The World Handicap System (WHS) is the key mechanism introduced by the 2 main International Governing Bodies of Golf, The USGA, in the Americas and the R&A, based in Scotland for the rest of the World.
When the international governing bodies looked at how to grow golf across the World with a view to making Golf more accessible and inclusive across, ages, abilities and genders, the primary mechanism they had is the Handicap System for individual golfers and a Course Rating System, assessing each courses level of difficulty for different standards of golfer.
The idea behind the World Handicap System is to provide a handicap system that
- can be used by existing golf clubs and golfers across the world, and be easily adopted by new golfers as they begin their golfing journey, what ever age or ability.
- golfers can use wherever they play across the World, safe in the knowledge that their on World Handicap Index can be used in conjuntion with the Course Rating (measure of difficulty of a course) to assign them a handicap which allows them to play fairly and competitive to anyone else on that course on that day anywhere in the World.
The system has been rolled out in a number of countries and in time the system will be connected to a global handicap database, ensuring golfers can play with their most current handicap and can keep it updated while playing at any course across the World.