Golf Handicap Rules

The USGA's Rules for Golf Handicaps & Flags

The United States Golf Association sets the standard for the rules of the game for American players, events and organizations. Among the things that the USGA presides over are the rules for establishing and maintaining handicaps as well as the use of flags and flagsticks on golf courses.

All About Golf Handicap Rules

When to Use a Ball Marker?

Marking your ball lets you lift your ball from the green and replace it with a marker. Regardless of your handicap, marking your ball is a part of golf, so doing in correctly can avoid embarrassment and unnecessary strokes.

The Handicap Rules for Match Play

In amateur tournaments, you are usually allowed to deduct a specific number of strokes based on your U.S. Golf Association (USGA) handicap. The USGA handicap system enables you to compete on an equal footing with golfers of dif...

Golf Handicap League Rules

In a golf handicap league, players compete with each other using their handicaps to help setup matches between golfers of similar ability. In most cases, players and teams will be matched with each other based on their handicap...

Handicap Compliance

The United States Golf Association, or USGA, states that its handicap system "enables golfers of all skill levels to compete on an equitable basis." Though the system is fairly scientific and uses multiple mathematical formulas...

Handicap Rules

A golf handicap is an effort by the U.S. Golf Association (USGA) to account for the large variance in ability of its member golfers. A golf handicap is a score assigned to an individual golfer based on his past performance, wit...

The Rules of Golf Handicaps

Golf Association. A player's handicap index indicates her ability compared to that of a scratch golfer on a standard course. Handicaps allow players of different ability levels to compete more easily. The USGA, the governing bo...

Golf Handicap Tournament Rules

In a handicap event, you can compete against players of all ability levels with a realistic chance of winning. Some tournaments adhere strictly to United States Golf Association rules. Many local and charity events are less for...

Handicap Golf Rules

The handicap system in golf is designed to even out the competition when players of varying degrees to talent and ability play a match on the golf course. Instead of having the poorer player hope against hope that he can have t...

Golf Handicap Rules

Handicaps are used to level the playing field and encourage competition between all levels of golfers. The United States Golf Association has maintained a handicap system for golfers since 1912. This system used to apply one ha...