Author: patrick

5 Things You Should Know About The World Handicap System

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Beginning in 2020 a brand-new set of Rules for Handicapping will be introduced globally

1. Your Handicap Index may change.

But that’s ok! Finally, players around the world will have an apples-to-apples handicap. Your new Handicap Index will be more responsive to good scores by averaging your eight best scores out of your most recent 20 (currently, it’s 10 out of 20 with a .96 multiplier). In short, your Handicap Index will be determined by your demonstrated ability and consistency of scores. In most cases for golfers in the U.S., it will change less than one stroke.

2. You need to know your Course Handicap.

In the new system, your Course Handicap will be the number of strokes needed to play to par. This will result in greater variance in that number and presents a change, as historically it has represented the number of strokes needed to play to the Course Rating. This is a good thing, as par is an easy number to remember. Target score for the day? Par plus Course Handicap. The Course Rating will now be inherent within the calculation to be more intuitive and account for competing from different tees. You will also have a Playing Handicap, which is Course Handicap adjusted for any Terms of the Competition such as Handicap Allowances or a difference in Par. The majority of the time, your Course Handicap and Playing Handicap will be the same number.

3. Net Double Bogey.

The maximum hole score for each player will be limited to a Net Double Bogey. This adjustment is more consistent from hole to hole than the Equitable Stroke Control procedure. Net Double Bogey is already used in many other parts of the world and the calculation is simple: Par + 2 + any handicap strokes you receive.

4. Your Handicap Index will be revised daily.

One way that handicapping is being modernized is a player’s Handicap Index will update daily (which will provide a fairer indication of a player’s ability in the moment), if the player submitted a score the day before. On days where the player does not submit a score, no update will take place.

5. Safeguards in the new system.

The new system will limit extreme upward movement of a Handicap Index, automatically and immediately reduce a Handicap Index when an exceptional score of at least 7 strokes better is posted, and account for abnormal course or weather conditions to ensure that scores reflect when a course plays significantly different than its established Course Rating and Slope Rating.

These safeguards help maintain the accuracy of a Handicap Index, greater integrity within the system and promote fun and fair play for golfers of all abilities.

(Document provided to the KCGA by the USGA)

KCGA Announces 2019 Club Award Winners

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Lenexa, KS – The KCGA is pleased to announce its annual club award winners for 2019.  The awards are presented to both public access and private clubs for growth in women’s golf and junior golf and based on new handicap subscribers at each club.

Women’s Growth Award (Private Club) – Falcon Ridge Golf Club leads all KCGA member clubs in the growth of women’s core golfers for the second year in a row.

Women’s Growth Award (Public Club) – Overland Park Golf Club led all public clubs for the second year in a row, and took over in 2018 from sister course St. Andrews Golf Club.

Junior Growth Award (Private Club) – Hallbrook Country Club leads all KCGA member private clubs for the most new junior core golfers.  This is the first time Hallbrook has been recognized by the KCGA for junior golf growth.

Junior Growth Award (Public Club) – Fred Arbanas Golf Club claimed the public club junior growth award for the second year in a row.

The KCGA thanks all our clubs for their efforts to grow the game throughout the season.  We congratulate our annual award winners for the outstanding efforts in 2019.

Announcing the 2019 Player of the Year Recipients

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KCGA/KGA Women Player of the Year Recipients

As the 2019 season comes to an end, the Kansas City Golf Association and Kansas Golf Association would like to recognize the top talent in our women’s sector of competition. These three players exceled in tournaments all year long and proved themselves to be consistently atop the leader board. Congratulations to the following women for their excellent seasons!

Julia Misemer

Julia Misemer, a sophomore at Blue Valley West, is our 2019 KCGA/KGA Girls Player of the Year, besting her competition by over 1100 points with three outright wins and a couple runner-up finishes. Coming off a recent KSHSAA 6A Girls State Championship win, Misemer ran away with this year’s award. Highlights of Misemer’s 2019 campaign consist of a first-place finish at the KC Junior Championship at Brookridge Golf & Fitness, qualifying for the National PGA Championship, and a runner-up finish at the KC Women’s Match Play Championship at Swope Memorial.

