An Active Season is the period of time when acceptable scores from a specified area should be submitted for handicap purposes. The Rules of Handicapping stipulates that every player is responsible for submitting all acceptable scores into one’s scoring record for rounds played on courses during the active season.
It is the responsibility of authorized provincial golf association to declare active and inactive seasons, with area clubs and players required to observe these dates for score posting purposes. To make this process easier, the Golf Canada Score Centre automatically considers the active season of the course being played when a score is posted and whether it should be included in calculating a player’s Handicap Index.
In Canada, the active season in each province is as follows:
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
(NOTE: Some Lower mainland and Vancouver Island courses may observe a year-round active season). For a list of clubs observing a year-round active season, please contact BC Golf
Scores made at any golf course observing an inactive season are not acceptable for handicap calculation purposes. This is because course conditions during inactive seasons are not consistent with the way that the Course & Slope Ratings were determined, which can impact the accuracy of a player’s Handicap Index.
Scores made at a golf course in an area observing an active season must be posted for handicap purposes, even if the golf club where the player is a member is observing an inactive season. The club’s Handicap Committee must make it possible for a player to post these away scores at the beginning of the active season.
It’s important to note that if you are travelling to other countries or regions, you should confirm their active seasons to ensure all acceptable scores are posted. Your home club needs all acceptable scores (even if played during a Canadian “off-season”) to ensure that your Handicap Index is accurate and reflects your demonstrated ability.
For example, if a player belonging to a golf club in Ontario plays golf in Florida (which observes a year-round active season) during January, any score(s) made in Florida are acceptable and must be submitted to the player’s scoring record. If the player is also a member of a golf club in Florida and Ontario, it is important to remember that all acceptable scores must be posted to each scoring record. The Golf Canada Score Centre has tools available to link Canadian and USGA accounts, so that a score posted to one account is automatically transferred to the other. For more information, or to set up this link, please contact members@golfcanada.ca or phone 1-800-263-0009 X399.
For a detailed list of active and inactive schedule in the United States, click here.
How is the treatment of 9-hole scores changing under the WHS™ in 2024?
Currently, one 9-hole score must be combined with another to create an 18-hole Score Differential™ before it can be counted for handicap purposes.
Beginning in 2024, when a player posts a 9-hole score, the WHS will automatically calculate an 18-hole Score Differential for the round. This will be based on the player’s 9-hole Score Differential and expected Score Differential based on their current Handicap Index®. This allows the 9-hole round to be considered in the player’s Handicap Index calculation right away.
As part of this change, golfers will be required to play and post all 9 holes with a valid 9-hole Course Rating™ and Slope Rating™ instead of the previous minimum of 7 holes.
What are the benefits of this change?
The growing number of golfers who regularly play 9-hole rounds will no longer have to wait for another 9-hole score for their Handicap Index to be updated.
In addition, it provides a better indicator of how a player will normally perform over 18 holes on a given day when compared to combining 9-hole scores from different days and under different playing conditions.
Finally, this new method produces a more consistent and comparable Handicap Index for golfers who post 9-hole scores. For example, under the current method:
Combining two independent 9-hole scores often results in more volatility and is highly dependent on the order in which scores are combined.
It is also common for two good 9-hole scores to be combined that produce an 18-hole Score Differential that is better than any of the player’s 18-hole scores made over 18 consecutive holes. The impact is an artificially low Handicap Index.
How will a golfer’s expected score be determined to create an 18-hole Score Differential?
Once the player’s 9-hole Score Differential has been calculated, it is combined with an expected Score Differential based on the player’s current Handicap Index to create an 18-hole Score Differential.
The expected score is based on the average Score Differential of a player with a given Handicap Index and a normal distribution of scores – so it is not specific to each player.
An expected score can be thought of as a neutral value, meaning that a good 9-hole round (relative to the player’s ability) will result in a good 18-hole Score Differential. An average 9-hole round will result in an average 18-hole Score Differential, etc.
