Can someone explain to me what the USGA handicap index is?

Question

i've been told mine is a 8.7. what does that mean?

Answer 1

An official handicap must be issued by "licensed golf clubs that follow all the procedures of the established USGA Handicap System™". However, the formula for calculating a handicap is not a secret and therefore anyone can calculate a handicap index.

The handicap index was designed to allow golfers of different abilities to compete with one another. It basically levels the playing field and makes the golfers play to the best of their ability in order to win.

As handicaps go, an 8.7 is pretty darn good.

If you would like to find out more about handicaps or even calculate your own, visit http://www.GolfFoundations.com/handicap....

Answer 2

It means that you are a better than average golfer for now, but with your new baby, it will go up a lot soon because you will golf less.  

Take the best 10 rounds, and average the score differentials between your score and the course rating.  USGA and GHIN have the exact formula.  Then give strokes to higher handicaps, and get strokes from lower handicaps.

Answer 3

Go to www.ghin.com.  It is a great handicap resource.  You can look up other handicaps, calculate what your handicap would be on other golf courses based on your index.  If you are an 8.7, you are doing well.  If you have an established index, then you should also have a GHIN number, which is like an account number that will let you see your history and trends on this web site as well.

Answer 4

It is an improvement on the old handicapping system.  Say you were a 9 handicap at the club where you play most of the time and you go play at a course that is more difficult than the one  you usually play.  You would have a tough time beating a 9 that played there all the time.  With the index, each course has a chart (based on the difficulty of the course), you look on the chart for the tees you are going to play at that club and see that your 8.7 is a 10 at a difficult course, or maybe it is only a 7 handicap at an easy course.  It is in keeping with the overall goal of handicaps that anyone can play a fair match against anyone else in spite of different skill levels.