What is the golf handicap?

IEGF > What is the VR golf handicap?

What is the golf handicap?

The golf handicap is a numerical measure of a player’s level ranging from 48 to 0. It is used to allow players with different golf levels to play  with each other in a competitive and challenging way. 

The better you get,
the lower the handicap you have.

The handicap represents the number of extra strokes a player makes over 72 strokes in 18 holes. So if your handicap is 24 and you play a par 72 golf course, you should hit 72+24=96 shots to make your par.

You can lower your handicap by hitting less strokes than your handicap in competitions and championships.

To learn more about the handicap and how to improve it

What is the course standard scratch score?

It corresponds to the sum of the pars of all the holes on the course.
For example 4 + 3 + 5 … = 72

What is the golf handicap?

Indicates the level of difficulty of the hole. This ranges from 1 to 18,
with the 1st handicap being the most difficult and the 18th the easiest

What is the scratch/gross result?

It is the sum of the total shots of a golf player on an 18-hole course.

What is the scratch and nett result?

It is the sum of the shots taken on a course, after deducting the player’s handicap.
Nett Result = Gross Result – Handicap

101 – 36 = 65

What is the handicap applied?

The Handicap Stroke. Let’s look at the case of a handicap of 25. 
As we have 25 strokes to give out, we will give one stroke to each of the 18 holes,
and we will have another seven strokes left to score on the holes with handicaps 
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 (on these seven we will have a two-stroke advantage).

How is the handicap updated?

The first step is to calculate the stableford score and then the variations of the
handicap will be calculated applying the criteria in the table below. You reach your
handicap by making 36 Stableford points in an 18-hole round or making 18
Stableford points in a 9-hole round. 

1 - Calculation of Stableford Score

2 - Handicap Calculation

Let’s see an example for a 36 handicap

1-Stableford Score: 43
Bogey: 1 point
Par: 2 points
Birdie: 3 points
Eagle: 4 points
Albatross: 5 points

2- NEW HANDICAP: 32,5 

Here, the player has a handicap of 36 and has scored 43 points so he finished 7 under par. We are in the last row of the table and it shows that for every point above 36, the handicap is reduced by 0.5 so:  

(-0.5 X 7 = -3,5) (36-3,5= 32,5)