Whether you’re playing a fun round with family or friends, or you’re aiming to become the next Rory McIlroy, a golf handicap is the easiest and most universally recognised way of measuring your ability and progress. Used around the world, they’re used to help players qualify for tournaments, make comparisons between different players, and allow players of different abilities to compete against each other fairly.In this guide, we’ll give you a detailed answer to the question ‘what is a handicap in golf?’, including how they work, how you can estimate your own handicap, and how your handicap can help you unlock new opportunities to play golf across the globe.How do golf handicaps work?A golf handicap is a figure that quantifies how many shots a player would typically be over par on a typical 18-hole round. The World Handicap System is the universally deployed handicap system for golfers all over the world and is recognised by the most important bodies in the game, such as the Royal & Anc...
