Handicap News and Updates
Handicap or GHIN Questions?
Contact Irene Hunt, ireneannhunt@gmail.com
Handicap News and Updates
- Obtain Your 2024 GHIN through our LPGA Amateurs Coastal NJ Chapter
- Important New News Surrounding the World Handicap System (in effect 1/1/24)
- Handicap Information and Educational Resources
Obtain Your 2024 GHIN through our LPGA Amateurs Coastal NJ chapter
By using a Golf Handicap Index,
you can compete against your own potential scoring ability instead of other
golfer’s scores. A Handicap Index is
used to determine your specific Golf Course Handicap, which varies depending on
the course and tees that you play. The
Course Handicap is the number of strokes subtracted from your gross score to
give a net score. The Handicap Strokes are allocated on specific holes,
based on their difficulty.
Your Golf Handicap Information Network (GHIN) number is issued by the USGA through our NJ regional authority, the NJSGA (New Jersey State Golf Association). By the use of GHIN, you are able to manage a USGA Handicap Index. Having a GHIN registers you with the NJSGA, making you eligible to participate in NJSGA tournaments and events. Check their website for details
Renew or Get Your 2024 GHIN Through the LPGA Amateurs Coastal NJ Chapter starting February 15th. Get Your Handicap Here
Our requirement for members obtaining their GHIN through our chapter is that the member must be current with their annual membership of LPGA Amateur Golf Association, Coastal New Jersey Chapter. Your LPGA Amateurs and GHIN membership is annual and the 2024 fee for enrolling through our Coastal NJ Chapter for GHIN is $36.
The active NJ golf handicap posting season and this immediate area opens April 1st. Scores for rounds played in areas that are in an active season must be posted in GHIN. Handicap Indexes will continue to be updated daily throughout the offseason. Scores posted from “in-season” locations will be factored into the computation of a USGA Handicap Index.
Important News Surrounding the World Handicap System (in effect for 2024)The USGA announced the first update to the World Handicap System as part of an ongoing worldwide review of the Rules of Handicapping and Course Rating System with a continued emphasis on accuracy, consistency and equity.
These are several changes, with the most significant ones highlighted below. The bottom line for our Coastal NJ Chapter members is to focus on your pace of play and use the GHIN App to record all your scores immediately. Let the GHIN system ‘do its thing’ to provide you an updated Handicap Index.
> Beginning in 2024, your 9-hole scores will count towards your Handicap Index right away!
In the past, one 9-hole score would be combined with another to create an 18-hole Score Differential before it can be counted for handicap purposes.
In 2024, when a player posts a 9-hole score, the World Handicap System will automatically calculate an 18-hole Score Differential for the round, based on the player’s 9-hole Score Differential and expected Score Differential based on their current Handicap Index, allowing the 9-hole round to be considered in the player’s Handicap Index calculation right away.
As part of this change, golfers will be required to play and post all 9 holes with a valid 9-hole Course Rating and Slope Rating. The procedure for posting a 9-hole score will not change. All calculations are handled automatically with the GHIN app.
The growing number of golfers who regularly play 9-hole rounds will no longer have to wait for another 9-hole score for their Handicap Index to be updated. This will provide the golfer with a better indicator of how a player will normally perform over 18 holes on a given day when compared to combining 9-hole scores from different days and under different playing conditions.
This new method produces a more consistent and comparable Handicap Index for golfers who post 9-hole scores. Specifically, in the past, combining two independent 9-hole scores often results in more volatility and is highly dependent on the order in which scores are combined. It was also common for two good 9-hole scores to be combined that produce an 18-hole Score Differential that is better than any of the player’s 18-hole scores made over 18 consecutive holes. The impact is an artificially low Handicap Index.
This new method means that once a player’s 9-hole Score Differential has been calculated, it is combined with an expected Score Differential based on the player’s current Handicap Index to create an 18-hole Score Differential.
The expected score is based on the average Score Differential of a player with a given Handicap Index and a normal distribution of scores – so it is not specific to each player.
An expected score can be thought of as a neutral value, meaning that a good 9-hole round (relative to the player’s ability) will result in a good 18-hole Score Differential. An average 9-hole round will result in an average 18-hole Score Differential, etc.
Example of how a 9-hole score is converted into an 18-hole Score Differential:
A player with a Handicap Index of 14.0 posts a 9-hole score of 41. Based on Course Rating and Slope Rating of the tees played, this results in a 9-hole Score Differential of 7.2. That value is then added to the player's expected 9-hole Score Differential to determine an 18-hole Score Differential of 15.7, which will be entered into the player's scoring record immediately and automatically in GHIN.
> Inclusion of Shorter-Length Golf Courses Within the Course Rating System
The overall length requirements for Course Rating in the WHS will be significantly reduced. A set of tees on an 18-hole course may be as short as 1,500 yards to be eligible for a Course Rating and Slope Rating, and a set of tees on a 9-hole course may be as short as 750 yards. This change is intended to expand the WHS to thousands of shorter length courses, including par-3 courses, and enable more golfers to obtain and use a Handicap Index.
