Playing handicap and allowances

Your course handicap after the allowance for the format, from stroke play to a four-person scramble.

Playing handicap calculator

Your course handicap with the allowance for the format you’re playing.

What a playing handicap is

Your course handicap is what you'd get playing alone. In a competition, the committee sets a handicap allowance for the format, so everyone gets a fair share of strokes. Playing handicap = course handicap × allowance, rounded to a whole number.

Playing handicap = course handicap × handicap allowance

Recommended allowances

Format	Allowance
Individual stroke play	95%
Individual Stableford or par/bogey	95%
Individual match play	100% (the higher player gets the difference)
Four-ball (best ball) stroke play	85%
Four-ball match play	90%, strokes off the lowest player
Foursomes (alternate shot), stroke play	50% of the combined course handicaps
Two-person scramble	35% of the lower + 15% of the higher
Four-person scramble	25% / 20% / 15% / 10%, lowest to highest

These are the recommended defaults. The committee running an event can set its own, so check the event's terms.

Scramble handicap example

Four players with course handicaps of 6, 12, 18 and 26. Team handicap = 6 × 25% + 12 × 20% + 18 × 15% + 26 × 10% = 1.5 + 2.4 + 2.7 + 2.6 = 9.2, so the team gets 9 strokes.

Match play example

Player A has a course handicap of 9, player B 16. In singles match play at 100%, B gets 7 strokes, on the holes with stroke index 1 to 7. A plays off scratch.

More handicap tools

Course handicap calculatorHow many strokes you get on a given course and tee.How to calculate a handicapThe formula, step by step, with a worked example.Score differential calculatorTurn one round into the number your index is built from.Course rating and slopeWhat the two numbers mean, plus a lookup for 10,000+ courses.Net double bogeyThe most you can post on each hole, worked out for your course.9-hole handicapCourse handicap for 9 holes and how 9-hole rounds count.

Common questions

What is the difference between course handicap and playing handicap?

Course handicap is your strokes for a course and tee. Playing handicap is that number after the format’s allowance, like 95% for individual stroke play.

What handicap allowance is used for a scramble?

For a four-person scramble the usual default is 25%, 20%, 15% and 10% of the players’ course handicaps, lowest to highest. For a two-person scramble, 35% of the lower and 15% of the higher.

Do I use my playing handicap for posting scores?

No. Posting and net double bogey use your course handicap. Playing handicap is only for the competition.

Updated November 2026