There’s an adage in journalism that says if both sides of a complicated issue are unhappy with a story, that must mean it was fair. This might best summarize the World Handicap System as well.
There is no easy way to create an equitable system among golfers of broad skill levels. Scratch players feel like they give too many strokes; higher-handicap players question why their best golf (the lowest eight of their last 20 scores) is prioritized over their “usual golf” in the handicap formula. Golf Digest’s Drew Powell recently wrote about the potential for golfers who play most of their golf at one course having a slightly lower index than those who play all over. And then there are the usual gripes about sandbaggers and vanity handicappers, which could be more a commentary on human nature than an algorithm.
The handicap system isn’t perfect, but what’s apparent is it gets more accurate and more useful the more golf it can assess. This is underscored by our season-long project in which three colleagues and I have been charting and sharing the ups and downs of our golf years, and how it’s all reflected in our handicaps. Start with the easiest case study: two members of our group didn’t keep an official index until recently. Maddi MacClurg played Division I college golf and was used to playing straight-up competitions. Greg Gottfried is relatively new to golf. As opposed to years past, when both drew puzzled looks from colleagues trying to arrive at a rough makeshift handicap for company competitions, both are motivated to play and post more scores now that their numbers are authentic.
But Maddi and Greg are obvious examples of ways to ensure handicap accuracy. Even those of us who play often and have kept a handicap index for years benefit from sharper data. For instance, my 20 most recent scores are all within the last two months, making my “demonstrated ability” showcasing my best eight scores reflective of recent form. And it’s not like I’m playing all 18-hole rounds. To encourage more posting, the World Handicap System recently made accommodations for golfers who might not be able to play full rounds consistently. Beginning this year, the WHS can calculate differentials for 9-hole rounds, or even incomplete rounds of 10 to 17 holes (by using a formula to arrive at an “expected score” for holes not played). Perhaps most extreme, the WHS can also factor scores from courses as short as 1,500 yards.
These changes all counter the excuse from friends who say they don’t have an updated handicap because they don’t play enough “real golf”. The more scores they post, the more it accurately reflects their games. It’s better for them—and for you as their opponent.