What Is a Golf Handicap and How Do You Get One?

A golf handicap is a number that represents your playing ability. It lets golfers of very different standards play a fair match, because the better player effectively gives shots to the weaker one. The lower your handicap, the better you are.

How does a handicap work?

Since 2020 the UK uses the World Handicap System (WHS), the same system used across most of the world. Your scores produce a Handicap Index, a portable number that travels to any course. On the day, that index is converted into a Course Handicap based on how hard the course you are playing is, so a fair number of shots is applied wherever you tee it up.

How do you get a golf handicap in the UK?

There are two main routes:

• Join a golf club. Full or flexible membership at an affiliated club gives you an official Handicap Index and access to competitions.
• Use an approved app. If you are not ready to join a club, England Golf's iGolf subscription gives you an official WHS Handicap Index without club membership. Similar schemes exist across the home nations.

Either way, you submit acceptable scores from rounds you play, and the system calculates your index.

How many rounds do you need?

Under WHS you can get an initial Handicap Index once you have submitted scores totalling 54 holes, which can be three 18-hole rounds or a mix of 9 and 18-hole rounds. Your index then updates as you add more scores, using your best recent rounds.

What is a good golf handicap?

The average male amateur sits somewhere in the high teens to low 20s, and the average woman a little higher. Breaking into single figures is a genuine achievement. As a beginner, do not worry about the number, worry about playing more and enjoying it. The handicap takes care of itself.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I get a golf handicap without joining a club?

In England you can subscribe to England Golf's iGolf, which gives you an official World Handicap System index without club membership. The other home nations have similar independent schemes.

How many rounds do you need for a handicap?

Under the World Handicap System you need scores totalling 54 holes to get your first Handicap Index, for example three 18-hole rounds.

What is a good golf handicap?

The average amateur is in the high teens to low 20s. Getting into single figures is very good. For a beginner, simply having a handicap and improving it is the goal.

What does Handicap Index mean?

It is your portable measure of ability under the World Handicap System. It is converted into a Course Handicap on the day, based on the difficulty of the course you are playing.