A golf handicap is the game's great equalizer.

With a certified handicap you have a fair chance to win a net score match against a superior player. The first step to acquiring an official handicap under the United State Golf Association system is to establish a handicap index. You must establish your index at a club that’s certified to use the USGA’s handicap system.

Index

The handicap index is 'a measurement of a player's potential ability on a course of standard playing difficulty,' according to the USGA. The golfer uses the handicap index to determine his handicap at a particular course, based on the difficulty of that course.

New handicaps require 3 18-hole scores to be submitted (or any combination of 9 and 18-hole scores totaling 54 holes played) using a 'Temporary Daily Handicap' of 36 for men or 45 for women in order to calculate the necessary 'sloped played to' results. Bet365 Cyril Alexander Memorial Novices' Limited Handicap Chase (3) 16:25. Bet365 Standard Open National Hunt Flat (5) Newbury. Betvictor Seniors' Handicap Hurdle (3) 13:15. Betvictor Veterans' Handicap Chase (Leg 3) (2) 13:50. Betvictor Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Grade 3) (1).

1. Handicap is more often associated with sports as it covers having a disadvantage in professional sport such as tennis handicap, golf handicap, and the like. Diplomatic Terms for Handicapped and Disabled; As compared to “handicap”, “disability” is more politically correct. Many feel that the term “handicap” is.
2. Shower Seat Cushion Bath Bench Shower Chairs for Seniors Elderly Disabled Bathtub Cushion Transfer Bench Handicap Bath Stools Padded Mat Chair Shower Pad Tub Seats Bathroom Bath Pillow. 4.3 out of 5 stars 13. 88 ($31.88/Count) Get it as soon as Tue, Mar 2. FREE Shipping by Amazon.
3. The handicap service to which the club subscribes - such as the USGA's GHIN service or GolfNet - calculates the golfer's handicap index using a complex formula. The maximum handicap index is 36.4 for a man, 40.4 for a woman. Handicap indexes are typically updated every two weeks.

The golfer can receive a handicap index after posting five scores, but the handicap will eventually be based on 20 rounds.

Because a handicap is designed to measure a player’s peak ability, rather than his average play, his index is calculated by using the 10 best of his 20 most recent scores. The handicap service to which the club subscribes -- such as the USGA's GHIN service or GolfNet -- calculates the golfer's handicap index using a complex formula.

The maximum handicap index is 36.4 for a man, 40.4 for a woman. Handicap indexes are typically updated every two weeks.

Course Ratings

A player’s handicap index can be adapted to any course that has a USGA rating. Courses are rated in two ways. The course rating indicates the typical number of strokes a scratch golfer – generally meaning a zero handicap player – will take under normal conditions. Typically, courses have ratings from the high 60s to the middle 70s.

The course’s slope rating measures a course’s difficulty relative to a “bogey player” -- someone who will carry a course handicap of 20 on a course of standard difficulty.

The lowest possible slope rating, which is given to the easiest courses, is 55, while the highest is 155.

A course of average difficulty carries a slope rating of 113. For example, California's famed Pebble Beach Golf Links has a course rating of 75.5 and a slope rating of 145 from the back tees.

Course Handicap

A handicap index is translated into a course handicap by employing another USGA formula.

To make it easy, clubs generally post a chart – based on the course’s slope rating – that translates a player’s handicap index into her actual handicap for that particular course. The USGA also provides an online course handicap calculator.

Handicap Index Translated

If a golfer with a handicap index of 10.0 plays a course with a slope rating of 100, his course handicap is 9. The handicap goes down because the course is slightly easier than average.

If the same golfer plays a course rated 125, however, his course handicap rises to 11. The course handicap is always expressed as a whole number.

Handicap, in go, is the process of giving a player handicap stones or reverse komi as compensation for differences in player strength or positional strength with the aim of creating more equal chances of winning for all players.

Traditionally, in amateur19x19 games, the number of handicap stones is equal to one stone per difference in rank, and the number of reverse komi is equal to 10 points per handicap stone. For example, the handicap between a 5 kyu and 4 dan player would be 8 stones or 80 reverse komi. Additionally, the stronger player takes White and has komi reduced to 0.5 for the purposes of minimizing most (non-reverse) komi advantage, helping to prevent draws, and rewarding White for close games.

The optimal amount and type of handicap able to create a fair game in go is an ongoing area of research and study.

Traditionally, handicap stones are placed on the star points, but one can also play with free placement of the handicap stones. In contrast to an even game it is White's turn to play the first 'real' stone (after the black handicap stones have been placed on the board), except in an one-handicap-stone game where black makes the first move.

Before the adoption of komi, a different handicap system was in use among top ('pro') players.See: tagai-sen, sen-ai-sen and josen.

Many Go clubs and salons in Japan use a handicap system integrated into a rating system.

How to determine the handicap

• Rank and handicap — How the rank-difference of players normally determines the handicap
• Rank first comments — How to keep track of your rank
• Points Rating System — How Japanese amateurs handicap games
• Dutch class system — An older ranking system used in some Dutch clubs
• Rank - amateur and professional — Comments on the strength of amateurs and professionals
  • Amateur Honinbo vs Pro Honinbo 2002 — Kato Masao v. Samejima Ichiro? with a 2-stone handicap
• Match handicap system — The old multi-game (jubango etc.) handicap system
  • tagai-sen — Alternating black and white stones (level)
  • sen-ai-sen — Black in two games out of three
  • josen — Black in every game
  • kadoban — A game which can lead to a change in handicap between two players
• Discussions and proposals
  • Jewdan's Handicap System — (proposal) Various calculations and statistics about appropriate handicaps on various board sizes
  • ProperHandicap/Discussion?

Alternatives to extra stones

• Reverse komi — When White gives Black komi
• Kokose — Allowing one player to determine some of the other’s moves
• Handicap Alternative — Swapping colours every so many moves
• Proper Handicap — An attempt to improve handicapping with stones by komi

Handicap 3 Wheel Bike

How to place handicap stones

• Handicap placement — The conventional positions of 1 to 9 handicap stones
• Free Handicap — Placing handicap stones where Black wishes

Etiquette

• It is considered a Bad Habit to Refuse To Take Handicap
• Order of placement of handicap stones — The polite order in which to place a 9 stone handicap on the board

How to play handicap games skilfully

Handicap 3

Advice to Black

• Use Handicap Stones — General tips
• Live small — Force White to make small live groups
• Force White Into The Center — Based on an idea in The Second Book of Go by Richard Bozulich
• High Handicap Games - White is weak — How to pressure White for one’s own benefit
• Following the opponent around — Particularly common in handicap games!
• How To Respond To Kakari In a four Stone Handicap Game — A medley of ideas

Advice to White

Handicap 3-way Meaning

General discussion

• Ten Commandments of Handicap Go — A discussion inspired by an article in the American Go Journal
• Handicap Fuseki — Discussions of the first moves in handicap games

Other relevant topics

Handicap 3 Wheel Scooter

• Bermuda triangle — A weak double keima often seen in handicap games
• Overplay — Includes some comments on overplays in handicap games, mainly from White’s viewpoint

How to make handicap games useful

• Large Handicap Games Discussion — How to make them more helpful to the weaker player

Games and Analysis

Handicap 3 Wheel Walkers

Handicap 300 Bowling

• How to Play Against the Stronger Player, two volumes downloadable from the Wings Go Club
• Handicap Go Strategy (in Japanese).
• Sanzi Pu by Guo Bailing, translated into English under the title 'Three-Stone Games'