The Rules news for golfers who regularly play par-3 and shorter-length courses and have wanted those scores to count toward their Handicap Index .
Reasoning :
• This change enables scores made at shorter length courses to be acceptable for handicap purposes and allows players with a Handicap Index to determine a Course Handicap™ and Playing Handicap™ for use during their rounds at such facilities .
• In recent years , more short courses are being built and shorter length tees are being added at full length courses to accommodate players of all abilities . These courses are often played by either beginners or golfers with shorter hitting distances , and this change provides these players the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of maintaining a Handicap Index .
• This change also allows courses that have not previously utilized the WHS™ to create a club structure , affiliate with their local Allied Golf Association , and register golfers for a Handicap Index .
A NEW TREATMENT OF 9-HOLE SCORES Previously , 9-hole scores were combined in the order posted to create an 18-hole Score Differential™ . This means that a 9-hole score shot one day could be combined with a 9-hole score from days , weeks , or even months before — which led to volatile results .
Now , when a player posts a 9-hole score , it is combined with their expected Score Differential over 9 holes to create an 18-hole Score Differential for immediate use — with expected score based on the player ’ s Handicap Index at the time the round is played as well as a course of standard difficulty .
Reasoning :
• This treatment of 9-hole scores is more responsive since players will no longer have to wait for a second 9-hole score to be posted for an 18-hole Score Differential to be created and used in their Handicap Index calculation .
• It provides a better representation of how a player will normally perform over 18 holes on a given day , compared to combined 9-hole scores made on different days and under different playing conditions .
AN UPDATED APPROACH FOR HOLES NOT PLAYED Previously , when a hole wasn ’ t played ( due to darkness , for example ), the score recorded was a net par . Now , when 10-17 holes are played , an 18-hole Score Differential will be determined by adding the player ’ s Score Differential from the holes played to an expected Score Differential for the number of holes not played . Since a player ’ s expected score is not specific to a course or reliant upon the course ’ s stroke index allocation ( as net par was previously ), this will lead to more consistency .
Reasoning :
• Prior to 2024 , scores made on holes 10-13 were discarded if fewer than 14 holes were played . This change adds flexibility by allowing scores made on those holes to be retained and used to create an 18-hole Score Differential .
• By replacing net par with the use of a player ’ s expected score to produce an 18-hole Score Differential , players will see more equity and consistency . This is because the expected score for a player is not course-specific or reliant upon the course ’ s stroke index allocation .
Revised every four years , the newest changes to the WHS™ will allow more players to take advantage of WHS™ services and expand the reach of the program to smaller courses . Check out these changes and more on the 2024 WHS™ revisions hub at VSGA . org .
vsga . org J ANUARY / F EBRUARY 2024 | V IRGINIA G OLFER 15