We are writing to advise you of the following changes to the Australian Rules of Handicapping that will take effect at the time the new GolfConnect platform commences operation and replaces GOLF Link (an update on timelines for the introduction of GolfConnect will be provided to all clubs on 29 January 2025):

1. Change to the Daily Handicap formula – inclusion of new ‘Consistency Factor’

2. Change to the Daily Handicap calculation for 9-hole rounds

3. Use of an‘ Expected Score’ for a Hole Not Played

4. Inclusion of shorter-length golf courses within the Course Rating System

5. Change to the Daily Difficulty (PCC) formula (to be back-calculated to 1 January 2023).

Important Note: Most Australian golfers will have a different GA Handicap.As a result of the back-calculation work, almost every Australian club member should expect some degree of change to their GA Handicap when GolfConnect commences operation, projected to be less than .5 on average.

Whilst we will distribute communications direct to golfers about the changes closer to the transition to GolfConnect, you are welcome to provide this information to your members in accordance with your own timelines.

These reforms have been designed using extensive statistical analyses performed on hundreds of millions of scores returned globally since the introduction of the World Handicap System in 2020. This research and development continues the commitment of golf’s governing bodies to the ongoing enhancement of our handicapping services, which we recognize are central to the enjoyment of golfers globally.

The international Rules of Handicapping are reviewed every four years by the joint international governing bodies, The R&A and the United States Golf Association (USGA), in collaboration with Golf Australia (GA). They comprise a core set of Rules together with some discretionary items that enable each country to cater for the diverse golf playing cultures around the world. Any previous information you may have seen about 2024 handicapping changes will have been tailored for a non-Australian jurisdiction.

More Information

Please reach out to us at any time if you would like more information on the changes to the Rules of Handicapping - rules&handicapping@golf.org.au.

Reminders for clubs, and advice for golfers will be distributed closer to the transition to GolfConnect. We look forward to these developments taking effect across Australia.

Simon Magdulski Head of Handicapping & Rules Golf Australia

1. Change to the Daily Handicap formula – inclusion of new ‘Consistency Factor’

A new ‘Consistency Factor’ has been added to the Daily Handicap formula. The statistical analysis underpinning this change involved assessing the different levels of consistency exhibited by various segments of golfers, and the competitive advantage the handicap system’s existing settings offer to more inconsistent players.

The new ‘Consistency Factor’ values accommodate the tendency of men/boys to exhibit greater inconsistency in their scoring patterns compared to women/girls. The ‘Consistency Factor’ will enhance equity within single-gender and gender-neutral events, reinforcing the handicap system’s purpose of providing each golfer with a reasonable prospect of winning or placing well if they play close to their ability. On average, the introduction of the ‘Consistency Factor’ will generate a slight increase of approximately 5% to the Daily Handicaps of women/girls. We will continue to assess club and golfer feedback as we monitor the impact of consistency more broadly on equity in handicap competitions and review these settings periodically.

See Appendix A accordion below for details of the upgraded Daily Handicap formula. No work will be required of players – the software will be updated accordingly. The only work required of club administrators will be to print updated Daily Handicap Look-up charts using GA’s website chart generator. We will let you know when the upgraded formulas are live in the chart generator.

2. Change to the Daily Handicap formula for 9-hole rounds

A new 9-hole Daily Handicap formula will be used. The new formula will calculate a 9-hole Daily Handicap for a player that is usually about 50% of what their 18-hole Daily Handicap would be.

No work will be required of players – the software will be updated accordingly. The only work required of club administrators will be to print updated Daily Handicap Look-up charts using GA’s website chart generator. We will let you know when the upgraded formulas are live in the chart generator.

Clubs may choose to create a 9-hole stroke index allocation.18-hole stroke indexes may also continue to be used in 9-hole play.

See Appendix B accordion below for more information on the new formula, and on stroke indexes for 9-hole Daily Handicaps.

3. Use of an ‘Expected Score’ for a Hole Not Played

Improvements have been made to the method used to handle holes not played, which will now be based on a player’s ‘expected score’ rather than a score of net par. This new method will produce a 9-hole or 18-hole result that more accurately reflects a player’s ability by using a statistically developed ‘expected score’ formula.

How does the new formula work? A model formula for every GA Handicap for women/girls and men/boys has been developed using millions of previous scores. The applicable one will be applied to create a player’s expected score when they have only started 8 holes in a 9-hole round, or only started 16 or 17 holes in an 18-hole round. This process replaces the one of filling gaps with net pars. The new formula is built to account for a standard golf course, so the calculations aren’t course dependent. See Appendix C accordion below for full details of the process for handicapping scores returned from anywhere between 8 to 17 holes.