Here is an example of how a 9-hole score is converted into an 18-hole Score Differential:
A player with a Handicap Index of 14.0 posts a 9-hole score of 41. Based on Course Rating™ and Slope Rating™ of the tees played, this results in a 9-hole Score Differential of 7.2. That value is then added to the player’s expected 9-hole Score Differential to determine an 18-hole Score Differential of 15.7, which will be entered into the player’s scoring record immediately.
When establishing a Handicap Index, how are 9-hole scores treated?
To establish a Handicap Index, a player must play and post a total of 54 holes, which can be made up of 9- and/or 18-hole scores. The use of expected score does not come into play until a golfer plays and posts the required 54 holes to establish a Handicap Index.
Once the player has posted scores from a total of 54 holes and an expected score can be determined for the player, an 18-hole Score Differential will be calculated for each 9-hole score and displayed within their scoring record. At this time the player will have established their initial Handicap Index.
How will the score-posting procedure change for a 9-hole score?
The procedure for posting a 9-hole score will not change. Golfers can continue to post scores as they always have through the Golf Canada App or Golf Canada Score Centre. Golfers can post their scores Hole-by-Hole (recommended) or as an adjusted gross score.
Please remember though, that in order to post a 9-hole score, golfers will be required to play and post all 9 holes with a valid 9-hole Course Rating™ and Slope Rating™ instead of the previous minimum of 7 holes.
What is changing about the way 10–17-hole scores are treated in 2024?
Currently, when 10 to 13 holes are played, scores made on holes 10 through 13 are disregarded and a 9-hole score is posted. When 14-17 holes are played, net par is used for the remaining holes to allow an 18-hole score to be posted.
Beginning in 2024, when a player with a Handicap Index plays 10-17 holes, a Score Differential will be created based on the holes played. For the remaining holes not played, the player’s expected Score Differential will be added to that value to produce an 18-hole Score Differential.
To facilitate this change, when a player plays between 10-17 holes, they will be required to post their scores hole-by-hole so the appropriate Score Differential can be calculated from the holes that were played to combine with the expected score for the holes not played.
What are the benefits of this change?
10–17-hole rounds are uncommon for most players and are typically a result of circumstances such as darkness, inclement weather, or match play, this change will result in a premium being placed on the holes played, more flexibility in terms of posting scores, and more accurate Score Differentials. Here’s why:
Today, scores made on holes 10-13 are disregarded if fewer than 14 holes are played. The change adds flexibility by allowing scores made on those holes to be used to create an 18-hole Score Differential.
Currently, when 14-17 holes are played, net par is used on any remaining holes not played. By replacing net par with the use of expected score to produce an 18-hole Score Differential, players will see more equity and consistency – since the expected score is not course-specific or reliant upon the course’s stroke index allocation.
Note: Net par will still be available for limited use where practical, and at the discretion of the Handicap or Competition Committee, however, the expected score will be used as the default position for holes not played.
Here is an example of how an 18-hole Score Differential is calculated for a golfer who played only 14 holes:
A player with a Handicap Index of 10.0 plays 14 holes before stopping play due to severe weather. Through 14 holes, the player had an adjusted gross score of 64. After posting the 14-hole score hole-by-hole, a Score Differential will be calculated based on the score of 64 and the Course Rating information for the 14 holes played, and that result will be added to the expected Score Differential over 4 holes for a 10.0 Handicap Index player to determine an 18-hole Score Differential.
How will this change impact the score-posting procedure?
When posting a score where 10-17 holes have been played, the golfer will be required to designate when a hole has not been played.
Please remember that if the golfer started the hole, but did not finish, then they are required to record a score using the “Most Likely Score” procedure (Rules of Handicapping, Rule 3.3).
If someone plays 10-17 holes, will it count as 18 holes for the purposes of establishing a Handicap Index?
When establishing a Handicap Index, or building up to 54 holes played and posted, if a player plays between 10 and 17 holes, the score made on the 9 holes with a 9-hole Course Rating and Slope Rating would be posted for handicap purposes. Any remaining holes would be disregarded.