> Use of an Expected Score for a Hole Not Played
Improvements have been made to the method used to handle holes not played, which will now be based on a player’s expected score rather than a score of net par. This new method will produce a 9-hole or 18-hole Score Differential that more accurately reflects a player’s ability. As golfers across the world are playing more 9-hole rounds, an expected score can also be used to convert a 9-hole round into an 18-hole Score Differential. This means that 9-hole scores will be considered in the calculation of a player’s Handicap Index immediately after the day of play, rather than waiting to combine with another 9-hole score.
> Playing Conditions Calculation Adjustments Made More Frequent
The Playing Conditions Calculation (PCC) has been modified to increase the likelihood of an adjustment for abnormal playing conditions.
To learn more about these enhancements, World Handicap System, please visit www.WHS.com.
https://www.njsga.org/news/post/revisions-coming-to-world-handicap-system-in-2024
Handicap Information and Education ResourcesCheck out our LPGA Coastal NJ website Quick Links and Education web page for educational session replays and a PowerPoint presentation on GHIN, Handicap Index usage and scoring.
https://chapters.lpgaamateurs.com/education/education/NJCO
Golfers NEW to establishing a Handicap Index:
For those LPGA Members obtaining a GHIN & tracking a Handicap Index for the first time will receive a confirmation email with their GHIN. All GHIN users are able to access a GHIN account on GHIN.com or on the GHIN mobile app.
First time users will be asked to create a digital GHIN profile and set up a password for the GHIN account. https://www.ghin.com/profile Log in to the GHIN Mobile App and ghin.com with your email address or GHIN Number and your password.
In order to establish a Handicap Index, golfers must play and post a total of 54 holes, which can be made up of 9- and/or 18-hole scores. The use of expected score does not come into play until a golfer plays and posts 54 individual hole scores. Once the player has posted scores from a total of 54 holes and an expected score can be determined for the player, an 18-hole Score Differential will be calculated for each 9-hole score and displayed within their scoring record. At this time the player will have established their initial Handicap Index.
Your Handicap Index will be issued the morning after you reach this threshold
Your Handicap Index is meant to give the most accurate representation of your playing potential.
Golfers should post ALL your rounds — both your best and worst rounds.
You do not post scores from Scrambles or Best Ball tournaments, or any event where you did not play your own ball.
A reminder about the use and value of HANDICAPS:
- By using a Handicap Index, you can compete against your own potential scoring ability instead of other golfer’s scores.
- A Handicap Index is used to determine your Course Handicap, which varies depending on the course and set of tees you play.
- The Course Handicap is the number of strokes subtracted from your gross score to give a net score.
- The Handicap Strokes are allocated on specific holes, based on their difficulty.
For those LPGA Members having a GHIN # & Tracking a HCP for the First Time
Members receiving a GHIN Number for the first time have received a confirmation email with their GHIN Number. You are able to access your account on GHIN.com or on the GHIN mobile app. First time users will be asked to create a digital GHIN profile. To create a digital profile, set up a password for your account. https://www.ghin.com/profile
In order to establish your Handicap Index, you need to post three 18-holes scores (or six 9-hole scores).
- Your Handicap Index will be issued the morning after you reach this threshold (three 18-hole scores/six 9-hole scores).
- Your Handicap Index is meant to give the most accurate representation of your playing potential.
- In order to do that, you need to post ALL your rounds — both your best and worst rounds.
- You do not post scores from Scrambles or Best Ball tournaments, or any event where you did not play your own ball for at least 14 holes (out of 18).
For more information, check out the Rules of Handicapping
https://www.usga.org/content/
RULE 1.3: All PLAYERS are expected to:
- Act with integrity and follow the Rules of Handicapping
- Attempt to make the best score possible
- Submit acceptable scores as assign as possible after a round
- Play by the Rules of Golf https://www.usga.org/
rules-hub.html - Review the scores of fellow players
RULE 3.1 Maximum Hole Score
- For a player without a Handicap Index, the maximum score for each hole played is limited to PAR + 5
- For a player with a Handicap Index, the maximum score for each hole played is limited to NET DOUBLE BOGEY (or Par for that hole + 2 strokes) PLUS Handicap Strokes Received.
- EXAMPLE: A player with a Course Handicap of 16 receives one handicap stroke on the first 16 allocated handicap stroke holes. A player with a Course Handicap of 24 receives one handicap stroke on each of the 18 holes and another stroke (or two handicap strokes) on the first 6 allocated handicap stroke holes.
- EXAMPLE: For the player with a Course Handicap of 24, the score on a Par 4 hole with a handicap stroke index of 10 (the 10th hardest hole on this course), would calculate their NET DOUBLE BOGEY score as = Par 4 + 2 strokes for a double bogey + 1 handicap stroke received for a 7.
