World Handicap System

One of the main principles within the Golf Canada Score Centre is that you must be a member of a golf club in order to obtain a Handicap Index. However, Golf Canada has a “Public Player” program that gives golfers the opportunity to play golf at different courses and still have the opportunity to obtain an official Handicap Index and be a member of Golf Canada and provincial golf association.

With the goal of making Handicapping inclusive and accessible, scores from a variety of playing formats are acceptable, providing golfers with an accurate record of their demonstrated ability. A score is acceptable for handicap purposes if the round has been played:  Over at least the minimum number of holes required. To post an 18-hole score, 14 or more holes must be played.  To post a 9-hole score, 7-13 holes must be played.  On a golf course with a valid Course and Slope Rating, whether at home course, away course, or out of country.  On a golf course during its active season.  In the company of at least one other person.  Scores in all authorized formats of play.  By the Rules of Golf.

A player will need to return 54 holes worth of scores to be issued an initial Handicap Index.  The World Handicap System will be averaged based, using the best 8 of the last 20 scores in your record.

All Course Ratings are determined and issued by your provincial golf association. A club may never rate its own course or make adjustments to the course rating you have been issued. If you have made temporary (e.g. temporary tees/greens) or permanent changes to your golf course your club should notify the provincial golf association.  In the case of temporary changes, the association will decide whether scores made under those conditions will be accepted for handicap purposes and whether the Course or Slope rating should be modified temporarily. If you have made permanent changes to your course, the course will be re-rated by the provincial association.

Yes, all member clubs are entitled to utilize the internet-based Golf Canada Score Centre as a member service.

Yes.  As per the Golf Canada Member Club Handicap License Agreement, in order to issue Handicap Indexes to its members, a club must have a Handicap Committee.

Scores can be posted in several ways including through the Golf Canada website, the smartphone application, as well as the score posting kiosk that is set up at your home club. It is the golfer’s responsibility to ensure that all eligible scores are being posted.

If the round(s) played were in an area observing an Active Handicap Season then you must post the score(s). Most of the southern United States observe a year-round Active Season, but you can confirm the Active Season for where you are playing by calling the State golf association for that area.

BC → Mar.1 – Nov.15
AB → Mar.1 – Oct.31
SK → Apr.15 – Oct.31
MB → Apr.15 – Oct.31
ON → Apr.15 – Oct.31
QC → Apr.15 – Oct.31
NS → Apr.15 – Oct.31
NB → May.1 – Oct.31
PE → Apr.16 – Nov.14
NL → Apr.1 – Nov. 30

Only scores from courses with a Course and Slope Rating are eligible for handicap purposes. With the alignment of national golf associations/federations, we will see more and more courses with valid Course and Slope ratings. Please note that depending on the WHS launch date in each country, some courses may be delayed in being issued a Course and Slope Rating.

A player should submit their score as soon as possible on the day of play and before midnight local time. This ensures that your score is included in the analysis for the Playing Conditions Calculation (PCC).

The way that a Course Handicap is calculated has changed with the WHS. A player’s Course Handicap is calculated as(Handicap Index) x (Slope Rating of the tee played / 113) + (Course Rating – Par)The resulting figure is rounded off to the nearest whole number (.5 or more is rounded upward).

Under the World Handicap System, Tournament Scores will not be weighted the same way as they previously were. Now, any exceptional score (regardless of if it was made in a competitive or recreational round) could impact your Handicap Index to ensure that your Index is accurate based on your demonstrated playing ability.

If the hole’s character and playing length have not been altered and you can play the hole under the Rules of Golf, then you can post your actual score on the hole. Otherwise, you must post a Net Par for the hole.

No, a golfer cannot post a score for Handicap purposes if you are unaccompanied during a round.

9-hole scores are combined regardless of where they were played, i.e. a front nine score from one course will be combined with a front nine score from another course. The 18-hole combined score is the sum of the nine-hole Course Ratings and the average of the nine-hole Slope Ratings (.5 rounded up).

Notify your new club that you have kept a Handicap in the past. They will initiate a transfer process through Golf Canada. This will retain all your scoring history and Handicap Index.

The maximum Handicap Index has changed. Where previously there were different values for men and women, now there is one maximum Handicap Index regardless of gender. The maximum Handicap Index is 54.0.  Note: A maximum Handicap Factor will convert to a Course Handicap that exceeds the max. on golf courses with a Slope Rating greater than 113.

Each provincial golf association conducts a series of handicap seminars throughout the year. The seminars are generally 3 hours long, including a brief quiz. Upon passing the quiz an attendee is then considered handicap certified (every Golf Canada member club must have a representative attend a handicap seminar) and prepared to be part of the Handicap Committee at their club (every Golf Canada club must have a Handicap Committee).