Misemer also qualified for the US Girls Junior Championship and qualified for match play. At the Kansas Women’s Amateur at Prairie Dunes, Misemer finished tied for eight, and was also a member of the 2019 Mid-America Junior Cup that defeated St. Louis 13-3. Misemer at only 15, has long been a force in the junior golf community of Kansas and we look forward to her next few years of competition.

Rachel Stous

Rachel Stous, a freshman at Metropolitan Community College, claimed her first KCGA/KGA Women’s Player of the Year award. In a close battle with Kansas University golfer Sera Tadokoro, Stous outperformed her competition by 337 points. Stous’s season was highlighted by her win in the KC Women’s Match Play Championship at Swope Memorial over Girls Player of the Year recipient, Julia Misemer. Stous headed to the 13th hole in the Championship match with a 5 up cushion and clinched the KC Women’s Match Play Championship in style with a walk-off Hole-In-One.

Add to that, Stous’s runner-up finish at the Kansas Women’s Amateur at Prairie Dunes with a three-day tournament score of 217 (+1). Stous was also a member of the Kansas Women’s Fore State team and finished tied for sixth at the Prairie Invitational at The National Golf Course of Kansas City.

Susan DeVoe

Susan DeVoe of Overland Park, Kansas, took the KCGA/KGA Senior Women’s Player of the Year after finishing in the top five in at least five events in 2019. Devoe’s competitive season shined with two wins in Women’s Four-Ball events, a top-five finish at the Tee-Fore-Two Championship at Rolling Hills Country Club, and a runner-up finish in the Kansas Women’s Senior Championship.

To cement her win over second-place finisher, Pam Simpson, DeVoe finished fourth at the Kansas Women’s Mid-Amateur championship and made it to the Round of 16 in the KC Women’s Match Play Championship.

Congratulations to all three ladies who represented the KCGA/KGA extremely well throughout 2019. All three worked extremely hard to capture their Player of the Year awards and we look forward to seeing them try to defend in 2020!

To see the points list for each division, click here.

KCGA Men’s Player of the Year Recipients

The Kansas City Golf Association is thrilled to announce the Men’s Player of the Year award recipients for 2019! Congratulations to Kansas University golfer, Andy Spencer, and long-time KCGA and USGA competitor, Bryan Norton.

Andy Spencer

Andy Spencer, now in his senior year at Kansas University, has claimed the Amateur Player of the Year award for the second consecutive season. Spencer is no stranger to winning golf tournaments and competed successfully in tournaments throughout the state of Kansas since he was a junior golfer. Spencer’s 2019 season is highlighted by his Kansas Amateur win at Milburn Country Club. Spencer finished as the second lowest qualifier in stroke-play, shooting a four-under, two-day total of 140 to advance to match play as the 2 seed. After battling through five rounds of match play, Spencer faced off against junior golfer Nicklaus Mason in the final 36-hole Championship match. A native of Kansas City and Milburn member, Spencer won the Kansas Amateur Championship 8 and 6 over Mason.

Other impressive accomplishments include qualifying for the US Amateur Championship at Pinehurst and finishing tied for second in the rain-shortened Watson Challenge. Currently, Spencer is preparing for the final stage of the Korn Ferry Q School. We wish him luck and look forward to seeing him compete in years to come.

Bryan Norton

Bryan Norton of Mission Hills, Kansas has been a long-time player for the KCGA and KGA as well as competing in USGA Championships. His competitive play clinched him the KCGA Senior Amateur Player of the Year award over close second-place finisher Steve Groom. Norton’s 2019 season consisted of qualifying for the US Senior Amateur at Old Chatham Golf Club in Durham, NC. Not only did Norton make it to match play in the US Senior Amateur Championship, but he had a great run to the Round of 16 where he lost a close match to Paul Jett, one up.

