England Golf have issued an announcement concerning changes to the World Handicap System (WHS) commencing in April 2024.
These will affect the way your course handicap (CH) and playing handicap (PH) are calculated, but most of these changes will be automatically calculated by the handicap software.
This is however a summary of the main 3 changes. If you require fuller details including all the changes please click on the link at the bottom of this section.

1. Course rating minus Par (CR-Par) – there will be an adjustment to your course handicap by adding on the (CR-Par) difference for the tees you are playing off, for MGC as follows:
White Tees: CH + (68.5 - 69) = CH - 0.5
Yellow Tees: CH + (67.8 – 70) = CH -2.2
Red Tees: CH + (71.3 - 70) = CH + 1.3

2. Unrounded Course Handicap – currently CH is rounded to the nearest whole number. From 2024 where “machine precision” is available i.e., the MyEG app or Club V1 competition software, the unrounded figure will be used to create a playing handicap (PH).
Example: 19.655 and 20.355 are both normally rounded to 20 but the actual figure will now be used when calculating a playing handicap.

3. 4-Ball Better Ball Scores – under certain condition described in the attachment, scores posted in 4BBB competitions (where computer software is used) will in future be added to a player’s handicap record.

4. 4-Ball Better Ball Matchplay - change to the way shots are calculated. Currently you take 90% of your course handicap, then take the full difference from the player with the lowest handicap (all handicaps rounded to nearest whole number).

After April 1st you will take 100% of your course handicap, then take 90% of the DIFFERENCE from the player with the lowest handicap (all handicaps rounded to nearest whole number).

For further information on all the changes & the new WHS rules please click the link below:

https://www.englandgolf.org/resource-detail/whs-resources

Section 1

The World Handicap System (WHS) has now been in place for 4 years and 2024 sees some significant changes which are detailed above.
A "player's guide" has also been issued which can be accessed in the link below:
https://clubv1clubdocuments.blob.core.windows.net/646/b4eb49d5-ab88-46e8-a640-87d77dbabeef

The official presentation from England Golf on the World Handicap System originally issued in 2020 lasts for 45 minutes and goes into a lot of detail, probably more than the club member requires, but we recommend that you view if if you require full details of its implementation:
Video

Your handicap index will be calculated based on your best 8 scores out of your last 20 rounds. There is a different calculation for those who do not have 20 rounds recorded.


How to Register and Submit General Play/ Casual Scores

The whole idea of general play scores is to put in a score in for handicap purposes from a round that is not a club competition. Under WHS you are now encouraged to do this.
With handicap records focusing on your last 20 scores, and the best eight differentials being averaged out for your WHS index, it is clear the more scores you can submit the more accurate your handicap will be.

Your round must be pre-registered electronically, by signing in on the PSI (player score input) computer in the clubhouse, on the mobile “HowDidIDo” App or on the mobile MyEnglandGolf (MyEG) App. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THERE IS A 2 HOUR DELAY BEFORE SCORES CAN BE ENTERED, TO ENSURE THAT YOUR ROUND IS REGISTERED BEFORE PLAYING

Because England Golf records the time that general play rounds are registered and the time the score is submitted, any round registered AFTER playing may be deleted.

Formats of play for “General Play Scores” - individual stroke play, stableford, par formats can all be used to submit a score.
Fourball stroke play, Am-Ams, individual match play and fourball match play rounds cannot be used.

Once you have signalled your intent, and worked out your Course Handicap for the tees you are playing from (yellow for men, red for ladies), go out and play but remember, for your score to be verified and to count towards your WHS record, it must be played:

• In accordance with the Rules of Golf
• With at least one other person
• On a course with a current Course and Slope Rating

After your round the score can be submitted, again either on the clubhouse PSI computer or on the HowDidIDo” or MyEG mobile Apps, where you select which tees were used and whether over 9 or 18 holes.
If using the HowDidiDo mobile App or PSI clubhouse computer - sign in before playing then enter your score afterwards. A scorecard IS required to be submitted for score verification. This is probably the simplest method for casual rounds at MGC.
If using the MyEG App (which can be used to submit scores on any course in England, Scotland, Ireland or Wales) - no scorecard is required, but your score does have to be verified by a playing partner.
Please firstly ensure that whoever is going to verify your score also has the app or your score will not be submitted. A message is sent to your marker after your round and they have to verify your score before it can be uploaded to WHS.
If not verified, the score remains on the app (called a “score intent”). If the round is not played and the score intent needs cancelling, it can be removed by swiping the “score intent” to the left which then reveals a "delete" icon.
Important Note – England Golf will monitor any “unsatisfied score intents”, send reminders and apply a penalty score if the score remains unverified (see message below).

When registering a General Play round please use either of the above methods, but don't combine them or duplicate rounds are then recorded.
Scores on other courses – the MyEG App can be used to register and record scores on any course in England, Scotland, Ireland or Wales.

Message from England Golf *

As the number of General Play Scores continues to increase, we wanted to remind you of golfers' responsibilities when it comes to retuning a score from general play.

• As well as following the Rules of Golf, you are expected to act with integrity by following the Rules of Handicapping and to refrain from using or circumventing the Rules of Handicapping for the purposes of gaining an unfair advantage.
• You are expected, when returning a score for handicap purposes, to have pre-registered that score intent as a general play score prior to play or ensured that you have entered any competition in the required manner.
• When retuning a score, you are expected to complete the round and attempt to make the best score possible at each hole.
• Submit any pre-registered rounds or competition scores as soon as possible after the competition of play.
• Ensure that all rounds for handicap purposes follow the Rules of Golf and are played from a measured course.
• Ensure that you certify any score submissions you have witnessed as soon as possible.

From 29 November, any General Play Scores that are pre-registered by the MyEG App or your golf club's software that are not returned within an acceptable period will be designated as a penalty score within your handicap record.

It is in your best interest to ensure that any scores that are pre-registered are returned as soon as possible. Should you have any issues submitting your score or have a reason why the score cannot be submitted, you should speak to your Club Handicap Committee, who can act on the information you provide. *

As part of this new process, should your score not be submitted you will receive a reminder email asking you to complete the process or contact your club. If you do not act, an automated penalty score will be applied to your handicap record, which could adjust your handicap upwards or downwards. *