To this point, the world has had a few different handicapping systems. Among the major ones, we had the USGA handicapping systems, with course ratings, slope, the 0.96 multiplier, best 10-of-20 system, etc. We had the CONGU system, which had the SSS (standard scratch score). Australia, AFAIK, was closer to CONGU but has spent the past several years quasi-converting to the USGA type standard.
Well, scheduled for 2018, the world will see a unified handicapping system. The system is a blend of the two main handicapping systems, in that:
Courses will have a scratch and bogey rat