Norton also competed in the Kansas Amateur Championship at Milburn where he advanced to match play as the 22 seed after a stroke-play qualifying round of 146 (73, 73). Norton made it to the Round of 32, losing to 2018 Champion Sion Audrain in 19 holes of a great match. Norton competed in US Senior Open qualifying at the Golf Club of Creekmoor where he missed a playoff to qualify by one stroke.

To see the points list for both Player of the Year lists, click here.

Congratulations again to all of our Player of the Year recipients. We appreciate all of our participants throughout the season and we look forward to what the 2020 season has in store! Registration opens March 1, 2020!

Team KC Retains Mid America Junior Cup in 13-3 Victory

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Kansas City CC, Mission Hills, KS – The 2019 Mid-America Junior Cup was a great team victory for Kansas City. In a Ryder Cup style event against St. Louis (MAGA), Kansas City started off strong Saturday morning at Kansas City Country Club during the foursomes session. Easton Johnson/Libby Green got the first point on the board for KC with a 6 & 5 win over Ryan Walsh/Rylie Andrews. Justin Wingerter/Lia Johnson clinched the second point of the event with a 7 and 5 win over Jack Guyot/Brooke Biermann. The last two foursome matches went the distance with Patrick Neal/Julia Misemer halving Hole 17 & 18 to win the match 1 up. Will Harding/Victoria Klausner headed into Hole 18 1 up over Braden Hoisington/Momo Kikuchi and with a birdie on the 18th hole won their match 2 up to give KCGA a 4-0 lead.

In the afternoon four-ball session, Julia Misemer/Libby Green cruised to victory with a 7 & 6 win to add to team KC’s lead. St. Louis’s Biermann/Kikuchi followed with their own victory over KC’s Victoria Klausner/Lia Johnson with a 4 & 3 win to get St. Louis on the board. The final two four-ball matches came down to the wire. Team KC’s Easton Johnson/Patrick Neal found themselves with a 2 up lead through 16 holes, but a birdie putt on the 17th by St. Louis would decrease the lead to 1 up with one hole left to play. Team KC would win the match 1 up after halving the 18th hole to give KC a 6-1 lead with the last four-ball match to be decided.

Will Harding/Justin Wingerter faced tough competition in St. Louis’s Hoisington/Guyot team and got down early. KC made the turn 2 down in the match, but followed quickly with a birdie on the 10th hole and a par on the 11th to win the next two holes and tie the match. Hoisington would birdie the 13th to give St. Louis another lead, but Harding’s clutch par on the 14th would tie the match again. Heading into the 17th hole still tied, a big birdie putt by Harding to win the 17th hole would ultimately be the difference maker. Team KC would win the match 1 up after halving the 18th hole to give KC a 7-1 heading into the final day of competition.

Singles began early Sunday morning at Kansas City Country Club. Team KC again got off to a strong start, claiming the first two singles matches with victories by Victoria Klausner (9 & 8) and Easton Johnson (6 & 4). St. Louis battled back with a victory by Mia Rallo over Libby Green (3 & 2). Justin Wingerter added another point for KC with a 7 & 6 victory over Braden Hoisington. Lia Johnson of KC would fall in a close battle with Momo Kikuchi who would win 1 up after halving the 18th hole. Patrick Neal of KC would follow next with a tight victory over Kal Kolar with a great second shot to lead to a tap in birdie on the 18th hole to win the match 1 up. KC’s Will Harding’s match would end on the 16th hole after a birdie putt fell to clinch his match 3 & 2. In the most competitive singles match of the day, Julia Misemer and Brooke Biermann would go all the way to the end. Biermman would hold a 1 up lead over KC’s Misemer through the first 11 holes, but a bogey on the 12th hole would tie the match. Biermann was quick to bounce back with a birdie on the 13th hole to go back to 1 up. Misemer’s amazing chip-in on the Par-3, 14th would tie the match once again and her momentum would carry with a win on the 15th as well to go 1 up over Biermann. Biermann and Misemer would swap birdie wins on the next two holes and Misemer would head to the 18th hole with a 1 up lead. With two great drives on the 18th tee, it would come down to approach shots. Misemer stuck her approach shot to tap-in birdie range and the pressure was on Biermann to follow suit. She would follow with a great shot of her own but would come to rest about 20 feet from the hole and wasn’t quite enough. Misemer went on to win the match 2 up.

