WHS

Launched in November 2020, the World Handicap System (WHS) is a unified and more inclusive handicap system for golfers everywhere. The WHS will replace 6 different systems that are currently used by over 15 million golfers.

How will it work?

For the World Handicap System to work, golfers will need to obtain a Handicap Index.

For regular golfers, this will be done by calculating the best eight scores from their previous 20 rounds submitted in the previous 2 years. So, if you have a really good round, that score will very probably become part of the 'best 8 scores' calculation.

New golfers will have to submit scorecards of 54 holes to their Handicap Committee. Handicap Index calculations are performed by the England Golf WHS software.

Hard and Soft Caps

England Golf recognises that some players might be apprehensive that the change in their Handicap Index may be volatile. However, through the implementation of a Soft Cap and Hard Cap, the WHS will limit any extreme upward movement of a player's Handicap Index within a 365-day period, therefore, protecting against handicap manipulation.

The Soft Cap will suppress movement by 50% after a three-stroke increase over a player's Low Handicap Index.

For clarity in this instance, a Low Handicap Index is the lowest Handicap Index a player has had during the previous

12-month period. The Hard Cap will restrict upward movement of five-strokes over the Low Handicap Index.

Restricting the extreme upward movement of a Handicap Index will ensure that a player's temporary loss of form

does not cause the Handicap Index to move too far away from their actual ability. It is important to note that caps

will only start to take effect once a player has at least 20 acceptable scores in their record.

The Course Ratings/Slope Ratings for Lilleshall are:

Black Tees (Men) – 70.5/131

White Tees (Men) – 69.6/131

Yellow Tees (Men) – 68.6/125

Yellow Tees (Senior Men) – 68.6/ 125

Red Tees (Ladies) – 73.3/127

You can check the course/slope rating of any course in the world at:https://ncrdb.usga.org/

How your Handicap Index becomes a Course Handicap

A Course Handicap will determine the number of strokes a player will receive when playing from any set of tees

on a given course. Before any player starts their round they must convert their Handicap Index into a Course Handicap.

The calculation for each set of tees is:

Handicap Index x (Slope Rating / 113) + CR - Par = Course Handicap. 

England Golf has provided Course & Slope Rating tables to all clubs.

These Tables are positioned on our 1st Tee and in the Locker Rooms and Pro Shop.

Golfers will simply have to choose the tees they are playing off that day, and cross reference their Handicap Index

on the Course & Slope Rating table to ascertain their Course Handicap. In Competitions this will be done by the club

software and will show on your phone App. Then you are ready to Play.

You can check your course handicap on each of the Lilleshall courses, black, white, yellow and red by clicking on

the link below. Simply find the correct sheet for the course you plan to play, say 'Yellow' then using your handicap index , read across the page to find the Course Handicap that you will need.

Course Handicap Tables - Click Here

What is Playing Handicap?              

Playing Handicap is a stroke allowance that is implemented in order to maintain the integrity of the WHS when used in competition. It allows golfers to compete on a level playing field, regardless of their Handicap Index.

The Course Handicap converts to a Playing Handicap for competition purposes only and changes depending on

the format of play.

The four most important aspects of Playing Handicap to remember are:

• It is only used for competition purposes
• It ensures equity to calculate competition results (via Handicap Allowances)
• Golfers do not need to do anything to calculate it (it is generated before their round)
• Golfers should continue to play in the mindset of their Course Handicap in competition rounds

How is Playing Handicap calculated?

Course Handicap x Handicap Allowance = Playing Handicap

It is worth noting that whilst Playing Handicap is important, Golfers need to focus more on their Handicap Index

and Course Handicap. Example: In an individual stroke play or stableford competition, players will have a Handicap Allowance  of 95%. A player with a course handicap of 15 in a stableford competition will have a playing handicap of 14.

Other competition formats will have different playing allowances.

England Golf have produced a useful FAQ document which covers many of the questions raised by this new initiative.

WHS  FAQs  Click here

England Golf Privacy Statement - click here