Will cards need to be kept for handicap under the new world handicapping system?’

With the World Handicap System being just around the corner, for some countries anyway, questions are being raised about some points that golfers have heard of or have become aware of and are wondering what, if any, impact they may have on their golf.

One such question is how social games will be affected and whether scores from these games will need to be submitted.

I received the following query the other week:

‘We currently have a weekend roll up at our club, we play for £3, off the yellow tees. Will cards need to be kept for handicap under the new world handicapping system?’

The situation with the , World Handicap System, as it stands to date, is that ,in GB&, the date for its introduction is 2 November 2020 and information from England Golf, at the moment, is at best sketchy.

Being an average-based handicap system, as opposed to our present potential ability-based system, England Golf will be encouraging players to submit as many scores as they can.

The requirement, at the moment, for submitting the results of any Club roll-up, as suggested by England Golf, is that the roll-up must be organised by Club Members under the Rules of Golf and must consist of at least 12 players who have paid to play in the Roll-up and prizes are to be awarded.

The more scores that are submitted means a better representation of a player’s current playing ability.

England Golf are busy running WHS Workshops Nationally and hope to provide all Clubs with full information packs early in 2020.

Meanwhile the information that I have been able to elicit to date, on what will be considered as an Acceptable Score – similar to the current Qualifying Score, is that it will include any:

1. Singles competitions,
2. Social Scores (the new name for Supplementary Scores), and can include
3. Scores submitted in Society events (if conforming with the Rules of Golf) and
4. informal roll-ups/swindles organised by members if conforming with the Rules of Golf, have at least 12 players who have paid to play and prizes, of some description, are awarded.

CONGU will not, however, be making it mandatory to submit scores from casual golf, as is currently the case in the USA; this may change in the future to bring GB&I into line with the rest of the world.

Players must pre-register on the computer, at the Club where the round will be played, prior to the round for a score to count. it is anticipated that scores from better-balls competitions may be included at some point in the future.

I am working on publishing more information on the WHS on a webpage on My-Golf.uk, and will email you details as soon as it is complete but hope this information helps to answer any questions you may have on submitting scores from social games

Enjoy your golf!

Tony