USGA HANDICAP (TO BE CALLED THE WORLD HANDICAP SYSTEM)

CHANGES FOR 2020

1) – The 8 best scores from your 20 most recent rounds will be used instead of the current 10.

2) - The 96% multiplier that existed in the old handicap system will no longer be used.

3) – Only three rounds, or six nine-hole rounds will be required to create a Handicap Index instead of the old 5 round requirement

4) – There is a new maximum index is 54.0 instead of what was 36.4 for men.

5) – Handicap indexes in the new system will update every single day while the old system updated of the first and 15th of each month.

6) – There are new rules for ESC (equitable stroke distribution). ESC is handicapping on a hole-by-hole basis, in which each hole has a maximum number of strokes one can make. The new guideline is Net Double Bogey. If a player with a course handicap of 15 is playing the hole rated 11th-most difficult, the worst score he can submit on that hole would be a double bogey plus 1 or 3 over par. If a player with a course handicap of 15 is playing the 17th-most difficult hole, the worst score he could submit would simply be a double bogey, given the “net” aspect doesn’t apply on that 17th-toughest hole.

7) There are new handiCAPS, as in “caps” on your index if you run into poor form. If your handicap decreases (gets worse) by three points in a 12-month span, further decreases will only be calculated at 50%.

8) Due to the new Playing Conditions Calculation (PCC), scores posted at the same course on the same day will help determine if the course played more difficult (or easier) than normal, due to conditions or setup. Handicap differentials from all abilities of players will work together to create this calculation, and handicap indexes could be impacted because of it. According to the USGA, this adjustment will not happen often. Scores posted retroactively will not contribute to the PCC, though they will be impacted by it.

9) The World Handicap System switch will flip during the first full week of January, 2020.