No work will be required of players or administrators – the software will be updated to automatically calculate all 'expected scores’.

4. Inclusion of shorter-length golf courses within the Course Rating System

The overall length requirements for international Course Rating will be significantly reduced. A set of tees on an 18-hole course may now be as short as 1,370 metres to be eligible for a Scratch Rating and Slope Rating, and a set of tees on a 9-hole course as short as 685 metres. This change is intended to enable many more golfers to obtain and use a GA Handicap.

5. Change to the Daily Difficulty (PCC) formula

The R&A and USGA have modified the Daily Difficulty formulas to increase the likelihood by approximately 5% of an adjustment for abnormal playing conditions. The change to these formulas was held back in Australia to coincide with the introduction of GolfConnect. To address the resultant minor misalignment that has arisen between Australian handicaps and handicaps in other parts of the world, Daily Difficulty calculations for all Australian competitions will be back-calculated to 1 January 2023 as a part of the transition project to GolfConnect. See Appendix D accordion below for more information.

Note: The technical term for Daily Difficulty is ‘Playing Conditions Calculation’ or PCC. PCC is a daily rating that is assessed purely by analysing scores. Under the PCC system, the software automatically assesses a Scratch Rating adjustment each day. The PCC is displayed on a golfer’s handicap record as an adjustment value (eg ‘+2’ or ‘-1’).

THE NEW FORMULA FOR AN 18-HOLE DAILY HANDICAP =

((GA Handicap x Slope Rating ÷ 113) + (Scratch Rating minus Par)) x 0.93 x Consistency Factor* * Consistency Factor values: Women/Girls = 1.0483 | Men/Boys = 0.9986

• The result of the Daily Handicap calculation is rounded to the nearest whole number.

• See Appendix B accordion below to view the new formula for a 9-hole Daily Handicap.

• No work will be required of players – the software you use will be updated accordingly. The only work required of club administrators will be to print updated Daily Handicap Look-up charts using GA’s website chart generator.

The new formula for a 9-Hole Daily Handicap = (((GA Handicap ÷ 2) x 9-hole Slope Rating ÷ 113) + (9-hole Scratch Rating minus 9-hole Par)) x 0.93 x Consistency Factor * Consistency Factor values: Women/Girls = 1.0483 | Men/Boys = 0.9986

• Note: The new formula will calculate a 9-hole Daily Handicap for a player that is usually about 50% of what their 18-hole Daily Handicap would be.

• The result of the Daily Handicap calculation is rounded to the nearest whole number.

• No work will be required of players – the software will be updated accordingly. Club administrators should print updated Daily Handicap Look-up charts using GA’s website chart generator.

New 9-hole Stroke Indexes

Clubs may choose to create a ‘1 to 9’ 9-hole stroke index allocation by using the order of the published stroke index allocation for 18 holes.

• 18-hole stroke indexes may also continue to be used in 9-hole play. For clubs choosing this option, the strokes received in a 9-hole format of play should be taken in order from the published stroke index allocation for 18 holes. This means the player will take their strokes in the order displayed on the 18-hole card – AN EXAMPLE IS PROVIDED BELOW.

• For ease of use by golfers and administrators, all GolfConnect software and GA Licenced Third-Party systems will provide stroke indexes for 9-hole hole tee marker sets in the new 1-9 format. More information will be communicated by GA-Licenced Software Providers and/or Golf Australia in the coming weeks on what this means for your club.

How to apply a 9-hole Daily Handicap to an 18-hole Stroke Index

The strokes received in a 9-hole format of play using an 18-hole stoke index should be taken in order in accordance with this example:

• Michelle plays at Western Golf Course, which is an 18-hole facility with the following stroke index: the number 1 stroke index hole is the 4th, the number 2 stroke index hole is the 13th, the number 3 stroke index hole is the 6th, the number 4 stroke index hole is the 16th, the number 5 stroke index hole is the 2nd, the number 6 stroke index hole is the 10th, etc.

• Michelle decides to play in a 9-hole event on the Front Nine at Western Golf Course.

• Whilst Michelle’s 18-hole Daily Handicap would be calculated as 4 at Western Golf Course, the new 9-hole formula gives her a Daily Handicap of 2 for Western’s Front Nine.