To retain the Mid-America Cup, Kansas City needed 8 points out of the 16 available. Fortunately, Kansas City was able to grab 13 points! It was a great team victory for Team Kansas City and a great display of the junior golf talent between us and St. Louis. Thank you to the staff and players of St. Louis for traveling to KC and for the staff/members of Kansas City Country Club for hosting this great event.

We look forward to battling it out again next year in St. Louis. For full results, please see here.

 

Esterline/Rugeles capture Gross Title, Dusenberry/Yacenda Claim Net Championship at Fall Triple Threat

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Terradyne CC, Andover, KS –  The Women’s Fall Triple Threat enjoyed a great fall afternoon for golf at Terradyne CC in Andover, Kansas.  Women from all over the state came together for the final championship of the season which features six holes of Four Ball, six holes of Chapman Alternate Shot, and six holes of Scramble.

Former Wichita State golfer Dani Rugeles (Bogota, Colombia) and partner Sabrina Esterline (Wichita) started the round with a rocky performance in the Four Ball format, but were flawless in the difficult Chapman Alternate Shot and the closing Scramble holes to win the Overall Gross championship with a 67 (-4).  The eagle on the par-5 17th hole helped seal the tournament over Alex Beury (Wichita) and Meghan Houtsma (Syracuse.)  Beury and Houtsma had a 3-stroke lead after the opening Four Ball, but couldn’t match Esterline/Rugeles’s firepower in the Chapman and Scramble.

In the Net Division, Brandi Dusenberry and Heather Yacenda, both of Wichita, dominated the Four Ball format and rode the early lead to claim the Overall Net title. Marcia Alterman/Patricia Sherwood (Wichita) and Lori Payne/Susan Cummings (Wichita) had strong performances, but were not able to overcome the five net eagles Dusenberry and Yacenda posted.

The tournament also featured play within four flights.  Esterline/Rugeles and Beury/Houtsma claimed first and second gross in First Flight, and Lori Payne/Susan Cummings and Nicolle Jausel/Ann Woods (Wichita) claimed first and second net.

In Second Flight, Marcia Alterman/Patricia Sherwood and Renee Montoya/Diana Jayne (Salina) won first and second gross, while Kathy Thomas/Sandy Siegfried (Hutchinson) and Darlene Allen/Phyllis Fast (Topeka) earned first and second net.

Deb Christiansen/Marci Williams (Wichita) and Janet Ast/Stephanie Welk (Wichita) won first and second gross in Third Flight, and Shirley West (Winfield)/Paula Gill (Wellington) and Carla Calvert (Wichita)/Jo Toner (Valley Center) took home the net honors.

In Fourth Flight, Tammy Blunt (Sedgwick)/Jeanne Tjaden (Wichita) and Barbara Dresselhaus/Judy Carlson (Wichita) claimed first and second gross, while Dusenberry/Yacenda and Vicki Bell/Susan Atha (Topeka) won first and second net.

The final event in the KGA/KCGA Women’s Player of the Year Series is the US Women’s Four Ball Qualifier next Tuesday.

Click Here for Complete Fall Triple Threat Results

Click Here for Women’s and Senior Women’s Player of the Year Standings

Stateline Champions Crowned at the National

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The 2019 Stateline Amateur Tour came to a close with its end of the season championship held at the National Golf Course of Kansas City on October 9th.