What will the new minimum length requirement be for a course and/or set of tees to be issued a Course Rating and Slope Rating?
The World Handicap System has approved a low-end limit for courses to be issued a Course Rating and Slope Rating of 1,500 yards for 18-holes or 750 yards for 9-holes. This is a reduction from the current minimums of 3,000 yards for 18-holes and 1,500 yards for 9-holes.
As a result, there will be more golf courses that will qualify for a Course Rating and Slope Rating if desired.
What are the benefits of this change?
Scores will be acceptable for handicap purposes at shorter length golf courses and the Handicap Index can be used to determine a Course Handicap™/Playing Handicap™ for both casual rounds and competitive events at these shorter courses.
Also, as these courses are often played by either beginners or golfers with shorter hitting distances, it provides these players with the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of maintaining a Handicap Index.
Lastly, the change accommodates the growing number of short courses being built and shorter tees that are being added at full length courses.
How does a course that is now eligible get scheduled for a rating visit?
Any golf course interested in obtaining a Course Rating and Slope Rating is encouraged to contact their Provincial Association to confirm eligibility and schedule a visit from a Course Rating Team.
The R&A and USGA announce 2024 World Handicap System™ revisions
The R&A
(St Andrews, Scotland and Liberty Corner, NJ, USA) – The R&A and the USGA announced the first update to the World Handicap System™ (WHS™) as part of an ongoing review of the Rules of Handicapping™ and Course Rating System™ with a continued emphasis on accuracy, consistency and equity.
The latest revisions will go into effect January 17, 2024.
Many countries have seen significant increases in the number of scores being submitted for handicapping purposes since the WHS was introduced, reflecting golf’s broadening appeal. More than 100 million scores have been posted each year, unifying millions of golfers through a standard measure of playing ability. The 2024 update leverages the performance data gathered from around the world, in addition to feedback received from many of the 125 countries now using the system.
Significant updates to the WHS include:
Inclusion of Shorter-Length Golf CoursesWithin the Course Rating System: The overall length requirements for Course Rating in the WHS will be significantly reduced. A set of tees on an 18-hole course may be as short as 1,500 yards [1,370 metres] to be eligible for a Course Rating and Slope Rating®, and a set of tees on a 9-hole course may be as short as 750 yards [685 metres]. This change is intended to expand the WHS to thousands of shorter length courses, including par-3 courses, and enable more golfers to obtain and use a Handicap Index.
Use of an Expected Score for a Hole Not Played: Improvements have been made to the method used to handle holes not played, which will now be based on a player’s expected score rather than a score of net par. This new method will produce a 9-hole or 18-hole Score Differential that more accurately reflects a player’s ability. As golfers across the world are playing more 9-hole rounds, an expected score can also be used to convert a 9-hole round into an 18-hole Score Differential. For some countries, this means that 9-hole scores will be considered in the calculation of a player’s Handicap Index immediately after the day of play, rather than waiting to combine with another 9-hole score.
Playing Conditions Calculation Adjustments Made More Frequent: The Playing Conditions Calculation (PCC) has been modified to increase the likelihood of an adjustment for abnormal playing conditions. National associations were given discretion, beginning in July 2022, to introduce this revision within their computation platforms, which will be complete by 1 April 2024.
Enhanced Guidance on Conducting a Handicap Review: The role of the Handicap Committee is vital to the success of the WHS and the Rules recommend that a Handicap Review is conducted regularly, or at least once a year to ensure a Handicap Index® remains reflective of a player’s ability. New reporting tools have been developed that national associations can incorporate into their handicapping software to assist Committees in conducting the review process effectively and consistently.
Since its inception, the WHS has embraced the many ways golf is played around the world by giving national associations scope to apply regional discretionary items, with the objective for greater alignment over time. For this reason, the governing bodies expect countries to continue to shift the way they calculate Course Handicaps so that they are relative to par, making a golfer’s target score to “play to handicap” more intuitive.
