As of January 2024, when a player posts a 9-hole score, the WHS will automatically calculate an 18-hole Score Differential for the round, based on the player’s 9-hole Score Differential and expected Score Differential based on their current Handicap Index®, allowing the 9-hole round to be considered in the player’s Handicap Index calculation right away.
As part of this change, golfers are required to play all 9 holes with a valid 9-hole Course Rating™ and Slope Rating™ instead of the previous minimum of 7 holes.
This change provides a better indicator of how a player will normally perform over 18 holes on a given day when compared to combining 9-hole scores from different days and under different playing conditions.
A player with a Handicap Index of 14.0 posts a 9-hole score of 41. Based on Course Rating and Slope Rating of the tees played, this results in a 9-hole Score Differential of 7.2. That value is then added to the player's expected 9-hole Score Differential to determine an 18-hole Score Differential of 15.7, which will be entered into the player's scoring record immediately.
