Source:  Now that we have worked out how high a knee is and remembered when to bring this astounding knowledge to bear in the application of the 2019 Rules of Golf, the powers that be are not going to let us sit on our laurels.

They are at it again - or more accurately, they have been at it since July 2011. Spearheaded by the R&A and the USGA, this time the focus is handicaps.

For players worldwide, including us at Awali Golf Club, things are going to change: it is called the


The goal is a worldwide system enabling a player to have a truly portable handicap that will result in equitable play on any course anywhere. As the "world" name implies, the current six different handicapping systems are being replaced by a single system, and the WHS is planned to go live on 1st January 2020.

As a sign of the ongoing progress, there is now a dedicated website for the World Handicapping System:

whs.com

.
The CONGU Unified Handicapping System will disappear towards the end of 2020 or soon after (it is assumed).

Bahrain is not being left out of things: within Bahrain, the national golfing authority is the Bahrain Golf Association (BGA - website here), and the BGA's contact details are to be found within whs.com: scroll to the bottom and use the Find-By-Country facility.

For a comparison of the current six handicapping systems and some WHS background, see (for example):

R&A & USGA Q&A article of April 2017. England Golf Training presentation 2018 and Q&A article July 2018.

Golf Genius document April 2019. R&A highlights current web page.

and for the differences in detail (Asociacion Argentina De Golf handicap system not found) see:
Australian GA   CONGU   European GA   South African GA   US GA.

Although the "big bang" date is scheduled for 1st January 2020, for clubs using CONGU based handicapping software (including both AGC and BGC using HandicapMaster), the launch is expected to be delayed to the end of 2020. With more than 1800 clubs affected in England and Wales, CONGU wish to have an extended period of time for courses to be assessed ("rated") for the WHS, and for vendors of CONGU approved handicapping software to thoroughly test their updated, WHS-compatible systems.

With regard to the HandicapMaster software that AGC uses, HandicapMaster advised (11/06/19):

I can confirm that it is our intention to implement the World Handicap System in the HandicapMaster product range. We expect to provide migration of existing data to the new system once the current handicapping authorities specify the conversion methods and implementation dates.

For clubs playing under the USGA handicapping system, changes are minimal. But for those playing under the CONGU handicapping system, changes are significant.

So ...

heddddzzzzz-up

: we may as well try to understand what is coming so that the shock and awe is reduced when it lands on our doorsteps sometime in 2020 or 2021 ...

The fundamental differences

CONGU Unified Handicap System

(CONGU announced 16/9/19 that the UHS will remain until Sun 1st Nov 2020):

• Each course is assessed by a qualified person who originates a "Standard Scratch Score (SSS)" for the course - the score a scratch golfer would be expected to achieve under normal course and weather conditions. This is the measure of course difficulty - for AGC it is 69/74 (normal tees for gents/ladies) and 70 (championship tees). Here is AGC's and BGC's SSS assessment [Clause 9].
• A score that is valid for the purposes of handicap revision is known as a "Qualifying Score".
• After a competition, using the SSS and the actual vs expected distribution of scores for the various Categories of players, the handicapping software calculates the "Competition Scratch Score (CSS)". This can be one-below to three-above the SSS. Thus, the effect of weather is addressed within the CSS, and then the CSS is used as the basis for handicap revision [Clause 18].
• A player is awarded a revised "Exact Handicap", which is then rounded to become a "Playing Handicap". This handicap is used as the Playing Handicap on the home course, as well as on all other courses.
• All handicaps - plus through to 54.0 - are divided into six "Categories". The size of any handicap downward revision is dependent on a player's Category, and handicaps are revised only if scores fall outside of the applicable "Buffer Zone" [Clause 20.6].
• A player's Exact Handicap is revised based only on the score for the qualifying round just played.
• An "Exceptional Score Reduction (ESR)" factor adjusts for a quickly-improving player [Clause 23/09(c)].
• Recreational rounds are known as "Supplementary Scores" [Clause 21]. For handicapping purposes, Supplementary Scores:
  • Do not need to be posted (within the USGA, posting is mandatory [Section 5.1]).
  • May be posted for rounds at the home club or an away club (the procedure for home/away clubs differs).
  • When played over 18 holes, only scores from Stroke Play and Stableford format rounds qualify.
  • When played over 9 holes, only scores from Stableford format rounds qualify.
  • Use the course's SSS for calculation.
  • Where you intend to post the Supplementary Score for handicapping purposes, the intent must be advised to the Committee before play, and in the manner specified by the Committee.
• A "Competition handicap" has a time expiry: to be maintained, at least three qualifying rounds must have been played within the previous calendar year [Clause 25].

World Handicap System

(CONGU announced 16/9/19 that the WHS replaces the UHS from Mon 2nd Nov 2020):

• Each course is assessed by a qualified person who originates a
  • "Course Rating" - the score a scratch golfer would be expected to achieve under normal course and weather conditions, and a
  • "Bogey Rating" - the score a golfer of approximately 20 (ladies 24) would be expected to achieve under normal course and weather conditions.
  • "Slope Rating" - the difference between the Course Rating and the Bogey Rating (rounded to nearest integer).
  More accurately: Course, Bogey and Slope Ratings are assessed for each front/back nine, so as to allow the correct handicap revisions if only nine holes are played. The rating process is very thorough (see here).

