What is handicap in golf and how can you improve it

The handicap in golf is the average number of shots each player needs to finish a round; thanks to it we get an approximate idea of the level and potential of each golfer. A lower handicap (the less number of shots per game) means the better the player will be.

To calculate it, it takes into account the shots made above the Par of the course. The Par is the total of shots that a golfer is expected to make in each game, usually 72.

If, for example, you need to take 5 more shots above the par of the course, your handicap will be 5, and your average hit per game will be 77 (72 + 5).

To date, professional and amateur golf players calculate their handicap using a simple formula, but in 2020 changes are coming:

The new global handicap system that will be released in 2020

The objective of this new global handicap system is to calculate in a more precise way the authentic level of play of each golfer. To achieve this, it standardizes the way of measuring the handicap so that we all have the same scale regardless of whether we are European, American, Asian…

From now, the handicap is established based on the average resulting from the eight best rounds of the last twenty played. So we will not talk about a growing or decreasing handicap if not an average.

As a golf lover, you are asking yourself the big question right now:

Will my handicap change with this new update?

And the answer, my dear golfer is yes! Your handicap and that of all players will change this year.

The good part is that those players who have a handicap that really adjusts to their real level of play will keep it, while those who have one that is not true to reality, can adjust it to know their exact level and potential.

Some tips to improve your handicap:

  • Think positive: Get away from you the ideas that you can miss a shot, instead focus on what you have to do and how to do it.
  • Practice: The more time you spend on the green, the better your swing and handicap will be. If you want to go faster you can give some classes with a professional in your golf course in Murcia.
  • Warm up: You will prepare your body for better blows and avoid injuries.
  • Visualize the line of shot: Mentally creating the path that the ball will follow after the shot.
  • A strategy for each hole: Each hole is different and golf is a strategy sport, calculate each movement well before starting, without hurry.
  • Relax your muscles: Only in that way will they flow in each swing giving a more accurate and faithful hit to what you have thought.
  • Keep your body in shape: While it is true that golf is not a background sport, it requires a certain physical form to make it easier for us to play. Stretching after each game is an easy way to keep your body ready.
  • Get to know your handicap thoroughly: If you really want to improve you must know where you are and where you want to go, if right now you are handicap +7 (for example) a good end will be to become a handicap +5 instead of just saying that you want Improve your handicap without a fixed goal.