Golfers are encouraged to visit their national association’s website to learn more about the discretionary items that apply to their region. Contact details for national associations can be found on the WHS website here: www.whs.com/#association.
The R&A and the USGA have also recently launched a new WHS Software Accreditation and Interoperability Programme to help ensure that there is consistency and accuracy in the calculation of handicaps worldwide, and to assist with the retrieval of a Handicap Index and the return of away scores from country to country.
Claire Bates, Director – Handicapping at The R&A said, “We have made good progress in the early stages of the WHS but we know there are always areas that can be improved as we gather more data and information on the system from around the world. Conducting a regular review process is important in terms of good governance and enables us to examine some of the key areas in which we have received feedback. We will continue to work with the handicapping bodies and national associations around the world to ensure that the WHS is providing golfers with a system that provides a sensible balance between inclusivity and integrity, making it as easy as possible to get a Handicap Index, subject to meaningful safeguards.”
Steve Edmondson, Managing Director – Handicapping & Course Rating at the USGA said, “The game of golf continues to evolve and the WHS has embraced those changes in a dynamic way to help all golfers, everywhere they play. It is a monumental time in golf, and improving both the accessibility of obtaining a Handicap Index and leveraging powerful data and technology to easily and accurately track performance is a great step forward.”
The R&A and the USGA jointly launched and govern the WHS to provide a modern and responsive system, that gives an accurate reflection of a player’s demonstrated ability. It is calculated by incorporating the Rules of Handicapping and the Course Rating System and is administered by a range of handicapping bodies and national associations around the world.
The more flexible and accessible nature of the system has led to the introduction of successful initiatives from a number of national associations aimed at making it easier to obtain a Handicap Index and be part of the WHS.
Mirroring the review processes of other areas of governance in golf, including the Rules of Golf and the Rules of Amateur Status, reviews of the WHS will continue to be conducted at regular intervals, taking into consideration performance data and feedback to help identify areas for improvement.
To learn more about the World Handicap System please visit www.WHS.com.
There are many reasons why your Handicap Index may not be moving; most often the reason is that your recently posted score differential is not among the lowest eight of your most recent 20 scores. If that isn’t the case, it could be due to a soft/hard cap being applied in your Handicap Index calculation.
The cap procedures were introduced with the World Handicap System (WHS) to limit the extreme upward movement of a Handicap Index and ensure that a run of bad scores do not severely impact your Index. This is outlined in the Rules of Handicapping (Rule 5.8).
What is a “soft cap” and a “hard cap”?
To understand the soft & hard cap, first we must explain the Low Handicap Index. Your Low Index is the “memory” of your demonstrated ability over the last 365 days. Simply put, your Low Index is the lowest Handicap Index that you have held over the last 365-days. The Low Index is used as the comparison point to determine if a soft or hard cap should be applied.
Each time you post a score, the Golf Canada Score Centre compares your newly calculated Handicap Index to your Low Index.
Soft Cap – When your newly calculated Handicap Index is more than 3.0 strokes above your Low Handicap Index, the soft cap is applied and the value above 3.0 strokes is restricted to 50% of the increase.
For Example:
You are a golfer with a Low Index of 12.0. You post a new score which results in a calculated Handicap Index of 16.0. The difference is 4.0, and since this more than 3.0, the soft cap would apply.
To calculate your new Handicap Index, we start with your Low Index, add 3.0 and add 50% of the difference above the 3.0 increase:
Handicap Index = 12.0 + 3.0 + ((4.0 – 3.0) x 50%)
= 12.0 + 3.0 + (1.0 x 50%)
= 12.0 + 3.0 + 0.5
= 15.5
Your Handicap Index would be 15.5
Hard Cap – The hard cap limits the upward movement of your handicap index to a maximum of 5.0 strokes above your Low Handicap Index.