 

• The underlying principles within the WHS (and the USGA system) for playing handicap are that:
  • A player has an inherent competency level. This is measured by the player's "Handicap Index".
  • A more difficult course affects a higher handicapper more drastically than a low handicapper.
  • Playing on a course of "standard" playing difficulty, the player would be expected to go round in
    (Course Rating + Handicap Index) strokes.
   
  • A player uses a "Course Handicap" to adjust for a real course. This is the
    player's Handicap Index
    multiplied by the course's Slope Rating
    and divided by the Slope Rating of a standard course
    (and this number is rounded to an integer).
  • Playing on a real course, the player would be expected to go round in
    (Course Rating + Course Handicap) strokes.

 

• Due to the design of the assessment questionnaire, Slope Ratings of real golf courses range from a minimum of 55 (very easy) to a maximum of 155 (extremely difficult).
• A "standard" course of "standard" playing difficulty is defined to have a Slope Rating of 113.
• For example, to see how Slope Rating compensates differently, depending on a player's Handicap Index:
  • Slope Rating 135 (quite difficult): Handicap Index   5.0, Course Handicap of ...  6 (i.e. one stroke added to Handicap Index to compensate for the difficulty of the course).
  • Slope Rating 135 (quite difficult): Handicap Index 25.0, Course Handicap of ... 30 (i.e. five strokes added to Handicap Index to compensate for the difficulty of the course).
• A score that is valid for the purposes of handicap revision is known as an "Acceptable Score".
• A player's Handicap Index is revised based on the average of a player's best 8 out of the last 20 Acceptable Scores (see here for less than 20 available).
• On the day, exceptional course or weather playing conditions are addressed by a "Course Conditions Adjustment (CCA)" factor. This is similar to CONGU's CSS adjustment but more conservative. It can be between -1 and 3, but most often will be 0. It is calculated using all scores submitted on the course that day as long as 8 or more golfers with a Handicap Index of less than 36 and a fully developed Handicap Record (20 rounds) have played.
• Recreational rounds:
  The national golfing authority decides whether recreational rounds may or may not be posted for handicapping purposes. If allowed, then:
  • Any recreational round with an Acceptable Score may be posted for handicapping purposes.
• Extraordinary Scoring Reduction (ESR) - an adjustment is made to the Handicap Index after a very low score has been posted, similar to CONGU's ESR adjustment, but with a simpler calculation method.
• A capping system is included to stop intentional attempts to increase a Handicap Index by repetitive postings of poor scores (relevant terms are "Anchor Point", "Soft Cap" and "Hard Cap" - see here).
• There is no equivalent of CONGU's "Competition handicap" (indicated by a (c) suffix on the Exact Handicap). The WHS's Handicap Index has no time expiry. There are no "Categories" or "Buffer Zones".

Additionally (for play under the World Handicap System):

• The maximum allowed Handicap Index is 54.0 for both initial award and after revision, for both gents and ladies. This has no bearing on the decision the Committee makes for a player's maximum Handicap Index for competition eligibility.
• (Recommendation) Initial Handicap Index award needs only 54 holes - 3 complete rounds in any combination of 9 or 18 holes.
• For handicapping purposes only (as in the CONGU UHS):
  • Missing scores are entered as a net double bogey.
  • Where entered scores and are in excess of a net double bogey, they are reduced to net double bogey.
• Before play, the Course Handicap must be identified. To assist, "Slope Rating Tables" are usually published at/near a course's club house or 1st tee (here is an example for Slope Ratings between 113 & 150). At a player’s home club, the handicapping software may provide a list of members' names and Handicap Indexes, together with the applicable Course Handicap(s).
• For those clubs and national authorities affiliated with CONGU, the current status with regard to recreational golf will continue:
  • There is no requirement to post a recreational score that is an Acceptable Score, however
  • A player may post a recreational score where it is an Acceptable Score provided the player has pre-registered the intent to do this (using the procedure that the Committee lays down).
• At an away course, when you say to someone "my handicap is ..." you would be referring to your Handicap Index, rather than a Course Handicap for a particular course.
• If a course's Course and Slope Rating is not available (a qualified assessor has not made an assessment yet), it is the responsibility of the national golfing authority to decide and direct the method by which a club originates a "Temporary Course Rating" and a "Temporary Slope Rating".

By the way, the Royal Golf Club already has a Course and Slope Rating: see here.

Other unknowns (unknown by me that is, as of 17th June 2019):

• Handicap Allowance: USGA's rules for Handicap Allowance [Section 9] differ slightly from that of CONGU [Appendix F]. Which/what will be present under the WHS?

The WHS is still a work in progress, so some things may be different when it is launched for use.

If you have had the inclination to read this article twice, perhaps you are of a character to do your own research online as well. If you discover information that contradicts or adds something important to this article, please contact me so that I may integrate your findings. Indeed, play devil's advocate and regard it as a challenge, so that we may all benefit.