Quick Question about Handicaps

[CG031]

Here is a real simple question about the GHIN handicap system.

I was previously a 5.9 handicap. Does this mean I am a 5 handicap, or a 6 handicap? Do you round up/round down? How does this work?

Mine just went down to a 5.0 but I was previously a 5.9, was I a 6 before, or was I still a 5?>

Kind of a dumb thread I realize now, but whatever.

[Zeph]

You don't round up or down.

At 5.9, you are 5.9.
At 5.0, you are 5.0.

[zeg]

What Zeph said, indexes are quoted to one decimal point. For your course handicap, you round to the nearest integer with 0.5 going up, but for your index you keep the decimal. Informally, I'd apply that same rounding and say 5.5 through 6.4 counts as "about 6" if someone asked.

[chriskzoo]

Technically, that is your index - which is used to determine your course handicap. So as a 5.9, depending on the course you may be a 5 handicap or maybe even an 8, depending on the difficulty of the course - someone who shoots 80 consistently at Augusta is a better golfer than someone who shoots 80 consistently at a flat local muni with few hazards.

If someone asks, I would just you're a 6.

[CG031]

What Zeph said, indexes are quoted to one decimal point. For your course handicap, you round to the nearest integer with 0.5 going up, but for your index you keep the decimal. Informally, I'd apply that same rounding and say 5.5 through 6.4 counts as "about 6" if someone asked.

Yeah I was talking about more informally and I think my club in the handicapped tournaments round up/down.

[zeg]

Yeah I was talking about more informally and I think my club in the handicapped tournaments round up/down.

That'd be for your course handicap, so if you're a 5.9 index, it'd be 5.9*slope/113, which you'd then round to the nearest integer course handicap.

[kevin.chan]

If your home club give you a USGA rated Handicap and it is outside USA , if you play in US , will this handicap of yours valid in the states ?

[iacas]

As others have said, that's your index, not your course handicap. You could be anywhere from a 5 to an 8 or so on the golf course.

Course handicaps are integers.