Over 90 players in four divisions competed to win the Tour Championship and division Player of the Year. In the Open division, Greg Diederich won the tour championship with a two-over, 74, featuring two birdies on the day. Diederich beat out Chris Beaubien and Jeff Mason, who both tied for second place with rounds of 76 (+4).

Jeff Mason’s second place finish was enough to edge out Chris Beaubien in the Player of the Year race. Playing in 7 events, Mason won two to finish the season with 78 points and a Player of the Year trophy.

In the Senior division, Scott Richey, Don Kuehn, and Steve Hammond all tied for first place with one-over, rounds of 73. Between the three, eleven birdies were carded. Steve Groom finished in fourth place with a two-over, 74. Groom’s fourth place finish propelled him to the Player of the Year finalist over Mark Addington. Groom played in eight events this year and won two to finish with 83.5 points, three more than Addington.

In the Legends Gross division, David Hamilton and Sam Vanlandingham would both finish tied for first after shooting rounds of 76 (+4). John Grant finished in third with a five-over, 77. David Hamilton’s added yet another win to his SLAT season. Playing in ten total events, Hamilton won five of them, finishing with 121 points. Bob Bezek finished second in the Player of the Year list with 87.5 points.

In the Legends Net division, John Grant’s great round gave him the trophy as Legends Net tour champion with a three-under, 69, net score.

Garret Routh had a great day after shooting a gross score of 74 to claim both the Player’s Gross and Net champion title. Routh’s round featured five birdies and gave him the lead in the gross division by three strokes over Marcus Moore. Routh’s 74 would net him a score of 69 to claim the Player’s Net champion.

Alex Reed finished third in the Player’s Gross division with a score of 79 (+7). His third place finish was enough to give him the lead on the Player of the Year list with a total of 82.5 points. Reed played in eight events and won four of them to best second place finisher Marcus Moore. Marcus Moore would take home the Player of the Year trophy in the Player’s Net division after playing well in the championship with a total of 76.33 points. Mittal Patel finished in second with 57.25 points.

For full results of the championship, see here. For Player of the Year points list, see here.

The KCGA would like to thank all of our Stateline Amateur players that came out to play over the season and we are so grateful to have such great talent that continues to show up each and every event. We’ll see everyone next year on the Stateline Tour at our first event at Milburn CC!

The 9-Hole Guy

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One Wichita man has played every 9-hole golf course in the state of Kansas. That’s a total of 107 grass green courses.

Dakin Cramer is a former member of Flint Hills National Golf Club and a long-time member of the Kansas Golf Association. When Flint Hills was closed on Mondays or during the winter you could find him at nearby 9-hole courses in Wichita, there are more than 30 9-hole golf courses within 75 miles of Wichita. He reflected on when he first thought “maybe I should expand my playing to include more 9-hole courses nearby when Flint Hills is closed.” His first course was Anthony Golf Club played in January of 2015.

Some of his buddies at Flint Hills National thought he was crazy, due to the excellent condition of their home club. Overtime, Dakin found a particular hole on every course that really spoke to him. Even the most mundane of courses have some type of design feature that made the course interesting. It was in his appreciation for these courses, that his dream to play every 9-hole course was born.

Dakin planned out his trips carefully, as his radius grew outside of 75 miles from Wichita it often included overnight stays. For example, he played 36 holes two days in a row in the Hays/Colby area.

He’s learned a lot about the different communities he’s played in. Dakin said “having a golf course is a lot like having a post office or school, once the town loses it, they lose their identity. Communities are proud of their courses, several have been built by the community and funded by them, too.”

In my conversation with Dakin, he reflected on some of his favorite and most unique golf courses.

In Sharon Springs, the scorecard has a picture of a ball being wrapped up by a rattlesnake, it turns out, they’re home to a tournament called the Rattle Snake Open.

