Help Centre

Groups of two players (2 man ambrose) work as a team. Each player hits off the tee, the best shot is selected and the other player picks up their ball and places it, within one handspan, alongside the best ball. Each person then hits a second shot from the same spot and continues the process until you hole out.

Yes! click here

Under the Golf Australia (GA) Handicapping System, a GA Handicap is a single number that represents your demonstrated playing ability, regardless of the course you play.

In simple terms:

Your GA Handicap is a measure of how good a golfer you are, on average, relative to a scratch golfer.

It is the foundation number used to calculate your Daily Handicap and Playing Handicap.

What your GA Handicap represents

• It is based on how you actually score, not how you think you should score
• It reflects your potential ability, not your average score
• It is course-neutral (the same number applies everywhere)
• It updates as you submit acceptable scores

Lower number = better golfer
Higher number = higher playing allowance

How can I view my GA Handicap Record

You can access your Golf Australia handicap record on either the Golf Australia website (golf.com.au) or the Golf Australia App.

How a GA Handicap is calculated (conceptually)

Your GA Handicap is calculated using:

• Your most recent 20 acceptable scores (or fewer if you’re new)
• The best 8 differentials from those scores
• Adjustments for course difficulty (Slope & Scratch Rating)
• Daily playing conditions (if applicable)

The system averages your best performances, not your worst, to estimate your scoring potential.

This is why a GA Handicap often looks “too low” compared to what you usually shoot.

What affects your GA Handicap

It will go down when:

• You return scores better than your current handicap
• You play well on harder courses
• You submit consistent low differentials

It may go up when:

• You return poorer scores
• Better rounds fall out of your last 20
• Soft caps and hard caps allow movement

It will not change because:

• A course is easy or hard
• You play from different tees
• You have a single bad round

What a GA Handicap is used for

Your GA Handicap is used to:

• Compare ability between golfers
• Calculate your Daily Handicap
• Set competition eligibility
• Track long-term improvement or decline

It is not the number of shots you receive on the day — that’s your Daily Handicap.

Example

• GA Handicap: 19.2
• This means:

• • On a “standard” course, under normal conditions,
  • Your potential score is around 19 strokes over scratch

• On different courses, your Daily Handicap will move up or down from this number

In short

• GA Handicap = your golfing ability
• It is portable and course-independent
• It’s based on your best recent performances
• It’s the number people use to describe how good you are as a golfer

Under the Golf Australia (GA) Handicapping System (which aligns with the World Handicap System – WHS), a Daily Handicap is the number of strokes you receive for a specific round on a specific course and set of tees on that day.

In simple terms:

Your GA Handicap is who you are as a golfer.
Your Daily Handicap is how many shots you get today, here, from these tees.

The key components

1. GA Handicap (your “base” handicap)

• This is the number you see on the Golf Australia website (e.g. 19.2).
• It reflects your demonstrated playing ability.
• It does not change by course.

2. Daily Handicap (course-specific)

Your Daily Handicap adjusts your GA Handicap to account for:

• The difficulty of the course (Slope Rating)
• The par and Scratch Rating
• The tees you are playing from
• The gender rating applied to those tees

This ensures golfers of different abilities can compete fairly on any course.

How Daily Handicap works (conceptually)

• Harder course = higher Daily Handicap
• Easier course = lower Daily Handicap
• Higher slope = more strokes allocated to higher-handicap golfers
• Lower slope = fewer strokes allocated

The calculation is handled automatically by:

• Golf Connect
• Club software
• Honour boards / scorecard apps

It's rare that players calculate this manually in practice however this option does exist. Each Club will have ‘Daily Handicap Lookup Charts’ on display where you can calculate your daily handicap prior to play. Alternatively the Golf Australia app also has a build in daily handicap calculator. This option is the most accurate as it has alive integration with the Dot Golf System.

Why Daily Handicap matters

Your Daily Handicap is the number used to:

• Allocate strokes on the scorecard
• Determine nett scores
• Set competition eligibility
• Apply maximum hole scores under WHS

It is not stored long-term — it only applies to that round, on that course, from those tees.

