How to get a Handicap

Overview

Members applying for a new handicap must submit a total of 54 holes of scores at SOGC, in any combination of 18 or nine-hole rounds. Each of these rounds must be pre-registered on the myEG app, before you start each round.

Do not submit physical scorecards when applying for a new handicap. All scores for a new handicap and for General Play scores must be submitted using the myEG app. You will find it convenient to use physical scorecards, during your round, for your own score recording and for your marker to record your hole scores on your scorecard, so that you can compare and agree all the hole scores at the end of the round.

You must play each round with another SOGC member acting as your marker. After the round, you must confirm your individual hole scores with your marker/attester, enter the hole scores and submit your score via the myEG app, selecting your marker as your “attester”. Your marker will compare the hole scores they have recorded, on your physical scorecard, with the scores you have entered via the myEG app.

The marker must be registered on the England Golf WHS system, must have the myEG app installed and registered and must hold an existing WHS Handicap Index.

You may not, under WHS rules, self-certify your score and your marker/attester must have played the round with you, so that they can directly verify that your score is correct.

Please follow these steps if you wish to apply for a WHS handicap:

Step I – start your handicap application

You must tell us whether you have ever held a golf handicap before and, if so, where and when. If you have never held an official golf handicap, but have other evidence of your previous playing standard, you must advise us of this, as such evidence is considered when allotting new handicaps.

Step II – register with England Golf (EG) and install the myEG app

We will provide you with a ten-digit CDH number/EG membership number. This is the unique number that will identify you and your handicap records in England Golf’s WHS Platform, the central system for administration of all WHS handicaps for golf club members in England.

After receiving a CDH number, you can register with England Golf, BUT ONLY AFTER YOU FIRST GIVE YOUR DATA PRIVACY CONSENT, which will upload your email address and date of birth to the WHS Platform. Follow this process: Data Privacy Consent

We will add your CDH number to your record on SOGC’s Intelligent Golf (IG) club system. Your SOGC IG record will be linked to the WHS system, so that your future handicap scores, (competitions and General Play), can be uploaded and your latest WHS Handicap Index can be downloaded to the IG system.

After completing the data privacy consent, you will be able to use your CDH number to register to access your England Golf account and to install the England Golf “myEG” app on your mobile device. See: WHS and the myEG app

If you do not do the Data Privacy consent, you will find that you will not be able to register with England Golf, nor be able to register your myEG app. Instead, you will receive an error message, advising you that you should ask the club to upload your email address. However, due to Get Golfing’s GDPR policy, the club will not upload your personal details to WHS for you – you have to do that yourself, via the Data Privacy consent.

Step III – submit scores for initial handicap assessment

You must submit a total of 54 holes, in any mix of 18-hole or nine-hole scores. These rounds must be played according to the Rules of Golf, in Stroke Play format (Medal or Stableford).

You can arrange your own tee times and marker/attester for these rounds. Alternatively, you can enter draws for Weekday Rollups or for most other singles club competitions. To play in the draw for a Rollup event, contact Roly Richardson at [email protected]. To play in the draw for a club competition, contact [email protected]. Dates for all future competitions can be viewed via the IG app.

These rounds must be submitted using the myEG app, following the process as for General Play scores, which is given here: General Play Scores. Note that you must pre-register on the myEG app before you start the round.

Step IV – handicap allotment and submitting further scores

As soon as your 54 holes of scoring have been submitted, your handicap will be allotted. The Handicap Committee will take into account, as well as the submitted scores, evidence of any previous handicap or recent scoring history.

After you have been allotted your initial WHS Handicap Index, it is advisable to submit some additional General Play scores, which will help to stabilise your handicap, as a reliable indication of your current scoring ability.

Handicap Committee
Last updated by JT: 7th February, 2023