World Handicap System

Effective January 2020, Canada switched to the World Handicap System (also known as the WHS). A link to the new Rules of Handicapping manual is provided here. Some of the changes are:

  • The WHS bases your handicap on the average of your best 8 of last 20 scores.

  • Everyone will now have a maximum score of net double bogey (or NDB) for each hole (this replaces the old Equitable Scoring Control or ESC) for entering scores into the Golf Canada system.

  • Conversion of World Handicap System handicap indices to course handicaps is now based on par, not the course rating.

Prior to 2020, your course handicap was calculated using the slope (18-hole gold tees = 124) only, i.e.,

Course Handicap = Handicap Index * Slope/113

However, in 2020 your handicap index will be converted to a course handicap using the formula

Course Handicap = (Handicap Index * Slope / 113) + (Course Rating - Par)

As Broadmoor's course rating from the gold tees is 69.9 and par is 72, this will reduce everyone's course handicap by 2.1 strokes, click here for an explanation!

  • There is an additional adjustment for daily playing conditions (i.e., weather conditions, course conditions and course setup), known as the PCC (Playing Conditions Calculation). This is calculated based on scores entered into the Golf Canada system before midnight on the day played so we encourage members to enter their scores into the Golf Canada system before midnight on the same day that they were played.

  • There is a new adjustment for exceptionally low scores (defined as differentials that are seven or more strokes below a player’s handicap index). This will reduce your handicap repeatedly if more exceptionally low scores are posted (relative to the new handicap index).

  • There is also an adjustment for unusually high scores, which is referenced to each player's twelve-month low handicap index. If a newly calculated handicap index is significantly more than the twelve-month low handicap index, the increase in the index will be “suppressed”, such that indexes cannot increase by more than 5 strokes over a twelve-month period.