I am playing in a multi-tee event, how many strokes do I get?

Over 100 federations have successfully transitioned to the new World Handicap System (WHS) – a milestone achievement in creating a modern handicap system for all golfers everywhere.

Launched in January 2020, the WHS provides golfers with a unified and more inclusive handicapping system for the first time. Developed by The R&A and USGA in close coordination with existing handicapping authorities, the WHS provides all golfers with a consistent measure of playing ability.

The WHS continued its roll out to Great Britain and Ireland in November in 2020 and, so far, the system has been well received by both federations and golf club administrators, with players also seeing the benefits.

Feedback from across Great Britain and Ireland has identified five topics where golfers and clubs would benefit from further information and The R&A is offering further guidance on the below areas:

  • No Returns and 0.1 Increases

  • 20 Score Record

  • Mixed/Multi Tee Events

  • Playing Conditions Calculation

  • 95% Handicap Allowance and Equity

Understanding Mixed/Multi-Tee Events

How do Handicap Allowances and any other adjustments get applied in an 18-hole mixed/multi-tee event?

  • The WHS facilitates play between golfers of any gender, ability, or age, as players can compete for the same prize in a competition playing from any rated set of tees.

  • When playing in an 18-hole mixed or multi-tee event, whatever the format of play, the first step is for the player to calculate/understand their Course Handicap™.

  • Next, the applicable Handicap Allowance for the format of play is applied to the Course Handicap, giving the Playing Handicap™. In most cases this is completed by the competition software that clubs and event organisers utilise. The Playing Handicap only has relevance when determining who wins net score competitions or for calculating strokes received in match play. It plays no part in Handicap Index calculations.

  • Next and with the introduction of Course Rating – Par, this has simplified the requirement for equalisation strokes in such scenarios. Taking Stableford and Par/Bogey, the Play to Handicap (P2H) score from any tee is 36 points (or level for Par/Bogey) which means that no additional strokes are required. From a Medal point of view, the P2H is now Level Par so the only equalisation strokes required are to take account of the difference in Par of the tees in play.

  • In Four-Ball formats mixed/multi-tee competitions an adjustment is only required to allow for differences in Par for medal Strokeplay format.

  • When playing Foursomes/Greensomes when a single ball is in play, Playing Handicaps for each side in Foursomes are 50% of the combined Course Handicaps of the two players concerned and for Greensomes 60% of the Low Course Handicap™ and 40% of the High Course Handicap™. If multiple tees are in use for competition purposes a tee must be chosen to be used for scoring purposes, which is stated in the terms of competition. This means that all partnerships, regardless of which tee they tee off from, will score based on the Par/SI of that single tee.  When calculating the Course Handicap of each player, under the Course Rating – Par approach, the par to be used is the par of the tee nominated for scoring. This simplifies things in that no further adjustments will be required, regardless of format.

Which card is used in Mixed Foursomes and Four-Ball formats?

  • In Foursomes competitions from mixed tees, the Committee must specify in the Terms of the Competition which single set of tees will determine the Pars and Stroke Index that are to be used. The strong advice is to use the shortest tee – e.g. in a Man/Woman pairing the tee that the Woman plays from should be used. This would also apply when the format is ‘any gender paring’ and pairings of Men or pairings of Women are also permitted within the Terms of Competition.

  • In Four-Ball formats from mixed tees, individual players score using the card and Stroke Index appropriate for the tee they are playing from.