.

It is NOT the handicap that you will play off, but it is the ‘Handicap’ that you enter a competition with.

Course Handicap: This is the handicap that your Handicap Index is converted to, in order to provide you with a handicap that is more suited to your playing your chosen course.

If the club competition software is not available consult the Course Handicap charts relevant to the tees being used. These should be prominently displayed in your Clubhouse or ProShop.

This Course Handicap will be the Handicap that you will play off for General Play Rounds (Social)

Playing Handicap: If you are playing in a Club Competition in a particular format, calculate your Playing Handicap by applying the Handicap Allowance (see the table below), for that format.

Your Course Handicap will need to be converted to a Playing Handicap, by applying a Handicap Allowance according to the Competition Format you will be playing.

The various Handicap Allowances can be seen in the table below.

File Name: WHS-Handicap-Allowances.pdf

If you would like to download a copy of the Handicap Allowance Table, please click on a Download Button below:

It is hoped that, if you are entering a Club Competition e.g. a Monthly Medal or Stableford, that you will be pre-registered for the competition and your Course Handicap and Playing Handicap will have been calculated and show on your Club’s Computer.

Finally, I would like to add an S to the HCP, which stands for Scoring and Submitting a Score.

Scoring and Submitting a Score:

- Ensure that your Course Handicap is entered on your card, and the chosen Tee designated to avoid Disqualification.
- Ensure Scorecard signed by a Marker (Not necessary during COVID-19 Restrictions)
- After the round, return the card as directed. Submit your score in accordance with Club procedures as soon as possible after you have completed your round.
- Enter your Gross Score on the Club Competition Computer for each hole, hole by hole
- If a hole is STARTED BUT NOT COMPLETED in Stableford, Par or Maximum Score formats. For handicap purposes net double bogey will be added to the score
- If a hole is NOT STARTED for a valid reason net par will be added
- Blanks/dashes no longer acceptable on Score Cards.
- All 9 holes must be played or started for a 9-hole score to be acceptable for handicap purposes
- A minimum of 10 holes must be played or started for an 18-hole score to be acceptable for handicap purposes
- If you did not play a hole for a valid reason, you should mark the hole as ‘not played’ (NP).

Valid reasons for not playing a hole include:

- Failing light or bad weather
- Player injury or illness
- A hole being declared out of play by the Committee for maintenance or reconstruction purposes

Invalid reasons for not playing a hole include:

- Not playing a hole for the purpose of gaining a scoring advantage (high or low)

If you fail to return a scorecard your Handicap Committee may impose a penalty or, if a score can be retrieved, enter a Penalty Score for your round. NRs are not acceptable.

The prompt submission of your score is important as it will enable:

- Your score to be included in the daily PLAYING CONDITIONS CALCULATION

and

- Your Handicap Index to be UPDATED READY FOR YOUR NEXT ROUND

Handicap decreases or increases will not be calculated along with the competition results

Scores will be uploaded to a new platform designated by each national golf federation, for adjustment after midnight.

Your Handicap Index will be recalculated using the Playing Condition Calculation (previously CSS) at the end of every day you play

Your new Handicap Index can be viewed early next day either on the Golf Ireland website or available app.

Your correct Handicap Index will appear on the competition software in your Home Club when you enter a competition.

So, relax and enjoy your golf

Play as many rounds as you can, but remember:

Stay Safe and Play Safe

Best wishes

Tony

PS: My next post will contain details on Mixed Tee Competitions

PPS: From Monday 9 November 2020, because the WHS will be the Official Handicapping System, all references to the CONGU Unified Handicap System (UHS) will be removed from the My Golf Website.

24th October 202011th December 2020

World Handicap System 2020 – How do I find my Handicap Index?

Well, after all the hype and confusion we are nearly there!

With there being less than 10 days to go before the World Handicap System goes live in GB&I, many of you have been asking for ways to estimate your Transition Handicap Index.

Rather than try to work it out from your Handicap Playing Record you can get a sneak preview by using your National Members’ Portal and I have given the available links for you below.

If you have not yet received notification of your Handicap Index you can you can find it now that England Golf’s World Handicap System Members Early Access portal is now live and all you need is your CDH number to find out what you’re new index will be.

Visit the England Golf World Handicap System Platform here

Visit the Scottish Golf World Handicap System Platform here

Visit the Welsh Golf World Handicap System Platform here

The Irish World Handicap System Platform is not available at the moment

Once you have entered in your CDH number, you will be able to see your new Handicap Index and the 8 scores that contributed to it – if your club has uploaded your email address to the platform.

If your club has not yet uploaded your email address you will not be able to see which particular scores were taken into account, but you will see your Handicap Index.

This Handicap Index is not guaranteed just yet because England Golf are warning that it may still change between now and launch and there is some confusion because some New Handicap Indexes may have been miscalculated.

Some member’s historic scores were taken from the wrong tees and others have seen that Competition Scratch Score (CSS) was not taken into account in their qualifying scores.

There is a distinct possibility that some Clubs will find their Members’ Handicap Indexes being changed England Golf has assured them that they will be correct for the 2nd November.

So, wait until Monday 2 2020 until everything goes live and your Handicap Index should be confirmed.

Once your Golf Club Handicap Software has been updated you should be able to access your Handicap Index through the Club Computer before or as you sign in to play a round.

Have fun, but don’t throw your arms up in disbelief at your Handicap Index, I will try to explain it further in the next post and take you through how to use it when you arrive at your Golf Course of choice after 2 November 2020.

Stay safe

Enjoy your gof!

Best wishes

Tony