FOR CLUBS AND GOLFERS

How is my Handicap Index® calculated? I thought it was just an average of some of my scores? 
The calculation is not just using your scores. It is using the Score Differential™. This is important because the lowest score may not always represent the lowest Score Differential. The Score Differential takes into consideration not only the score you made, but also the Course Rating™ and the Slope Rating™ of the tees you played that day, along with any PCC or Playing Conditions Calculation (if applicable.)  Here is the calculation to determine the Score Differential: Score Differential = (113 / Slope Rating) x (Adjusted Gross Score – Course Rating – PCC Adjustment) 

After the Score Diff is calculated then your Handicap Index is determined by taking, of your most 20 recent scores, the 8 lowest Score Differentials and averages those to the tenth digit (we call that the 8 of 20 Score Diff average). When reviewing your record in GHIN®, always look at the column labeled “Diff” or the scores marked with an asterisk (*) to see which Score Differentials are used to determine your H.I.™. That is just the first step in the calculation. Next, it compares your 8 of 20 Score Diff average to your Low Handicap Index™ (Low H.I.™). A Low H.I. is the lowest Handicap Index achieved over the 365-day period preceding the most recent score in your scoring record. The Low H.I. serves as a reference point or benchmark against which your current Handicap Index can be compared. The calculation takes your 8 of 20 Score Diff average and compares it to your Low H.I. and if less than 3.0 difference, then your 8 of 20 Score Diff average becomes your H.I. If there is a 3.0 or greater difference between your 8 of 20 Score Diff average and your Low H.I., then a Soft cap is automatically applied by the calculation. 

Basic Steps to Calculate a Handicap Index:
A score is posted. Later that day, after 11:59 pm, the system revises/recalculates, following these steps: 

1. Determines the Score Differential
2. Determines if a PCC applies 
3. Determines if an Exceptional Score Reduction applies 
4. Determine of the 20 most recently posted scores, the 8 lowest Score Diffs and averages those, to the tenth digit (.5 or more is rounded up.) 
5. Compare the 8 of 20 average to the Lowest Handicap Index from the last 365 days (preceding the most recently posted score) and if less than 3.0 difference, then the 8 of 20 becomes your H.I. 
6. If there is a difference of 3.0 or greater, a soft cap is calculated and applied to your H.I. 
7. After a soft cap has been applied, if a greater than 5.0 difference, a hard cap is calculated and applied to your H.I. 

What are “Soft” and “Hard” Caps?  
In the World Handicap System or WHS, there are safeguards built into the calculation to limit the extreme upward movement of the golfer’s Handicap Index, and one such safeguard is the soft & hard caps. Soft caps are designed to push down or lightly suppress the extreme upward movement/increase of the golfer’s H.I., and hard caps literally restrict or freeze the extreme upward movement/increase of the golfer’s H.I.   

The date I achieved my Low Handicap Index has passed but has not changed in GHIN, why?
Remember that nothing in your scoring record changes until you play, post and go through the required revision/recalculation which occurs after 11:59 pm the day of the posting. Just recognize that the system does not automatically change/update when the calendar hits the date you achieved your Low H.I., commonly referred to as your “Anchor Date.” You must play, post, and after 11:59 pm, it revises/recalculates and at that point, the system will then look for your Low H.I. and date achieved. The Low H.I. is the lowest Handicap Index achieved over the 365-day period preceding the most recent score in your scoring record. Then that new “Anchor Date” will display in your record. 

What is the PCC or Playing Conditions Calculation?
The Playing Conditions Calculation or PCC is an automatic feature that is built into the formula. On most days, the PCC calculation will result in no adjustment (0.0 or showing up in GHIN as just a dash or  “–“ in the PCC column). 

PCC is not something that any person, club or golf course can request to be applied. It is a statistical calculation. Whether the PCC gets applied is determined after 11:59 pm, when the calculation revises/recalculates handicaps for all golfers that played that golf course that day and posted their score before 11:59 pm. Again, it is an algorithm and a proprietary calculation. Typically, the PCC will only be a minus 1, 0, +1, +2 or +3.  

