• Handicaps enable players of different skill to compete on a more even basis.Playing Golf image by Chad McDermott from Fotolia.com
  
  In the U.S. and Mexico, the United States Golf Association (USGA) governs the rules of golf. The U.S. Open and 12 other national championships are conducted by the USGA. It not only governs the rules but writes them as well. The USGA also conducts tests on equipment, maintains the handicap system, funds turf research and administers a grant program. Tournament competitors must maintain a handicap index which has been adjusted by the handicap committee.
  
  

Handicap Index

• The USGA’s Handicap Index is used to measure a “player's potential ability on a course of standard playing difficulty.” The Index is used to convert the player’s handicap to other courses. Players who have different skill levels are able to compete on a more even basis.
  
  Each golf club has a handicap committee which is responsible for ensuring compliance with the USGA’s Handicap System. The chairperson must be a member of the club. Club employees may serve on the committee.
  
  One part of the committee’s review is the peer review. The peer review watches the player golf on a “reasonable and regular opportunity” to learn of his potential ability. Once this has been established, the committee has a basis for supporting or disputing his posted scores.
  
  

No Handicap Index

• According to the USGA website, the organization recognizes that not everyone who wants to play golf has a handicap index. As a result, it has developed another system for use in smaller tournaments.
  
  Each player submits her three best scores which were made on any regulation golf course within the last year. If the player has been in the tournament before, the committee must add the score(s) to those she submitted. Her second-best score is chosen from her submissions. For men subtract 70 from his score or subtract 73 for women.
  
  If the player is a beginner who can only submit one score, subtract 74 for a man or 77 for a woman. For an entrant who have never played, committees are advised to assign a maximum of 36 strokes for a man or 40 strokes for a woman. Some tournaments allow a maximum of 50 strokes or three strokes per hole.
  
  

Handicap Strokes

• Each tournament must decide where handicap strokes are to be applied. For instance, handicap strokes can be applied to the player’s gross score. In these instances, the handicap is subtracted from the strokes recorded on the scorecard.
  
  The other option is to have specified handicap holes. Clubs can rule that one stroke of the handicap can be taken at each hole until the player is even. For example, a player who has a six-stroke handicap would be permitted one stroke on each of the first six holes. The club may also publish a stroke allocation table indicating holes at which handicap strokes can be taken.
  
  

Matches

• Matches are played with teams. Teams can be comprised of all men, all women or a mixture of the two. The team with the lowest net score wins the hole if the tournament is a handicap team match. The net score is derived from the total number of strokes minus the handicap strokes.
  
  The match is called when one team’s lead is more than the number of remaining holes.
  
  In case of a tie, the committee responsible for the tournament may extend play until a winner can be decided.