One of his favorite courses is Prairie Dog Golf Course in Norton, KS

Other notable courses for Dakin included:

For Dakin, his goal hasn’t changed over the years, but his expectations have. He now understands the importance of the 9-hole golf courses to each community he visits. He knows that they don’t always make money, but the importance of the facility is the commitment the community has to it. Over the years, some properties have been bought, sold, remained privately owned, but for the town, it’s remained a labor of love to keep the doors open and the grass mowed.

Dakin completed his goal of playing every 9-hole golf course in the state on September 10, 2019.

Dakin’s collage includes signatures from people who have had an impact on his life. It’s all about his experience visiting with people while they sign his collage. Memories and people, he has interacted with during his golf experiences. Signatures from Kim Richey, Golf Team from 1966, Steve Hatchet (won a junior event together in 1965), lower right-hand corner – check to Dean Smith for $50 that was never cashed, Gary Conover (past president of KGA), Dave Hensen (Head Golf Profession at Flint Hills National). He even mentioned when he dies this collage will be at his funeral, that’s how important these memories are to him!

Do you have a story that should be shared with our golf community? Contact us: baile@kcgolf.org

Simpson Breaks Through for First Kansas Women’s Senior Championship

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Falcon Lakes Golf Club, Basehor, KS – Pam Simpson earned her first Kansas Women’s Senior Championship and ended Denise Desilet’s streak of consecutive wins at seven.

The field was strong in this year’s championship and played a well-conditioned golf course in unseasonably warm weather for two days.  The day began with Susan DeVoe atop the leaderboard at 1-under par, and Denise Desilet and Pam Simpson chasing from behind.  Desilet and Simpson opened with birdies on the par-5 first hole to close the gap.  Simpson had a very steady front nine, making the turn at even par for the day with only one bogey on her card.  DeVoe and Desilet both carded 40s on the front side.  The back nine was all Pam Simpson as she made three birdies to card a final round 3-under par 69.

Patsy Byrnes and Sandy Pepper battled to the finish in the Senior Division Net Championship.  Pepper had a very strong back nine on day 2, but it was not enough to surpass the lead Byrnes had built by opening the round with a net eagle and closing the front nine with a net birdie.  Byrnes claimed her first Overall Net title by one stroke.

Phyllis Fast began round two leading Judy Morris by one stroke after a very solid 80 on the opening day.  She continued her steady play and carded 80 again in round two.  Morris finished with an uncharacteristic 88.  Fast cruised to a seven-stroke victory to claim her second Super Senior Championship.

Karen Brower began round two with the lead in the Super Senior Net Championship, but Deyonne Pickerign made a charge with a superb second round score.  Pickerign opened the round with a net 6-under par on the front nine, and continued to charge on the back.  Brower held on to her lead by three strokes with strong play on the final five holes.  This is Karen Brower’s first Super Senior Net title.

The 2019 KGA/KCGA Women’s Player of the Year Series concludes in October with the final two events – Fall Triple Threat at Terradyne CC in Andover, KS on October 14, and the US Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Qualifier.  Rachel Stous of Topeka sits atop the Women’s Player of the Year standings, and Susan DeVoe leads the Senior Women’s Player of the Year list heading into the final month.

DeVoe Leads Day 1 of Kansas Women’s Senior Championship With Only Sub-Par Round of the Day

Day one of the Kansas Women’s Senior/Super Senior Championship kicked off at Falcon Lakes Golf Club in Basehor, Kansas on Monday morning with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun.

60 ladies squared off in individual stroke-play in hot, humid conditions on round one of the two-day championship. In the Senior division, 2018 Senior Runner Up, Susan DeVoe of Overland Park, shot the only under-par, gross round of the day to lead the field. DeVoe’s impressive one-under, 71, was highlighted by three birdies and two bogeys. Defending Champion, Denise Desilet of Wichita, finished in second place by two strokes with a one-over, 73, that featured three birdies and four bogeys. Pam Simpson of Kansas City rounded out the top three in the Senior division after a two-over, 74.