Example

• GA Handicap: 19.2
• Course: Easier par-59 course with low slope
• Resulting Daily Handicap: 17

On that day:

• You receive 17 strokes
• Those strokes are allocated to the hardest holes on the scorecard
• Your nett score = gross score – 17

In short

• GA Handicap = your overall ability
• Daily Handicap = your playing allowance today
• It ensures fairness across different courses and tees
• It’s the number that actually matters when you tee off

At the completion of your specified 9-hole or 18-hole round, the scorecard screen will appear. Here you can select the individual scores on your scorecard and adjust your score if needed. If you would like to navigate back to the hole-by-hole screens, simply click the GPS button at the bottom left corner of the app. 

The Golfer app offers some great functionality, particulary when tracking your score and how well you’re playing.

Whilst in a round (see how to start a round article) you can click "Rankings" during your round to see your total progress. 

To view your hole-by-hole scores and stableford point click on the scorecard button

The Golfer App allows you to digitally score golf rounds along with offering GPS functionality. To enter your scores simply follow the below steps.

1. Open your Golfer App
2. Select a Club to start a round (App will bring up courses closest to your location)
3. Ensure you toggle the Handicap details and your GA Handicap and Golf ID number are correct.
4. Press the "Save" button to continue and start your round
5. To submit the number of strokes taken click on the star icon.

6. Then click the edit pencil on the next screen.

7. Then select your score and click the done button.

8. After your round, have your playing partner digitally sign your card and submit your round.

In golf, your nett score is your score after your handicap has been applied. It’s the number used to fairly compare players of different abilities.

Simply put

• Gross score = the actual number of strokes you take
• Handicap = the number of strokes you’re allowed
• Nett score = gross score minus handicap strokes

How it works on the course

Your handicap is converted into strokes on specific holes, based on the hole’s stroke index (see explanation further below).

• If you receive 1 stroke on a hole, you subtract 1 stroke from your score on that hole
• If you receive 2 strokes, you subtract 2, and so on

Example

• You score 92 gross
• Your course/daily handicap is 18

Nett score = 92 − 18 = 74

Using the Stroke Index Step-by-step

First, you need your daily/course handicap.

Case A: Handicap 1–18

You receive 1 stroke on holes where:

• Stroke index ≤ your handicap
  

Example: Daily handicap = 12

• You get 1 stroke on SI 1–12
  
• No strokes on SI 13–18
  

Case B: Handicap over 18

You receive:

• 1 stroke on every hole, plus
  
• Extra strokes on the hardest holes
  

Example: Daily handicap = 22

• 1 stroke on all 18 holes
  
• 2nd stroke on SI 1–4

Why Nett score matters

• Most club competitions are decided on nett score
• It allows high- and low-handicap golfers to compete on equal terms
• Common formats using nett scores include:

• • Stableford (nett points)
  • Par
  • Medal (nett stroke)

In short your nett score = your score after handicap strokes are applied.

Stableford scoring is a popular golf scoring system that rewards good holes rather than punishing bad ones. Instead of adding up every stroke for the round, you earn points on each hole based on how you score relative to par, then total your points at the end.

How it works

• Each hole is scored individually.
• Your score on the hole is compared to the hole’s par.
• You receive points depending on that result.
• If you have a really bad hole, you can pick up once you can no longer score points — which keeps play moving.

Standard Stableford points (used in Australia under Golf Australia) Handicaps in Stableford

In most competitions (including Golf Australia events):

• Your handicap is applied per hole.
• On the hardest holes (based on stroke index), you receive extra strokes.
• Your nett score on the hole (after handicap strokes) determines how many Stableford points you earn.

Example:

• Par 4, Stroke Index 3
• You receive 1 handicap stroke
• You score a 4 (nett 3 = birdie)
• You score 3 Stableford points

Winning a Stableford competition

• Total points across all holes are added up.
• Highest total points wins, not the lowest score.

Why golfers like Stableford

• One bad hole doesn’t ruin your whole round
• Encourages attacking play
• Faster pace of play
• More enjoyable for higher-handicap golfers