2024 WHS Updates: What You Need To Know 🏌️

Changes are coming to the World Handicap System™ in April 2024, here's what you need to know.

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[DannySlaughter-dftd]

They have made everything so complicated that there is little point in sessions to explain it all as virtually no-one remembers all the different handicaps, formulas and calculations. The computer has now become essential to work everything out at the end of a round.

[edwardvanberckel]

By now it must be clear that the new handicap system has become nothing more than a demotivating lottery.

[greymack]

Honestly no idea what was just said, I'll happily live in ignorance and just see what strokes I'm given in the comps

[calebomand]

Why make it so complicated all the system does is punish good players and reward higher handicaps ever since the new system got introduced i have never seen so many low net 60 rounds and even sub 60 net scores and my course how can someone like me off 6 compete with net 59 come on systems a joke

[TheRealLindenH]

Golf is hard enough - we’ve to book tee times through BRS, register and put scores in via HowDidIDo, hand cards into Club committee - just where do Scottish Golf get involved? Course Ratings, Slope Ratings (why 113?) - tick this box, fill-in that app, jump through these hoops! It’s become so complicated just to tee-it up in a Saturday Medal with any confidence that all the admin has been filled in/applied for correctly. Are we still getting a percentage of handicap in a medal, or has that changed as well?
Also, why call it a ‘world’ handicap system when it wasn’t the the same in the rest of the world last year - or have we now caught up?

[jamesstewart]

Someone is making this up as they go along - we already had playing condition adjustments under the old system!!! And as for four ball match play scores counting towards handicaps …. What a joke !!

[davidbond]

Just a case of pandering to the USGA. Who invented the game > The old system worked perfectly well and now after a year or so a change again. SGU and the national Unions need to take stock of all golfer in GB & I and inform USGA for the amount of golf played by their members the WH system isn't for us. !!!!

[ScottSturrock]

If you were trying to introduce someone to playing the game of golf and showed them this video do you think they would take up tennis, fishing or bowls instead??

[garyobrien]

Basically set the game up for higher handicap players to win, should have left it as it was.

[infodonfield]

Should be a minimum period of 3 years before major changes to the WHS are permitted. The only question Scottish Golf should be asking in considering change is "will these changes increase the number of people joining clubs?"

[DunnGolfing]

Clubs have to start having a scratch section in medals or it just becomes a joke playing.

[allansmith]

WHS has had effects at both end of the golfing spectrum. Higher Index golfers are happy to see there scores go up as they get rewarded every few competitions. Lower golfers cherrypick when to play (weather based) as they want to stay low and ensure they get in teams and "elite" comps. I'm off 4.9 and am really just playing to better my Index and maybe get a 2. Open comps are out of my reach now.

[HelenOReilly-uj]

Must you enter your 9 holes golf competition for handicap

[GraceKing-pstd]

Couldn’t make it more complicated if they tried. When I started playing under the Ladies system all that was required was 4 live scores totalled up and divided by 4 to give you your handicap. If you had better scores during the season you substituted them in place of the higher scores. You knew exactly how to calculate your own handicap. If you played and your score wasn’t any good it was totally disregarded. The game was FUN to play as you didn’t need to return a score every game. We’re rank Amateurs for goodness sakes not professionals earning a living.

[jawnpawlsawn]

The fourball better ball inclusion is disappointing for sure... Fourball better ball brings a whole different tactic/dynamic to the game which is not reflective of individual play. In fourball better ball, you may well adjust your game based on the performance of your playing partner, not necessarily choosing the same shots (usually level of caution) that you would in a counting round.

[FFRDF]

Judging by the comments so far on this video, the further changes to an already unpopular system have gone down like a jobby on the dinner table. The impact on me is that my Index @ 8.0 will give me a playing index (home course) of 9.8 but when you factor in the 95% rule, brings it down to 9.3. All a bit unnecessary I think. (Why don’t any of these WHS vids mention the 95% bit?)

[superscaff]

It seems to me that this is more about promoting Scottish Golf as an organisation rather than bringing any improvements to the game. Nobody I was aware of had any interaction with this mob just to enjoy a game of golf on a Saturday morning, now everyone has their app, and they have our information and before I go out to enjoy my first medal of the season, I'm scouring youtube for information to help me understand how my score will be calculated. Unbelievable

[ColinMcMinn-ttqs]

Why is there no requirement for every club to mandate the same number of counting scores to maintain a ‘current’ handicap. My club allows 7 years for 20 scores, other 3 years and others the sensible 1 year. Colin McMinn

[fredsmiff]

New system doesn't suit low to mid handicap players, in old system you had buffer zones my handicap went up .3 4weeks in avrow when shooting net par or 1 over. 30+ handicap players with 56/57 net.

[BrokenPlayaz]

You’re just making it harder to understand. Can’t wait to see what you change it to next year