- EXAMPLE: For the player with a Course Handicap of 24, on a Par 5 hole with a handicap stroke index of 1 (the hardest hole on this course), would calculate NET DOUBLE BOGEY score as = Par 5 + 2 strokes for a double bogey + 2 handicap stroked received for a 9.
- Of course, if both of these players shot a 4 on each of these holes, the score would be 4!
Rule 2.1 states that a score is acceptable for handicap purposes if the round has been played:
- In an authorized format of play over at least the minimum number of holes required (14 holes must be played for an acceptable 18 hole score and 7 holes for an acceptable 9 hole score),
- In the company of at least one other person, by the Rules of Golf, and on a course with current course and slope ratings
- Choosing not to enter scores is as unacceptable as moving your ball to a better lie or not counting a penalty stroke.
- If you are playing a round of golf or a match play event and do not complete every hole in a round, there is still a required procedure for entering your score.
- If you do not hole out when playing a hole, you should enter your most likely score (Defined by USGA Rule 3.3) for that hole.
- If your match is over before you play all 18 holes, you still enter a score using net par (Defined by Rule 3.2 of USGA Rules of Handicapping.) for the un-played holes.
Be sure to use and update your GHIN digital profile and use the GHIN mobile app and ghin.com enhanced tools.
Hopefully, you find the GHIN app useful to enter scores (even hole by hole!) and to see changes in your game via your handicap.
There are many free resources available to LPGA Amateurs golfers to explain in more detail about Handicaps, adjustments and how to utilize them. The best way is to use your GHIN app and ghin.com enhanced tools to enter your scores, hole by hole and to track your progress.
These golf handicap articles may be helpful to you:
https://golf.com/lifestyle/what-your-handicap-index-really-means/
Handicap or GHIN Questions?
If you have any questions or require support with your GHIN profile or handicap, please reach out.
Have a terrific season!
Irene Hunt
LPGA Amateurs Coastal NJ, Handicap Chair
Why Get A Golf Handicap?
LPGA Amateurs are encouraged to establish a Handicap Index, which is designed to allow you to compete with golfers of all skill levels.
By using a Handicap Index, you can compete against your own potential scoring ability instead of other golfer’s scores. A Handicap Index is used to determine your Course Handicap, which varies depending on the course and set of tees you play.
The Course Handicap is the number of strokes subtracted from your gross score to give a net score. The Handicap Strokes are allocated on specific holes, based on their difficulty.
All LPGA Amateurs are encouraged to enter their scores and to establish their handicap through GHIN via our LPGA Amateurs Coastal NJ Chapter.
GHIN stands for “Golf Handicap and Information Network” and is the service established by the United States Golf Association (USGA) to provide handicaps for players that belong to golf clubs affiliated with their regional golf association, such as LPGA Amateurs Coastal NJ.
A GHIN number is the unique ID provided to you to keep your Handicap Index. GHIN is the most widely accepted Handicap Index. While there are different ways to get your Handicap Index, the USGA/GHIN Handicap Index is the most widely trusted and accepted version.
In order to establish your Handicap Index, you need to post three 18-holes scores (or six 9-hole scores). Your Handicap Index will be issued the morning after you reach this threshold (three 18-hole scores/six 9-hole scores).
Your Handicap Index is meant to give the most accurate representation of your playing potential. In order to do that, you need to post ALL your rounds — both your best and worst rounds. You do not post scores from Scrambles or Best Ball tournaments, or any event where you did not play your own ball for at least 14 holes (out of 18).
There are many free resources available to LPGA Amateurs golfers to explain in more detail about Handicaps, any adjustments and how to utilize them. The best way is to start to enter your scores, hole by hole in GHIN, and to track your progress.
All LPGA Amateur members are expected:
- To act with integrity by following the rules of handicapping;
- Attempt to make the best score possible when you play;
- Submit acceptable scores as soon as possible after your round is complete; and
- Play by the Rules of Golf
This means ENTERING EVERY SCORE for every round you play.
Choosing not to enter scores is as unacceptable as moving your ball to a better lie or not counting a penalty stroke. If you are playing a round of golf or a match play event and do not complete every hole in a round, there is still a required procedure for entering your score.
If you do not hole out when playing a hole, you should enter your most likely score (Defined by USGA Rule 3.3) for that hole.
If your match is over before you play all 18 holes, you still enter a score using net par (Defined by Rule 3.2 of USGA Rules of Handicapping.) for the un-played holes.
We are happy to help any members with any issues you have and encourage everyone to check out the websites of the local and national chapter, USGA and the NJ Golf Association for more information regarding the handicap system.
Aim for your goals, then Swing Past Them!
Irene Hunt
LPGA Amateurs Coastal NJ
Chapter Handicap Chair
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