We don’t mean ‘How do you think you have been playing.’ We’re asking how you’ve actually been performing. There’s often a difference between feel and real. The good news is, your answer doesn’t have ...

Most elite golfers have a positive handicap and give extra strokes to the course. Take Tiger Woods’ +9.4 handicap, for example. But why would any golfer willingly give strokes away, and what does the ...

Handicaps in golf are the subject of public shame and personal aspiration. But they are also a crucial part of the game for many amateur players, an essential mechanism for allowing any two players of ...

Golf handicaps are an essential aspect of the game. But there’s a lot to learn about them, and at times they can get complicated. Whether you are a beginner golfer who is trying to get their first ...

This content was first published in Golf Journal, a quarterly print publication exclusively for USGA Members. To be among the first to receive Golf Journal and to learn how you can help make golf more ...

I just started playing and am not sure what a Handicap Index is. A Handicap Index® is a portable number that measures your demonstrated ability; for example, 15.2. The maximum Handicap Index is 54.0 ...

There's your score, and then there's your score for handicap purposes. Here's the difference and how to calculate them both ...

The handicap system in golf is what makes ours such a universally enjoyable sport. Elite golfers can play with and compete against relative novices thanks to the golf handicap. Players of all ...