• A 0.0 adjustment means the course played as expected.
• A -1.0 adjustment means the course played easier than expected.
• A +1.0, +2.0 or +3.0 adjustment means the course played more difficult than expected.

Again, for most days, it will result in no adjustment. 

For PCC to be considered in the calculation, from a golf course, there must be at least 8 scores posted that day, before 11:59 pm by golfers with a H.I. of 36.0 or lower, whose scores are either higher or lower than expected. This means that if 7 players with H.I. of 36.0 or lower posted lower or higher scores than expected before 11: 59 pm after playing that golf course that day, then no matter what the conditions were, no PCC will ever be applied. So it is all the more important for golfers to post all scores immediately following play and at the very least before 11:59 pm the day of play. 

What is an Exceptional Score Reduction or ESR?
The Exceptional Score Reduction is another safeguard built into the calculation to limit extreme increases in the Handicap Index. An Exceptional Score is defined as: A Score Differential which is at least 7.0 strokes better (lower) than your Handicap Index at the time the round was played. When looking at the scoring record in GHIN, it is the Score Type of “EH” where E = Exceptional score and H=Home, or EA where A=Away or EC where C=Competition.  

• If the Score Diff is 7.0 to 9.9 strokes lower than your H.I. at that time, then the -1 is applied to the Score Diffs.  
• If the Score Diff is 10.0 or more strokes lower than your H.I. at that time, then the -2 is applied to the Score Diffs.  
• When an Exceptional Score is posted, the adjustment is applied to each of the previous 20 Score Differentials in your scoring record.  
• The net result will be at least a 1.0 or 2.0 stroke reduction in the Handicap Index. Subsequent scores don’t get the adjustment, which allows the impact of the ESR to slowly diminish, as new scores are posted, or as “played away”.  

What is the Course Handicap? Why do I need it?
The Course Handicap tells you the number of strokes you need to “play to par” or get you back to par, the number of “pops” you get. Your Handicap Index is considered a “benchmark.” Every time you tee it up, you take your current H.I. and convert it into the Course Handicap™ (CH™), based upon the tees you are playing that day. It is easiest to use the GHIN mobile app or GHIN.com to determine your CH, but here is the formula for your information to determine your CH: Course Handicap = Handicap Index x (Slope Rating / 113) + (Course Rating – Par) 

HELPFUL LINKS

• Rules of Handicapping™
• 14 short good educational videos for golfers
• 2024 Player Reference Guide 

When will I receive my Handicap ID (GHIN number) and see my Handicap Index? 
If signing up using the join/renew button for your club, you should receive your number within 5-10 minutes via email once your payment has processed. If you’ve joined a club, your number will be emailed when your club administrators have processed your application. If you do not receive the email or have any questions regarding your Handicap ID (GHIN number) please contact our office 214-468-8942 or membership@txga.org.  

Once you placed your Handicap ID (GHIN number) on a roster, if you haven’t posted a total of 54 holes played, you will not be able to see your Handicap Index or NH meaning No Handicap. After a total of 54 holes has been posted, the GHIN database updates at midnight each night and at that time or the next morning, you will see your Handicap Index. 

How do I change clubs? 
If you’re a member of a club, and your Handicap ID (GHIN number) is active with your current club but you would like to join a different club, it will be for another fee.  Each club charges a fee for you to have your Handicap ID (GHIN number) on their roster. You can join any club of your choice and still use the same Handicap ID (GHIN number) to activate your membership at your new club. Go to txga.org  going to the heading of Membership, using the drop down select Join the TGA. On the right of your screen is the option to Find a Club, Join the Medalist, or Join the Gallery Club. When searching for a club, you can see if the club is part of our Join and Renew program and join right away. If the club does not participate in the Join and Renew program, you will have to contact the club and have the Head Golf Professional add your Handicap ID (GHIN number) to the club’s roster. 