• As the lowest two stroke index holes on the Front Nine are the 4th and the 6th, Michelle will receive strokes on the 4th and the 6th in Stableford or Par. In Stroke Play she will receive 2 strokes.

• Scores returned from 8-17 holes of play may be used for handicapping purposes at the discretion of the club.

• The club should have in place a policy stating whether 9-hole scores will be processed for handicapping.

• GA strongly encourages the handicapping of 9-hole scores, and the adoption by each affiliated club of the following policy: “Scores established in all 9-hole singles stroke (includes Par, Stableford, Maximum Score, and Medal) competition rounds will be used for handicapping purposes.”

The following conditions will apply to scores recorded for between 8 and 17 holes:

• (i) An Expected Score is the score a player is expected to achieve over a specified number of holes on a course of standard difficulty. It is calculated using the player’s GA Handicap and attributes a numerical value against any hole or holes not played during a round.

• (ii) Where 16-17 holes inclusive have been played, an 18-hole score will be created for the player using their Expected Score for the hole or holes not played. The score will be processed as an 18-hole score.

• (iii) Scores returned over 8-15 holes will not be doubled or extended, as the case may be, to create an 18-hole score. They will be entered into GolfConnect as 9-hole scores.

• (iv) Where only 8 holes have been played, a 9-hole score will be created for the player using their Expected Score for the hole not played. The score will be entered into GolfConnect as a 9-hole score.

• (v) Any score of less than 8 holes will be disregarded.

• (vi) Where 10-15 holes inclusive have been played, the first 9 holes played will be used and the remaining holes will be disregarded.

• Should the player not have started from the 1st or 10th holes (as per the order on the scorecard), it is holes 1-9 or 10-18 that will be used, with the remainder being disregarded.

• If the player has not played the complete 1st nine holes on the scorecard OR the complete 2nd nine holes on the scorecard, but has played as many as 8 holes of either of the two nines, it is those 8 holes that will be used, with all others being disregarded.

• The scores must not be used for handicapping if the player has not played as many as 8 holes of either the 1st nine holes OR the 2nd nine holes on the scorecard. Exception: If a club is regularly conducting events on an 8-14 hole configuration that does not include as many as 8 holes of either the 1st nine holes OR the 2nd nine holes on the scorecard, and where the club wishes to be able to use such scores for handicapping, it should contact its State Association or GA. The State Association or GA will provide a Scratch Rating that will enable the use of such scores.

• (vii) The first time a player returns an eligible 9-hole score, it should be entered into GolfConnect on the day of play; it will not immediately be used in the calculation of the player’s GA Handicap. It will be automatically held by GolfConnect in the player’s handicap record until another 9-hole score is entered. The two 9-hole scores will be combined automatically by GolfConnect to create a single 18-hole score.

• As the rating for each 9 holes is retained in the GolfConnect database, it does not matter whether the two 9-hole scores come from the same course or different courses.

• GolfConnect will automatically add the two 9-hole scores together to form an 18-hole score.

• When two 9-hole scores are combined to form an 18-hole score, the 18-hole ‘Gross Differential’ is achieved by adding together both 9-hole ‘Gross Differentials’, and then rounding to one decimal place.

• (viii) A 9-hole score will be retained for combination with another 9-hole score until it is older than the 20th oldest 18-hole score.

• (ix) When construction or maintenance causes hole closures, affecting all players over a period of time, a score of net par should be used for a hole or holes not played, in place of the Expected Score.

Early in 2022, The R&A and USGA modified the Daily Difficulty formula to increase the likelihood by approximately 5% of an adjustment for abnormal playing conditions (note: the technical term for Daily Difficulty is ‘Playing Conditions Calculation’ or PCC).

National associations were given discretion, beginning in July 2022, to introduce this revision within their computation platforms. With the consent of The R&A and USGA, Australia held back its introduction of the new settings due to the planned transition from GOLF Link to GolfConnect. This has created a slight misalignment between Australian handicaps and those in other parts of the world. To correct this minor misalignment, Daily Difficulty calculations for all Australian competitions will be back-calculated to 1 January 2023 as a part of the transition project to GolfConnect.

As a consequence of this back-calculation work, almost every Australian club member should expect some degree of change to their GA Handicap when they first view it on the new GA app and website after GolfConnect has replaced GOLF Link. The extent of the change will vary from golfer to golfer depending on each golfer’s dates of play and courses played. (The implementation of the new settings will change the score values of approximately 5% of scores returned in 2023 and 2024.) For most golfers the change to their GA Handicap is projected to be less than .5, however there will be exceptions to the general experience.