- As stated by the USGA, the golf handicap system is intended to enable golfers of all skill levels to compete on an equitable basis. Golf would be little fun if better players continually beat those of lesser ability. The handicap system does not place the high-handicapper on equal footing with the better golfer--the playing field is not rendered perfectly level--but it does give him a fighting chance, and encourages greater competition.
- The USGA handicap system determines a golfer's potential skill level using a proprietary formula that factors in the best 10 of his most recent 20 scores, the difficulty of the courses played, and whether the scores were for tournament rounds. Generally, the higher a golfer's scores, the higher his handicap "index." That index is used to calculate his "course handicap," which may be higher than his index on difficult courses, or lower than his index on easier courses. The golfer's "net" score is his gross or "raw" score minus his course handicap.
- It might seem unfair to reward poor play by giving away strokes, but a "reward for excellence" is built into the system so that the better golfer always has an edge. It's for that reason that a golfer's index is based on the 10 best scores of his last 20, and not a simple average. A handicap should reflect the golfer's potential skill level--what he's capable of scoring, not what he typically scores. It's in that spirit that the ESC rule was implemented.
- Because ESC limits are simple, they're easily memorized. They are based on the golfer's course handicap, not his index, so they may change depending on the course being played. A handicap of 9 or lower limits the golfer to a maximum of double bogey on any hole. A handicap between 10 and 19 allows for a 7. A handicap in the 20s allows for an 8. The limit is 9 for a handicap in the 30s, and it's 10 for a handicap higher than 40.
- During a round, if a golfer's score for a hole exceeds his ESC limit, he must record both his raw score for the hole and his ESC score. At the end, he'll have two scores: his raw total and his adjusted ESC total. The ESC total is what he'll post to calculate his handicap; the raw score is used for all other purposes. If a 15 handicapper shoots a 92, but his score included a triple bogey on a par 5, he'll need to post an ESC score of 91 to the handicapping system.
- To thwart "sandbaggers," those unscrupulous golfers who run up a high handicap only to shoot very low scores in tournament play, the handicap system differentiates between casual and tournament rounds. If a player posts high scores in general, but remarkably beats his own handicap during tournaments, the system makes adjustments accordingly, and brings his index down using formulas that calculate the odds of such rare occurrences.
- A golfer's handicap is an important motivational tool, and complements his desire to improve by providing a measure of his progress. Sandbaggers notwithstanding, golfers in general strive for improvement, but lowering a handicap can be notoriously difficult. According to Golf Digest, nearly three-quarters of all golfers' handicaps are about the same at the end of each season as they were at the beginning, but that doesn't stop the dedicated golfer from getting out there each week, and giving it yet another try.
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