Rules of Handicapping FAQs

Handicap Competitions

Q. How should scores be posted in competitions where multiple nine-hole rounds are played?

A. In competitions with a round robin or other format where multiple individual nines are played, the USGA recommends each nine be posted independently for handicap purposes. This provides consistency with the Rules of Golf where they are treated as separate rounds (for example – a player can swap out clubs between rounds, escalating penalties are reset, and the player can receive separate penalties for being late to the tee in respective rounds). As a result, each 9-hole score will receive an 18-hole Score Differential™ in the scoring record.