Six different handicap systems were in use in the world until the United States Golf Association (USGA) and R&A unified them under the World Handicap System by 2020. The previous formats each had their merits but produced different results.
The WHS allows players to compare themselves with greater accuracy and handicaps to travel around the globe more easily. The USGA and R&A updated the WHS system for the first time on Jan. 1, 2020, based upon data and feedback received from 125 countries.
Steve Edmondson is the USGA’s Managing Director for Handicapping and Course Rating. He told Golfweek, “It was a very natural and logical evolution.” We have a very rich and robust database. Over 70 million scores are posted annually in the U.S., and well over 100 millions worldwide. “We can use data and golfer feedback to improve our product. That’s what we did.”
He added, “You can see that we are evolving to keep up with the golfers and where the game is going.” “Hopefully, that reflects in the revisions.”
What you need to Know about the Four Significant Updates Coming in 2024 to the World Handicap System
