ABSTRACT
Handicaps are normally adjusted only in respect of scores returned in approved stroke play competitions or their equivalent. The handicap of any player who returns a net score equal to or one or two strokes over his handicap remains unchanged (known as “the buffer zone”). The handicap of any player who returns a net score three or more strokes over his handicap will be increased by 0.1 of a stroke. Handicap reductions vary according to the handicap category of the player and the reduction for each category is as follows:
Although the handicap of a player is recorded to one decimal place he always plays from the rounded whole number handicap. The objective of all golf handicapping schemes is to enable players of different ability to play against each other with equal chance of success with any unavoidable bias to favour the better player.
