All NHSGA members are required to maintain a USGA Handicap through GHIN.

 

 

Under the World Handicap System -- which took effect in the US on January 1, 2020 -- handicaps are adjusted daily. We use your Handicap Index (HI) in force the day the scorecards are printed, normally the day before the event. NHSGA events use the USGA formula to compute your Course Handicap (CH) for the day, using your GHIN Handicap Index, and the Slope, Rating and Par for the tee you play from.

 

We use USGA recommendations based on size of field and game format to then apply a Handicap Allowance (HA) to your CH. The result is your Playing Handicap (PH) for that event. 

 

If the day's main game format involves individual competition, we almost always use a 95% HA. Skins also use a 95% HA, but each player's CH for skins is capped at one stroke per hole. 

 

If the day's main format consists of two-man or four-man teams, the HA is usually 85%. 

 

For an event with 2-man teams, yet another adjustment is made if the Course Handicaps of teammates are more than 8 strokes apart. In that case, each player's handicap is reduced by another 10% before rounding.

 

The Math

Course Handicap = Handicap Index × (Slope Rating ÷ 113) + (Course Rating – Par)

 

Playing Handicap = Course Handicap x Handicap Allowance