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Is there a limit on how much my Handicap Index® can increase?

To help prevent a Handicap Index® from rising too quickly, each update is compared to your Low Handicap Index® and:

  • If the new value is more than 3.0 strokes higher, a soft cap is applied to reduce any increase above 3.0 strokes by 50%.
  • If the new value is more than 5.0 strokes higher, a hard cap is applied to limit the increase to no more than 5.0 strokes above the Low Handicap Index®.

For example, if a player has a Low Handicap Index® of 10.0 and a current 8-of-20 calculation of 13.4, the Handicap Index® would be adjusted to 13.2 because the increase above 3.0 strokes is reduced by 50%.

In certain situations, such as injury or illness, the Handicap Committee at the player’s home club may override the soft cap or hard cap. For more information, see Rule 5.8 of the Rules of Handicapping.