For Example:
You are a golfer with a Low Index of 12.0. You post a new score which results in a calculated Handicap Index of 20.0. The difference is 8.0, and since your Handicap Index cannot be more than 5.0 higher than your Low Index, your Handicap Index would be hard capped at 17.0.
Both cap procedures are automatically applied to your handicap index. No need for you to do anything!
To learn more please watch the following the video below; or read more here.
If you have any questions regarding the Rules of Handicapping, please feel free to Ask an Expert or complete our Rules of Handicapping Certification seminar and quiz.
Why is there a Maximum Hole Score for Handicap Purposes?
Shaun Hall
A score for handicap purposes should not be overly influenced by one or two bad hole scores they are not reflective of a players demonstrated ability. To prevent the occasional bad hole from impacting your Handicap Index too severely, the World Handicap System (WHS) outlines how to determine your maximum hole score. Remember…this is used for handicap purposes, but a higher score in an event would stand for the purposes of declaring a winner!
How do I calculate my Maximum Score Hole?
Referring to the Rules of Handciapping (Rule 3.1), players with an established Handicap Index can enter a maximum score of Net Double Bogey, calculated as follows:
How do I enter a score with a Net Double Bogey?
To apply a Net Double Bogey, use your Course Handicap to determine which holes you give or receive strokes. Then, on any holes where you have surpassed your maximum hole score, your score will be adjusted downward to your maximum.
Looking at this example, Jane has a Course Handicap of 16. Jane receives one stroke on each of the stroke index holes 1-16, Jane’s maximum score on these holes would be a triple bogey (Par + 2 strokes + 1 stroke received). On holes 17 & 18 (where Jane does not receive a stroke), her maximum score is a double bogey.
This sounds like a lot of work; can this adjustment be done automatically?
Yes, if you enter your scores in the Golf Canada Score Centre hole-by-hole (via the mobile app or website), the system will automatically adjust your hole scores to your Net Double Bogey should it be surpassed.
What if I do not have a Handicap Index?
If you have not yet established a Handicap Index, your maximum score per hole is Par + 5 strokes.
To learn more please watch the following video ; or read more here.
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If you have any questions regarding the Rules of Handicapping, please feel free to Ask an Expert or complete our Rules of Handicapping Certification seminar and quiz.
Did you enjoy watching our Canadian men compete at The Open in England? Will you watch Brooke Henderson , Alena Sharp, Corey Conners and Mackenzie Hughes at the Tokyo Olympics? Do you look forward to the post-pandemic return of the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open?
When you do, does Golf Canada ever cross your mind? It should. Because Golf Canada is the association that promotes and supports the game of golf in this country. Most of our best players, pro and amateur, might not be where they are today without programs instituted by Golf Canada, like Future Links, Team Canada, and more. The affiliated Golf Canada Foundation raises and grants funds for the advancement of the game including scholarships. Do you (more or less) play by the Rules of Golf?
So it bugs me when the topic of Golf Canada is raised, usually during a post-round gathering, and someone inevitably utters that hoary old line about a Golf Canada membership being akin to paying taxes. (In the interest of full disclosure, I once worked for Golf Canada, then known as the Royal Canadian Golf Association. So while I may be empathetic about their mission, I also have more than a working knowledge of the association’s mandate and programs.)
The “taxes” line is usually followed by something like this: “I don’t need to be a member. I don’t need a handicap.”
Well, yes, you do, if you are remotely serious about your game. Even if you don’t intend to play in a pro-am or a provincial or national event, who in their right mind wants to play a competitive round for even the smallest of stakes with someone who says on the first tee, “I usually shoot about xx”? And then goes out and shoots xx minus 10.
In addition, there is no better way to track your improvement (or lack thereof) than by maintaining an accurate handicap. Posting your scores and stats hole-by-hole helps you understand where the flaws are in your game.
OK, so now that you understand why you need a handicap index, why else would you want to be a Golf Canada member? Here are a couple of more reasons.
