What is a Golf Handicap?

With over a decade of experience in equity research and sales, Jenina Casey, a graduate of St. John's University, serves as the managing director in a leading New-York company. Jenina Casey enjoys hiking, theatre, and playing golf in her free time.

A golf handicap is a numerical measurement of a player's ability on the golf course. This handicap is intended to compare players and see whom they would play against. A golfer's handicap is the difference between the total golf par (the number of strokes required to complete a course) and the average number of strokes played by that golfer.

The lesser a player's handicap, the more skilled the player. Having a handicap makes it simple to participate fairly in events as a golfer. In the beginning, having a handicap isn't all that crucial because the golfer in question is still learning how to hit the ball. The most effective strategy to lessen your golf handicap is regularly practicing your swings and making sure your equipment is near-perfect.

After playing a minimum of three 18-hole rounds of golf, golfers can acquire their handicaps from golf clubs affiliated with a Golf Union. However, the regulations for calculating a golfer's handicap change from country to country.