Handicap on card

What handicap is required to be shown on a player's card? Index, Course or Playing?

Index, I think. Course based of rating and player's hdcp, correct?

Interesting question, especially considering that the specific terms Course Handicap and Playing Handicap as defined in the WHS were not in effect when the Rules of Golf were issued in 2019. It makes sense to me that it should be the Playing Handicap, as that is the number that will be applied to that score on that day. I would hope that this would be further defined in the next edition of the Rules, if not through a clarification in October.

My USGA GHIN card lists Index, as it always has. Maybe across the pond it is different. Doesn't playing index differ depending on course ratings, thus the Handicap Calculator part of the USGA, or in my case TX State Golf Association apps?

Example, I'm a 3.1 Index

Play tips at local course, 74.7/140 slope my playing & course hdcp is 7

Move up to forward tees at same course, 70.8/134 my playing and course hdcp is 2

USGA Handicap Card definitely shows the Index. Course handicap varies by course and tee played based on course rating/slope.

Handicap index is a normalized number and, imo, not what needs to be on the card. The playing handicap is what needs to be on the card, it is the index modified for the course rating, slope and par of the tees being played for that round. The Committee should just need to use the handicap that is on the card for its calculations, not have to go through machinations starting with an handicap index.

I doubt that Rules 3.2 and 3.3 will ever specify "playing handicap" or "course handicap", but there may be a new definition in the Rule book for "handicap" which would likely refer to the Committee's responsibility to identify the handicap that the Committee wants on the scorecard.

What “card” are you referring to, Newby?

Index and course handicap are rules of golf issues, handicap allocations (playing handicap) are merely recommendations.

Card? Sounds like a British thing? If someone wants to know my handicap before a round they will look up my index on the computer in the clubhouse or on their phone if they don't believe me! Regarding the card, is it updated every day? For instance my index has gone from 8.9 to 7.2 in the last 3 days. LOL got that bit of bragging in!

I could be wrong, but I took the OP to refer to a requirement in 3.3b(4) that says in handicapped stroke play competition:
"The player is responsible for making sure that his or her handicap is shown on the scorecard. "
In that context, I believe the correct number to show is the Playing Handicap, but the Rules of Golf don't make that clear. @rogolf made a more complete explanation in post #6 up there as to WHY the Playing Handicap is number that should be on the card.

I had a long conversation with a very senior person at the USGA about this topic last week. I was instructed that a player must declare an accurate course handicap. But the machinations in getting that down to a playing handicap are not a rules issue (see my post #7).

I’ve gone on record as suggesting 3.3b be changed to read “course handicap.” We will see.

Making things worse, the USGA handicap rules say you have to use the full extended decimal course handicap prior to applying allowance percentages, and only then (once) round off. Using apps, you don’t even have the decimal extension from which to work (they only provide a rounded off course handicap), meaning that you’d have to do all the handicap arithmetic. Not exactly pace of play friendly if you’re figuring stuff out on the first tee, as you used to easily be able to do way back in 2019.

Not a real good situation, the Rule isn't clear, and the most applicable handicap number (Playing Handicap) isn't easily obtained using the tools we have available at the moment. The calculation isn't really rocket science, but its not counting on my fingers and toes either. At my home club, we use the USGA partnered Golf Genius software to print scorecards, and that system does (apparently) calculate the Playing Handicap properly. But the player is responsible, per the rules, so he really should be prepared to use a calculator function to double-check the number printed on the card the committee issues to him. Yuck!

Oh, I just realized, the GHIN app DOES facilitate the Playing Handicap calculation. In the Handicap Calculation section, select the course and tees, and then select the Handicap Allowance from a pull-down menu. It will show both the Course Handicap and the Playing Handicap.

Thanks for the clarification. LOL I was thinking of the cards with our handicaps on them that we used to get years ago. Not very smart on my part.

I didn’t know the allocation was embedded, sincere thanks for pointing it out.

Obviously I didn't either, I'd have saved a little wear and tear on my keyboard.

3.3b(4) Scoring in Handicap Competition. The player is responsible for making sure that his or her handicap is shown on the scorecard. If the player returns a scorecard without the right handicap:Handicap on Scorecard Too High or No Handicap Shown if this affects the number of strokes the player gets, the player is  from the handicap competition. If it does not, there is no penalty.Handicap on Scorecard Too Low. There is no penalty and the player’s net score stands using the lower handicap as shown.

The additional significance of the above is that if the player enters his Index and it is lower that his course or playing handicap then he player’s net score stands using the lower handicap as shown.

Incidentally, where does it mention Handicap Index and Course Handicap in the Rules of Golf?

“Incidentally, where does it mention Handicap Index and Course Handicap in the Rules of Golf?“

I’ve been instructed that 3.3b(4) should be interpreted as meaning you have an obligation to state your Course Handicap (based on your index) accurately. Hence my statement.

"if this affects the number of strokes the player gets, the player is from the handicap competition. If it does not, there is no penalty."

Is what from the competition ?

That looks new to me. Perhaps a recent app update? I certainly do not recall seeing that before and it is rather obvious.

The player would be dq'd from the handicap competition, but not from a gross score competition if they were being run concurrently, ie, his gross score is still acceptable.

"disqualified" - that's what I thought. Thanks.

DQd

Sorry, poor cutting and pasting.

I have just been advised that CONGU requires the Course Handicap (HI & PH are optional). Presumably if physical cards are used.

In Australia, only the playing handicap goes on the card (we are still all physical cards). In most organised competition, the card is printed by software linked to the handicap records. Otherwise, the player writes playing handicap on the card, using the course look up sheets if needed to convert their index to the playing handicap. Some are starting to trial electronic scoring but there is going to be a lot of push back from that as a majority (currently) are not interested in being told they need to use a smartphone on every hole to record score.

It certainly could be new, I definitely haven't noticed it before now. But I don't think I looked for it either. the Playing Handicap calculation is available for both the website GHIN and the Android app, and I think its almost certain to be there on the ios app as well.

No worries. Thanks for confirming.So then if the players are playing a game that requires using a percentage of course handicap, say 85%, the player is responsible for doing the final calculation ?

Seems a bit odd.

Is the new WHS in effect yet in CONGUland ? I forget when it was supposed to kick in (Sept ? Oct ?).

WHS is coming to CONGU land in November. Due to COVID we can’t have meetings/seminars at the Club to do all the explanations so online tutorials have been produced. This means that a lot of .seniors are going to be in the dark for a while. We are using, due to Covid protocols re sharing and handling scorecards, electronic scoring via website and App in competitions and that is presenting enough kick back at the moment from the IT challenged.

Do you mean that in a club comp the player is required to type in his score on his phone during the round?

Our club prefers you do it during the round (to facilitate others ability to look at live scoring) but accepts you doing it by the end of the day. Many benefits accrue, including the elimination of arithmetic errors, the ability to "force-post" to the handicap system, and hole-by-hole data that is interesting to contemplate and can be used to refine handicap hole allocations on a course.

You can do it during the round but most do it afterwards. You also keep a physical card for your playing partners that the App prompts you to take a photo of so that all scores are entered by the player hi/herself but all are matched to a photo of a physical card to assure verification.

Interesting that you mention the Handicap Stroke Index Allocations, the recommendations concerning that process have changed in the 2020 WHS rules. Its now suggested that the hole difficulty be evaluated based on data from the course rating process, and then spread somewhat evenly through each 9. The use of actual scoring data isn't part of the recommendations now.