November 2nd Marks a significant change for many golfers, not just in the United Kingdom but around the world, with the launch of the World Handicap System (WHS).

The WHS is designed to be a fairer method to determine a player’s handicap, establishing a method for more accurately calculating a golfer’s current playing ability.

Before the launch of the WHS there were six different handicap systems, all with slightly different result when calculating a players’ handicap. The new WHS will help unify these systems and create one of the biggest changes to the handicap system since the national handicap was introduced in 1911. With the handicap system being uniformed throughout the world one of the biggest benefits is you will be able to transport and use your ‘Handicap Index’ on any course no matter the location.

With the old CONGU handicap system, every score card you entered previously would affect your handicap, using the new WHS this will not happen as it will be based on an average calculation. The WHS will calculate your Handicap Index by taking your best eight scores from your last 20. The benefit meaning the challenging course conditions with the winter weather will not heavily impact your handicap and when one of your best scores is no longer able to be used as part of your average, it won’t change your handicap too dramatically.

The highest handicap a golfer can have is 54 and if you are new to the sport wanting to obtain a handicap, the handicap calculation will be very similar to how it has been calculated previously, where you are required to enter 54 holes, which can be done playing rounds of 18 holes or 9 if preferable.

For further information we recommend clicking here and reading the further information that Golf England have put together.

National Golfing Associations are being encouraged to communicate information out regarding the new WHS. If you are finding you have any outstanding questions, or require any additional clarification please let us know and we will answer as many as possible. This can be done by submitting any questions via our Facebook Page or leaving a comment below.

There is a greater need for flexibility when it comes to golf memberships. Golf is an ever-popular sport, with approximately 4 million golfers in the UK and over 3000 golf courses to play on. In 2019, there were 3.9m golfers in the UK and approx. 1.3m of those belong to a golf club. This means 2.6m people that play the game and either pay green fees or membership discount rates. Unless you can dedicate a large proportion of your time to justify the cost of a full membership, perhaps a full traditional golf membership isn’t an option. Enter the flexible golf membership category. 

Everyone loves a holiday abroad, but this year that might not be an option for you. Plus, do you often notice that holidays abroad aren’t always the most rejuvenating experience, especially when it comes to golf holidays. If your main holiday is normally abroad, then this year, perhaps the answer is a staycation and why not make it a golf one. Picture it now, good weather, beautiful course and you’re having a great round all whilst in the UK. And the best bit, a much lower chance of having to self-isolate once your holiday is over! 

These guidelines will include all aspects of golf, from arrival in the car park shortly before the round to departure straight away on completion of the round. Golfers will be required to comply with the rules on social distancing throughout. Please see below for the temporary provisions in relation to the Rules of Golf will also be necessary to ensure safe play ,this breaks down into 5 areas:

If we asked you in January, “what do you imagine the start of the golfing season to look like”, your answer probably would have been along the lines of, “spring in its bloom, warmer weather and lush greens”. Unfortunately, the answer is far from that. We have gone from flash floods and waterlogged greens to a nationwide lock down.

With Covid-19 being a global pandemic, this means that it isn’t just Golf in the UK that has been affected. Arguably every golf industry around the world has been impacted, in some cases for the better! So, what has been going on?

Following the announcement of the nationwide lockdown from PM Boris Johnson last week, golf’s national unions announced clubs and courses to be closed across the UK. This was also then followed by the R&A’s backing on this decision.