Join the GSGA and Get a Handicap Index®!
Be part of a community of over 95,000 who are as passionate about the game as you! GSGA Members receive an updated Handicap Index®, which allows you to post your score wherever you play in Georgia and across the country using the World Handicap System™.
The World Handicap System™ enables golfers of all skill levels to compete on an equitable basis. This section of the site will help you understand why having a Handicap Index® is important.
This information includes how to post scores and how to calculate your Handicap Index®.
The links to the right include articles and resources for anyone interested in starting a golf club or for current Handicap Committee chairmen who need assistance in maintaining handicaps for their respective clubs. The current version of the World Handicap System™ went into effect in January 2024.
Post A Score
To earn a Handicap Index®, a player must report all scores for all 18-hole rounds. If a player plays 9 holes or 10-17 holes, those scores must still be posted. Accurate and faithful score reporting are the most important parts of a sound handicap system.
The USGA requires a Digital Profile for all golfers to access and post scores through GHIN Products (GHIN.com; GHIN mobile app). If you haven’t already created one, click here to create your Digital Profile.
Score Posting Questions
Q: I made an error when posting my score. How do I correct it?
A: Please contact your Club of the GSGA and they will be able to assist you in making a correction.
Q: When posting my score, the Par and/or Course/Slope Ratings do not match the scorecard. Why?
A: The local association is responsible for issuing Course/Slope Ratings, Par and measured lengths that appear for score posting purposes. If there is a discrepancy, the course will need to work with their local association to rectify the issue.
Q: I am getting an error message when trying to post a hole-by-hole score. Why?
A: We do not have the Par or Stroke Index data available in our database for that course/tee. Please post a total score and contact your Club of the GSGA.
Q: Can I edit Stats or add Stats to my score?
A: You can edit Stats as well as add Stats to a hole-by-hole score posted within the “Stats” section of GHIN.com or the GHIN mobile app.
If you have questions or need additional assistance, please contact Bryan Nelson at bnelson@gsga.org.
Handicap Lookup
Information for golfers who were not on the GHIN server with active status at the beginning of the revision period will not be displayed. If golfers have recently become active, they will appear in the next handicap revision. This is your Handicap Index® and scoring record at your golf club based on the latest revision date. More recent scores are available through the “View 20 Most Recent” button. This service is provided by your golf association that uses GHIN — a USGA service.
If you have questions or need additional assistance, please contact Bryan Nelson at bnelson@gsga.org.
Course Rating
GHIN is the largest handicapping service and your GSGA Membership includes your Handicap Index® and a record of your recent scores. When you maintain a Handicap Index® at a GSGA Member Club, you will enjoy the game more because you can compete on an equal level with anyone.
Your Handicap Index® will be updated each time you post a score. The GSGA/GHIN software package includes handicap computation, a tournament pairings program, Course Rating and Slope Database™ and Stroke Hole Allocation Service.
Course Rating™ is an important core service that the GSGA provides to its Member Clubs. The GSGA maintains accurate and up-to-date laser measurements and USGA Course Rating™ and Slope Rating™ information for golf courses in Georgia. For GSGA Member Clubs, there is no additional fee for this service.
Courses are rated at least every 10 years or when substantial changes are made to the golf course. GSGA Course Rating volunteers are trained annually to assure that their work is done in accordance with the current standards of the USGA Course Rating System™.
Course Rating FAQs
What is Course Rating?
The USGA Course Rating indicates the playing difficulty of a course for scratch golfers under normal course and weather conditions. It is based on yardage and other obstacles to the extent that they affect the scoring difficulty for the scratch golfer. This rating is often considered the “target score” for a scratch golfer (the golfer is only successful in shooting that score about 25% of the time).
What is Slope?
Slope Rating is the measurement of the relative difficulty for players who are not scratch golfers, compared to the USGA Course Rating. Calculating Slope takes into account how yardage and obstacles come into play for less-skilled golfers.
Who is a “Scratch Golfer”?
A “scratch golfer” is a player who can play to a Course Handicap of zero on any and all rated golf courses under normal playing conditions. For rating purposes, the USGA narrowly defines this golfer by the distances he is able to hit the ball. This allows the rating process to be applied uniformly to all golf courses.
Who is a “Bogey Golfer”?
For men, a Bogey Golfer is a player who has a Course Handicap of about 20 on a course of standard difficulty. For women, a Bogey Golfer has a Course Handicap of about 24. For rating purposes, the USGA also defines these golfers by the distance they are able to hit the ball, thus maintaining consistency in the application of the USGA Course Rating System.
How often are courses rated?
The USGA requires a course rating update at least every 10 years.
The World Handicap System™ enables golfers of all skill levels to compete on an equitable basis. This section of the site will help golfers understand why having a Handicap Index is important. There are links to the World Handicap System Manual, the handicapping equivalent of the Rules of Golf and a Course Handicap Calculator to allow players to convert their Handicap Index to Course Handicap for any course that has been properly rated. The current version of the World Handicap System™ went into effect in January 2024.
Handicap Index Calculation 101
- What is a Score Differential and how is it calculated?
- How is a Handicap Index calculated?
- I always play the same tees at the same course. Is my Handicap Index "established" from that set?
- What is the maximum Handicap Index?
- How often is a Handicap Index updated?
9-Hole Scores
- How did the treatment of 9-hole scores change under the World Handicap System in 2024?
- How is a golfer's expected score determined to create an 18-hole Score Differential?
- How will a 9-hole score be displayed in my scoring record?
- When establishing a Handicap Index, how are 9-hole scores treated?
Adjustment of Hole Scores
- What is my maximum hole score for handicap purposes?
- I started a hole, but did not complete it. What score do I post?
- I did not play a hole. What score do I post?
- Why is hole-by-hole score posting required when 10-17 holes are played?
- How will a 10-17-hole score be displayed in my scoring record?
- If I play 10-17 holes, will it count as 18 holes for the purposes of establishing a Handicap Index?
Course Handicap and Playing Handicap
- What is the difference between a Course Handicap and Playing Handicap?
- How do I calculate my Course Handicap and Playing Handicap?
- When players compete from different tees, do we have to make any adjustments?
- Where does rounding occur within the Playing Handicap calculation?
Posting Scores
- How do I determine if a score is acceptable for handicap purposes?
- How many holes must be played to post an acceptable score?
- I accidently posted the wrong score - how can I change it?
- I would like to play from a set of tees that are not rated for my gender. How can I post a score?
- Are scores designated as "Competition" scores treated any differently?
- I played a round by myself. Why can't I post the score?
- Why am I expected to post my score the day I play?
- I don't know the Course Rating and Slope Rating for the tees I played. How can I post the score?
- Can I manually enter the Course Rating, Slope Rating and par for a course I played?
Fundamentals of Handicapping
- What does a Handicap Index represent?
- How do I get a Handicap Index?
- How many scores do I have to post before I get a Handicap Index?
- Someone asks me what my handicap in when we are standing on the first tee. What do I tell them?
- What is peer review and why is it important?
- I recently posted scores, but my Handicap Index has not changed. Why?
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