In our Super Senior division, Phyllis Fast of Topeka, finished as the leader in the clubhouse with a round of 80 (+8). Fast’s round was highlighted by two birdies on the back nine on Holes 11 & 14. Judy Morris of Derby finished second in the Super Senior division after round one by one stroke with a round of 81. Darlene Allen of Topeka capped off the top three with a ten-over, 82, heading into round two of competition.

Our net division leaders after 18 holes of competition are Patsy Byrnes of Overland Park, Kansas, in the Senior division with a day one score of 63, and Karen Brower of Shawnee, Kansas, with a round one score of 59 to lead the Super Senior net race.

Full results can be found here!

Follow along tomorrow as we conclude the 2019 Kansas Women’s Senior/Super Senior Championship!

Junior Golf Year in Review

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1 – First KS Girls Match Play Championship: Shauna Lee

2 – Holes In One: Faith Hedges & Nick Nickloy

3 – Top Ten Junior Finishers in Watson Challenge: Nicklaus Mason, Davis Cooper, Jack Lee

+3.22 – Average Handicap Index of Members on KS/NE Cup Team

4 – Strokes Under Par Cooper Schultz Shot to Win KS Junior Amateur

5 – Position Low Junior Finished in KS Women’s Amateur: Megan Propeck

6 – Total Under Par Will Harding Shot to Win KC Junior Championship

11 – Members of the KC Junior Ambassador Team

14 – Age of Youngest Player in the KS Amateur field (Ty Adkins)

24 – Girls in KS Junior Amateur

25 – Juniors in KC Amateur field

32 – Number of Juniors Qualified for KS Amateur

80 – Number of Players in KJGA Tour Championship

112.7 – Average Field of a KC Junior Tour event

143 – Winning Score of Lois Deeter in Sunflower Girls Championship

159 – Two Day Total for Prairie Invitational Player Division Champion Maggie King

789.33 – Number of Points Tate Herrenbruck Has on Boys Player of the Year List

2065.5 – Number of Points Julia Misemer Has on Girls Player of the Year List

World Handicap System | FAQ

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World Handicap System FAQ

You have a question, we have the answer.

Will my score history be migrated to the new system? As long as you have previously had a USGA Handicap Index, all of your past scoring history will be migrated – whether you want it to or not. ?

Will I get a new Handicap Index when WHS goes live in January 2020? Maybe. There is no guarantee that your index will change, but it most likely will. In some cases, your index will go up. For other golfers, your index might go down. Just remember that the WHS will be a more accurate, inclusive, and fair system.

What is a “Low Handicap Index”? We’re glad you asked. Low Handicap Index will be a key component of the World Handicap System.  A golfer’s handicap index is subject to a soft cap from the low handicap index over the prior year once it rises three strokes.  A handicap index is subject to a hard cap of no more than five strokes higher than the low handicap index over the previous year.

Many tournaments currently use the low handicap index over the prior year for events like the Member/Guest.  It is important to note that the World Handicap System is a new formula, so the low handicap index for every golfer as it pertains to the World Handicap System will be set on the first day of its implementation in January 2020.  In order for the low handicap index to become a part of a golfer’s handicap index,  the golfer must have 20 scores in the scoring record.

Please have your tournament committees carefully consider how to implement this particular feature for the year 2020.  Feel free to reach out to us with any questions.  We are happy to be available for committee meetings by phone or Skype if necessary to answer any questions related to this new component of the WHS.

Will the active handicap season change? Nope. We are still operating from March 1 – December 31 à that means you can post your score when you play golf during our active season. Be sure to check if the state you’re playing in is observing an active season – you can always post your score when it is an active season where you played golf.

All this talk about the Handicap System has me wanting to establish a Handicap Index. How can I do that? You can join at your local club or through an Eclub Here