Guide

Why Did My Handicap Go Up?

The most common reason: your index only uses your best scores from your most recent 20 rounds. When an older good round drops out of those 20, your index goes up, even if you're playing well.

1. A good old score dropped out of your last 20

Your Handicap Index averages your lowest 8 differentials from your most recent 20 scores. Each new score pushes out the oldest one. Example: your best round of the year, a differential of 9.8 from last spring, is now 21 rounds ago. It leaves, a 14.0 takes its place in your best 8, and your index rises by about half a stroke.

2. Your new round didn't make your best 8

If today's differential isn't among your lowest 8, it doesn't count, but it still pushes an old round out. If that old round was counting, your index goes up.

3. You have fewer than 20 scores

With fewer scores, the index uses fewer of them and sometimes subtracts an adjustment. Going from 6 to 7 scores, for example, drops the −1.0 adjustment, so your index can rise by up to a stroke without any change in your play.

4. The course played easier that day (PCC)

Official systems can apply a playing conditions calculation (PCC) when scores on a day are much better or worse than expected. A PCC of −1 makes every differential that day one stroke higher. This happens behind the scenes in official systems.

5. Your score was capped or adjusted

For handicap purposes, each hole is capped at net double bogey. If you used your raw total instead of your adjusted score, or the other way round, your numbers won't match.

Want to see exactly which round did it? Enter your recent rounds. The calculator marks which scores count and tells you which one drops out next.

Frequently asked questions

Why did my handicap go up when I played well?

Because your index only looks at your most recent 20 scores. When a new round comes in, the oldest one leaves. If that old round was one of your best 8, your index can rise even though today was a good round.

Why is my handicap lower than what I usually shoot?

A Handicap Index averages your best scores, not all of them, so it shows your potential. Most golfers shoot a few strokes above their handicap on a normal day.

Why does my handicap say NH?

NH usually means no handicap yet: you have not posted enough scores (at least 54 holes) for an index.

Why did one good round lower my handicap a lot?

When you have fewer than 20 scores, your index uses only a few of your best ones, sometimes just one. One great round can then move it a lot. The effect gets smaller as you add rounds.