A golf handicap or handicap index indicates a player's skill level on a standard course. The handicap number represents the average number of strokes the player would need to add or subtract from his score to reach par on a standard course. Golf handicap calculation and use follow many intricate rules published by the U.S. Golf Association.
Basic Handicap Principle
A "scratch golfer" has a handicap index of zero, meaning he averages par on a standard course. A golfer with a handicap index of minus 4 would average 4 over par on a standard course. A golfer with a handicap index of plus 4 would average 4 under par on a standard course. Thus, in handicap tournament play, a player with a minus 4 handicap index would get four strokes taken off his final score, while the player with a plus 4 handicap index would have four strokes added to his final score. A scratch golfer, or a player with a 0 handicap index, would keep his original score.
Purpose
The handicap index allows players of dramatically different skill levels to compete more evenly in tournaments. It also allows provides a standard, easy-to-understand rating of a player's ability on a standard course.
Calculation of Handicap Index
You must routinely turn in or "post" your scores to your golf club or an authorized golf association in order to have your handicap index calculated. The handicap index works fairly only if players turn in each of their tournament scores or other eligible scores. The golf club or association then calculates the handicap index based on the most recent 20 scores and the difficulty of the courses played on. The handicap calculators will discard any stray rounds that were much higher than the rest.
Course Ratings
In some cases, tournaments require players to recalculate their handicaps for a specific course based on that course's difficulty. You need to know the course's USGA rating to be able to recalculate your score. Most handicap tournaments will adjust all entrants' handicaps according to the course's difficulty.
History of Handicapping
Golf handicapping has its origins in betting in Scotland in the 17th century. Players or bettors would allow a certain number of strokes in a round, "adjusting the odds." The term "handicap" gained acceptance and common use in the late 19th century, when English golf clubs began holding handicap tournaments. A 1908 letter to the editor of a British newspaper voiced the idea that a governing body should regulate course difficulty ratings. The USGA formed its first handicap system in 1911.
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