Summary of Key Changes
for 2020
1. Best 8 Scores of 20 used not the best 10
2. Handicaps will be updated daily
a. Scores are encouraged to be posted immediately after play
b. Even if playing away scores should be posted immediately
c. 54.0 is the new maximum allowable index
3.Net Double Bogey Maximum Score Per Hole
a. Double Bogey plus any allowable handicap stroking
b. A player who is a 13 handicap will have 13 holes they can take a triple bogey maximum and 5 holes a
double bogey maximum. (See particular hole example below)
4. Playing Conditions Calculation
a. An automatic calculation will be used to determine if a general trend for the day is higher or lower than
normal.
b. If a general trend is abnormal, an adjustment could be made to those days scores even if a score is
posted at a later date
5. Competitions - The USGA recommends the handicap used at the start of a competition for all rounds during
that competition
6. Safeguards and Handicap Controls
a. A soft cap and a hard cap will limit the extreme upward movement of a handicap
b. An automatic HI reduction will take place when a player posts an exceptional score.
For More Information You Can Visit www.usga.org/whs
Maximum Net Double Bogey Score Example
Hole 4 a Par 4
Hole 4 Course Handicap Blue Tees 9 White Tees 13 Red Tees 15
Three players playing who all have a 12 handicap.
Player 1 is playing the Blue Tees – maximum score is (6) Double Bogey + 1 shot or a (7)
Player 2 is Playing the White Tees – maximum score is (6) Double Bogey + 0 shots or a (6)
Player 3 is Playing the Red Tees - maximum score is (6) Double Bogey + 0 shots or a (6)
Hole 15 a Par 4 Men Par 5 Women
Course Handicap Blue Tees 2 White Tees 2 Red Tees 6
Player 1 Man 10 Handicap
Player 2 Man 21 Handicap
Player 3 Woman 25 Handicap
Player 1 is playing the Blue Tees – maximum score is (6) Double Bogey + 1 shot or a (7)
Player 2 is Playing the White Tees – maximum score is (6) Double Bogey + 2 shots or a (8)
Player 3 is Playing the Red Tees - maximum score is (7) Double Bogey + 2 shots or a (9)
Figuring out which tees to play from is an ever-present concern for many golfers. And annoyingly, that’s at least in part because there are no truly helpful guidelines telling golfers where they should play from.
Some courses suggest tees based off a player’s handicap, which is pretty much the standard, but it’s still not perfect. No two players are the same, after all. That wily retired golfer at your local club who doesn’t hit the ball very far but whose wicked short game helps keep him at an 8 handicap is going to have a distinct disadvantage against the 8 handicap who hits the ball a mile, if they were to play off the same tees. And as for female golfers, the range might be even more tricky to pinpoint with a formula.
But for now, try this chart provided by the good people over at Athletic Motion Golf. Now, like anything, it’s not perfect, especially for beginning golfers, but I found it provides a helpful guidepost. Essentially, you just
take the distance you hit your 5 iron and multiply it by 36. That number is your ideal
Here are a few calculations that will save you needing to do the math yourself:
| 5-iron Distance |
Ideal Course Yardage |
| 100 |
3600 |
| 110 |
3960 |
| 120 |
4320 |
| 130 |
4680 |
| 140 |
5040 |
| 150 |
5400 |
| 160 |
5760 |
| 170 |
6120 |
| 180 |
6480 |
| 190 |
6840 |
| 200 |
7200 | |