I’ve forgotten my password for posting scores on GHIN.com and/or the GHIN App. 
Once you create a Digital Profile, the TGA has no access to the password. If you need to reset your password, you will need to choose the Forgot Login Information link on either GHIN.com or the GHIN Mobile App and complete the reset password process or contact membership@txga.org. 

I am getting ready to play overseas and need help finding and printing my Handicap Index Card. How do I find it? 
You can view your Handicap Index Card on your USGA GHIN app by selecting the More tab at the bottom of the app, the select My Card. To print your Handicap Index Card, go to ghin.com, click the three bars next to the left of USGA, click My Card, scroll halfway down the page to the print button underneath your card.  

How do I edit or remove an incorrect score from my GHIN record? 
You cannot edit or remove your posted score. If your Handicap ID number is on a club roster, you will need to contact your Pro Shop.  If your Handicap ID or GHIN number is with a virtual club, you can contact our office at 214-468-8942 or membership@txga.org. Only a registered Administrator in the club’s Admin Portal account (ex., Golf Professional) can edit or remove a score. 

I’m searching for golfers in the Golfer Lookup section and can’t find anyone. Why?  
You must only enter a Last Name or GHIN number and have no “Filter” settings applied in order to have a successful search in Golfer Lookup.  

Can I edit Stats or add Stats to my score? 
You can edit Stats as well as add Stats only to hole-by-hole scores posted within the “Stats” section on the GHIN Mobile App or ghin.com. If you would like to add Stats to a score that has been posted nine-by-nine or via total score, you will need to contact club’s Head Professional to delete the score. Then the score can be reposted hole-by-hole with Stats.   

On the GHIN Mobile App, how do you remove golfers from the Handicap Calculator? 
On both iOS and Android devices, you can “swipe” to the left to remove the golfer from the Handicap Calculator. 

What are the GPS features?  
There are the Standard GPS features that is available to all golfers using the USGA GHIN app and the Enhanced GPS features which is an upgrade with the price of $49.99 for a 12-month subscription.  This subscription for the Enhanced GPS automatically renews each year.  You can manage your App subscriptions within your Apple ID or Google Play account. 

Features on the Standard GPS include:
• 3D color maps for thousands of courses
• Touchpoint GPS distance to anywhere on the course
• Distance to center of the green
• There are additional “Enhanced GPS” features available via an in-app purchase. 

Features on the Enhanced GPS:
• Distances to the front and back of green
• Shot tracking
• Ability to set/move hole location
• Approach heat map
• Putt break map
• Apple Watch GPS Distances 

 I have an Apple Watch; how do I get the GHIN App on it? 
On your iPhone, open the Watch app.  Tap the My Watch tab.  Scroll to the GHIN App (Apps that you can install appear in the Available Apps section).  To add the GHIN App to your watch, tap Install. 

I have the GHIN App on my Watch, but it will not sync? 
If your Apple Watch and iPhone are not syncing, you may need to reset your Apple Watch’s sync data. You can do this by going to the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and selecting General. Scroll down to Reset and tap it. Then go to your watch to click on Reset Sync Data.

How often does a golf course need to be rated? 
A golf course is initially rated when it is first established. After that, the course will undergo a re-rating in five years. From then on, it will follow the standard rating schedule, with ratings taking place once every 10 years. 

How much does a course rating cost? 
Course ratings are provided at no cost to clubs that are members of the Texas Golf Association. If your club is not yet a member and you’re interested in joining, please contact Mary Harrison in our office to begin the membership process. 

How do I start the process of getting on the course rating schedule? 
To get started, simply reach out to our office. Shona DeMint will then send you the necessary forms to complete, which will request details such as tee yardages, green sizes, and other course-specific information. 

How do I get access to Golf Genius? 
As a member club of the Texas Golf Association, you receive complimentary access to the TM Club version of Golf Genius, with no additional cost to your club. 

What if I need help with using Golf Genius? 
If you need help using Golf Genius, simply click on the orange Help button within your account to access the “Contact Us” feature. This provides 24/7 live chat support, with a real person available to assist you year-round. 

Additionally, you can always contact Shona DeMint in our office for any further assistance you may need.