Why a Handicap?

Benefits of Having a Handicap:  

• Handicaps are a gauge of the golfers skill level.
• Handicaps allow a player to compete on a level playing field with players at other levels.
• Handicaps provide a barometer of a golfers progress of improvement over time.
• Handicaps challenge a golfer to give it her best when playing.
• Handicaps become a personal badge of accomplishment.
• Handicaps allow players to compete in EWGA championship events.
• Handicaps can be established using scores from 9-hole or 18-hole play.

THERE IS NO DOWNSIDE TO HAVING A HANDICAP!

How Do I Establish a USGA Handicap Index through EWGA? 

All Chapter members need to "activate" their account to gain access to the EWGA Golf Life Management System (GLMS). Click Activate GLMS Account for detailed instructions on how to activate your GLMS account. 

What is an Index?

An index represents a player's potential scoring ability and is expressed as a number taken to one decimal place.

What is a Handicap?

A handicap is the specific number of strokes you need to play on a specific set of tees to adjust your score back to the level of scratch (i.e. Course Rating).

What is a Course Handicap? 

A course handicap is the number of handicap strokes a player receives at the course being played. A course handicap is determined by applying her index number to a Slope Conversion Table.

What is a Slope Rating? 

A slope rating reflects the relative playing difficulty of a course for a non-scratch golfer compared to a scratch golfer. The higher the Slope Rating, the greater the gap in expected scores between the scratch golf and the bogey golfer. A general rule is, the higher the course slope, the more difficult the course is to play.

What is a Gross Score?

A players actual score, stroke for stroke.

What is an Adjusted Score?

A player's gross score minus adjustments. This is using the maximum number of strokes a person with a handicap can post on any hole by using the Equitable Stroke Control table (see below). For example, if a person with a course handicap of 20 actually shoots a 10 on any one hole, after the round is completed, the person must adjust their score by -2 strokes when posting it for their handicap.

Adjusting Scores:

If you start but do not complete a hole (or are conceded a stroke), record the score you most likely would have made. This most likely score should be preceded by an "X" and should not exceed your Equitable Stroke Control limit (described later in this section). If you do not play a hole, your score for that hole will be par plus any handicap strokes which you are entitled to receive on that hole. When recording this hole score, precede the score with an "X". Equitable Stroke Control (ESC) sets a maximum number that you can post on any hole depending on your Course Handicap. ESC is only used when the actual or most likely score exceeds the maximum number based on the table below.

Equitable Stroke Control Equitable Stroke Control (ESC) sets a maximum number that you can post on any hole depending on your Course Handicap. ESC is only used when the actual or most likely score exceeds the maximum number based on the table below. 

Handicap Revision Schedule: 

The NEW Golf Life Management System will automatically alert you if you are posting scores for a course which is out of season. You may still post the scores; however, they will not be used to calculate your handicap. The revision schedule will remain the same as the GHIN revision schedule. 

HandiTips: 

Slope and rating of the course you played can be found in the Golf Life Management course database. If you don't find the course you played in the database, you may email Golf Life Management and request that they add the course. Also, if you find an error in slope or rating listed in the database, you may notify them of the errors, which will be updated within 24-48 hours.

You may also visit the USGA's website to find slope and ratings for most courses and use the Course Handicap Calculator. Click here.

9-Hole Posting Rule If you do not know the 9-hole course rating and slope rating, you need to look up the golf course on the USGA website (link above) to find out what the course and slope rating are for the specific 9/18 holes you've played. If the course you played is not listed, split the rating for the 18 holes but keep the slope the same.

Questions? 

If you have any questions, please email Linda Haske at handicap@ewgafairfield.com.