Incident protection: Up to $2,500 reimbursement for damaged, lost or stolen equipment; up to $1,000 towards the cost of repairing or replacing a window; up to $2,500 for golf cart-related accidents; up to $1,000 for travel-related accidents.
Plus significant discounts on goods and services: 15 per cent off tickets to the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open; up to 25 per cent off Avis car rentals; 10 per cent off Hilton Hotel room bookings with complimentary upgrades at participating properties; 10 per cent off Golf Canada merchandise; golf benefits with RBC Insurance for home and auto.
All this for $49.95? Less than the cost of a dozen name-brand golf balls!
“It’s a no-brainer,” says an admittedly biased Ryan Logan. “If people knew about all the buckets the membership dollars go into … but the challenge is to get that message out there.”
Logan is Golf Canada’s Director of Membership and he is justifiably pumped about the benefits included in a Golf Canada membership. He is equally enthused about the impressive trend in scores being posted this year.
Logan acknowledges golf participation boomed during the pandemic and sees a commensurate increase in record-setting score posting in 2021. The data backs him up. In March, approximately 160,000 scores were posted nationwide, an increase of 64 percent over 2020. In April, when the weather improved and COVID-related lockdowns relented in some regions, there were about 500,000 posted, an astounding increase of more than 800 per cent. May saw 1.2 million scores posted, a bump of 53 per cent, and June postings were up 15 per cent year over year to 1.7 million.
The pandemic impacted the way scores were posted as well. With the club kiosks removed because of the fear of spreading the virus through contact points, many golfers availed themselves of the new Golf Canada app.
The app is free to use. (Although if you want an official handicap index, you must be a Golf Canada member.) But anyone can use it to track their scores, find courses, play various on-course games (stroke or match play, skins), use the on-course GPS function to determine distances to a selected target, and more.
Take it from me. The app is intuitive and easy to use. I’ve started posting my scores hole by hole and so have many others, says Logan. The new World Handicap System encourages golfers to do so and Canadians have responded. According to Logan, about 20 per cent of scores were hole by hole pre-WHS. That doubled in 2020 and he estimates that up to 70 per cent of all scores will be itemized in that manner this year.
Having said all this, some of you still won’t be persuaded to shell out $49.95. So be it.
What golfers ought to know about the World Handicap System
John Gordon
Like many of you, I’ve always been diligent about maintaining an accurate handicap. The reasons are ridiculously obvious: I want to know if my game is improving (or not) and I want to ensure that when I compete in net events, I’m being honest and equitable with my fellow competitors.
I never really thought about the mechanics of the system, perhaps because I was too lazy or disinterested to read through the ponderous Handicap Manual (now called the Rules of Handicapping). I gave full credit to the boffins who came up with the convoluted doorstop but never cared to interview the geniuses behind the curtain.
And then, this year, along came the World Handicap System.
Perhaps because of the restrictions due to COVID-19, golfers had more time on their hands. In any case, I’ve never been asked more handicap-related questions at the course or on social media. So, taking a cue from the manuals that accompany your new car or fridge or TV, here’s my version of a “Quick Start Guide” for the World Handicap System.
Why a new handicap system?
Why not? Golf now has both a globally recognized set of Rules as well as a worldwide handicap system. Even if you never travel outside Canada, you can be assured you are playing the same game as every other golfer around the world. The new system may require some tweaking after it’s been in effect for a while but it’s doubtful there will be another significant revision in the near future.
How does the new World Handicap System work?
At one of the meetings of the 23-member committee tasked with creating the new system, a USGA delegate compared understanding the intricacies of the handicapping system with air travel.
“I have no idea how an airplane works. I don’t understand jet propulsion, aeronautics and so on, but I trust that when I get on that plane, it will get me safely to the destination I intended.”*
Likewise, the process of coming up with the World Handicap System would make your head spin, so just concern yourself with the final outcome.
But if you’re in quarantine or a masochist or one of those aforementioned boffins, you can review the Rules of Handicapping here.
Has the Course Handicap calculation changed?
