Lesson 3: Counting Backwards: Handicaps and Giving Shots
One of the most clever ideas in all of golf is the handicap — a system that allows players of different abilities to compete fairly against each other by adjusting their scores mathematically.
A handicap is a number that represents how many shots above par a player typically scores. A player with a handicap of 10 usually scores about 10 over par — so if they play a course with a par of 72, their expected score is 82.
When a player with a handicap of 10 plays against a player with a handicap of 20, the better player can ‘give’ the weaker player 10 shots. This means the weaker player subtracts 10 from their total score before comparing.
Handicaps make golf one of the most mathematically fair competitive sports in the world — a beginner and a scratch golfer can have a genuinely competitive match because the math levels the playing field.
A handicap is a number that adjusts your score so players of different abilities can compete fairly.
The difference between two players’ handicaps = the number of shots given. Subtract these from the higher-handicap player’s score before comparing.
Do you think the handicap system is fair? What would happen to golf if there were no handicaps and everyone simply compared their raw scores?
Role-play a handicap match. Imagine Player A has a handicap of 5 and Player B has a handicap of 15. Player A shoots 80. Player B shoots 90. First, find the difference in handicaps (10 shots). Then adjust Player B’s score by subtracting the difference. Who won? Now try another round: Player A shoots 78, Player B shoots 86. Who wins this time? Show all your calculations in your maths journal.