Yes. To your benefit. Under the old system, there might have been just a two- or three-shot difference in your Course Handicap from the front to back set of tees, despite the fact that those tee decks might be separated by 1,500 yards.
Under the new system, that difference now might be 10 to 12 shots because the par of the course has been integrated into the calculation.
Why doesn’t my Handicap Index go up when I post a high score?
Under the old system, the low 10 of your most recent 20 scores were used to calculate your Handicap Index. Under the new system, the low eight are used. So that bad score may not enter into the calculation. Similarly, using the most recent eight scores instead of 10 may have lowered your Index.
What the heck is Net Double Bogey?
“Net Double Bogey” has replaced the old Equitable Stroke Control system (ESC).
Now everyone’s maximum score for handicap purposes is net double bogey. Simply put, this is the par of the hole PLUS two strokes (double bogey) PLUS any handicap strokes you may be allowed on that hole.
If you don’t want to have to figure that out when you’re posting your score, let the Golf Canada Score Center do it for you. When you enter your score hole by hole, the Score Center automatically adjusts for net double bogey.
And for those of you complaining about posting scores hole by hole: You play the game hole by hole so why not post your score that way? It takes only a couple of minutes and provides some interesting data.
Here’s my Super Easy Quick Start Guide:
Post all your scores hole by hole immediately after your round. Let the Golf Canada Score Centre take care of the rest. And check out the new app which makes the process even easier.
(*Thanks to Craig Loughry, Director of Golf Services at Golf Ontario, for this anecdote and other invaluable assistance with this article. Loughry was the Canadian representative on the World Handicap Operations Committee.)
The COVID-19 global pandemic is a difficult time for Canadians and Golf Canada stands with our entire golf community during this unprecedented time.
We all love the game for the escape it provides and its positive impact on our physical, social and mental well-being.
We continue to urge golfers to follow the guidelines from health and governmental officials to keep you and those around you safe, and to minimize any possible exposure to coronavirus. This is especially true on a golf course, where golfers, workers and operators should heighten their level of awareness on exposure to surfaces like flagsticks, golf balls, bunker rakes, tees, carts and scorecards. We all need to do our part to respect expert advice and make the right decisions to protect each other.
It is not the intended purpose of the below guidance to either encourage or discourage anyone from playing the game, but rather, in our governance role, to help golf course operators, committees and golfers better understand how the Rules of Golf and Rules of Handicapping apply to the various questions received by the governing bodies.
The Modernized Rules of Golf were drafted to offer each Committee the flexibility to make decisions as to how golf is played at their course or in competition and the Committee Procedures section of the Official Guide to the Rules of Golf (available online here) offers a significant amount of guidance and recommendations on how to address circumstances unique to each course or competition.
This flexibility will prove to be very helpful as Committees look to address many of the challenges they are facing within the current environment. While the Committee Procedures section is a tremendous resource and has much to offer, many of the current questions were not originally contemplated under the Rules of Golf and therefore there is no history or guidance provided. To better address the questions that have come about because of these unique circumstances and the related challenges, additional guidance can be accessed by clicking here. This will continue to be updated as additional questions are received.
As active seasons start to open across the country, we would like to discuss impacts on Handicapping. From the perspective of the Rules of Handicapping, the most frequent questions received are primarily related to the acceptability of scores for posting to a player’s scoring record. In particular, to modifying the hole and not requiring the player to “hole out” as required under the Rules of Golf. These are founded in a desire to minimize the possibility of exposing golfers to coronavirus and have included leaving the hole liner raised above the putting surface or placing various objects into the hole so the ball can be more easily removed. In these specific cases, ensuring guidance from health and governmental officials is being followed, a temporary measure is in place in Canada to accept scores played under these conditions for handicap purposes using the most likely score guidelines (Rule 3.3, Rules of Handicapping), even though the player has not holed out.
Please remember that this temporary measure is now in effect within Canada until advised otherwise by Golf Canada.
For more information and detailed guidance, please contact your Provincial Golf Association or Golf Canada.
