Miles Bennett
An adjusted gross score in golf is a player's score that has been altered according to USGA Handicap System procedures. This includes adjustments for unfinished holes, conceded strokes, holes not played, and holes not played under the Rules of Golf. The adjusted gross score is used to calculate a player's handicap and is based on their Course Handicap, which is the maximum number of strokes they can take on a hole. The main method of arriving at the Adjusted Gross Score is to adjust each hole downward to a net double bogey if necessary.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | A player's gross score adjusted under USGA Handicap System procedures for unfinished holes, conceded strokes, holes not played or not played under the Rules of Golf, or Equitable Stroke Control. |
| Who it applies to | Golfers who have USGA Handicap Indexes |
| Calculation | The number of strokes scored on each hole is adjusted as follows: the maximum hole score is limited to net double bogey on each played hole. For adjustment purposes, the maximum Course Handicap is limited to 54. If the number of strokes on a hole exceeds the net double bogey, the score is adjusted to a net double bogey. |
| Formula | Score Differential = (Adjusted Gross score – Course Rating-Playing Conditions Calculation adjustment) x 113 / Slope Rating |
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What You'll Learn
Adjusted gross score is used for handicapping purposes
An adjusted gross score is a player's gross score adjusted under the World Handicap System (WHS) procedures for unfinished holes, conceded strokes, holes not played or not played under the Rules of Golf, or Maximum Hole Score/Net Double Bogey. It is used for handicapping purposes.
The WHS came into being on January 1, 2020, and changed how the Adjusted Gross Score is determined. In the Rules of Handicapping for the USGA, Rule 3, Adjustment for Hole Scores states that a score for handicap purposes should not be overly influenced by one or two bad hole scores that do not reflect a player's ability.
The main method of arriving at the Adjusted Gross Score is to adjust each hole downward to a net double bogey if necessary. That means, for handicapping purposes, a player can have up to Par + 2 (strokes) + any handicap strokes received on that hole. Equitable Stroke Control requires that a player posts a maximum of a double bogey on any given hole if their Course Handicap is 9 or less for 18 holes. On holes 11, 12 and 13, if a player's gross scores were more than a double bogey, then for handicapping purposes, their adjusted gross score is adjusted downward to 5, 7 and 6 respectively, or double bogeys.
Adjusted gross scores are used to calculate a golfer's handicap. First, the golfer must know their course handicap for the golf course being played. Then, they need to consult the equitable stroke control guidelines, which tell golfers the maximum single-hole score they can report for a round submitted for handicap purposes.
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It is calculated using the per-hole maximum scores in the ESC guidelines
An adjusted gross score is a player's gross score adjusted under the USGA Handicap System procedures for unfinished holes, conceded strokes, holes not played or not played under the Rules of Golf, or Equitable Stroke Control (ESC).
ESC is a feature of the USGA Handicap System designed to minimise the effects of "disaster holes" on a golfer's handicap index. It is computed using the per-hole maximum scores described in the USGA's ESC guidelines. The USGA puts a limit on how high a score a golfer can take on an individual hole during a handicap round.
The per-hole maximum scores are based on one's course handicap. For example, if a golfer has a course handicap of 17, they know from the chart that the score they turn in for handicap purposes can't contain any holes with scores higher than 7. If a golfer has a course handicap of 23, then the highest hole score they can turn in for handicap purposes is 8.
The main method of arriving at the adjusted gross score is to adjust each hole downward to net double bogey, if necessary. That means, for handicapping purposes, a player can have up to Par + 2 (strokes) + any handicap strokes received on that hole.
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It is the player's gross score adjusted for unfinished holes
An "adjusted gross score" is a player's gross score adjusted for unfinished holes. It is used under the USGA Handicap System, which came into being on January 1, 2020, as part of the World Handicap System (WHS).
The gross score is the total number of shots that a golfer has taken, including any penalty shots incurred. This is the golfer's actual score, which they would tell people they got when recapping a round. However, the gross score is not the score that is used for handicapping purposes.
The USGA Handicap System imposes a maximum per-hole score, as outlined in the Equitable Stroke Control (ESC) guidelines. This limit is a net double bogey. So, for handicapping purposes, a player can have up to Par + 2 (strokes) + any handicap strokes received on that hole. This means that any score above a net double bogey will be recorded as a net double bogey. This ensures that a player's handicap is not overly influenced by one or two bad hole scores that are not reflective of their demonstrated ability.
For example, if a player has a course handicap of 17, they know that the score they turn in for handicap purposes can't contain any holes with scores higher than 7. So, if they got a 9 on the sixth hole, that 9 counts—but when they turn in their score for handicap purposes, that 9 becomes a 7. That 7 is their adjusted gross score for Hole 6, and that's what they use when reporting their score for handicaps.
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It is calculated after each round in the WHS system
The World Handicap System (WHS) was jointly developed by The R&A and USGA to unite six handicapping bodies across the globe under one standardised system. It came into effect on January 1, 2020, and is jointly governed worldwide by the USGA and The R&A. The WHS encompasses the Rules of Handicapping and the Course Rating System.
The WHS allows handicaps to be truly portable and makes for a fairer and more equitable system of accurately calculating a golfer’s current playing ability. It enables golfers of different abilities to compete on a fair basis, in any format, on any course, anywhere in the world. It is easy to understand and implement without sacrificing accuracy.
The WHS includes a “Playing Conditions Calculation” that looks at how all players who have entered a score on a course have performed on that day, compared to their expected performance. This calculation is made by the system at the end of each day’s play.
Under the WHS, an adjusted gross score is a player's gross score adjusted for unfinished holes, conceded strokes, holes not played or not played under the Rules of Golf, or Maximum Hole Score/Net Double Bogey. It is calculated after each round in the WHS system. The main method of arriving at the Adjusted Gross Score is to adjust each hole downward to net double bogey, if necessary. That means, for handicapping purposes, a player can have up to Par + 2 (strokes) + any handicap strokes received on that hole. For example, if par is 5 and a player receives 1 stroke on the hole, for handicapping purposes, the hole score is limited to 5 + 2 (strokes) + 1 (handicap strokes received on the hole), or 8.
Each hole where a player shoots higher than net double bogey must be adjusted downward to net double bogey. The number of strokes a golfer receives is determined using their full, unrestricted Course Handicap. The Course Handicap is rounded to the nearest whole number.
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It is used to determine a golfer's handicap index
An adjusted golf score is a player's gross score adjusted under the World Handicap System (WHS) procedures for unfinished holes, conceded strokes, holes not played or not played under the Rules of Golf, or Maximum Hole Score/Net Double Bogey. The WHS came into being on January 1, 2020, and changed how the Adjusted Gross Score is determined. The main method of arriving at the Adjusted Gross Score is to adjust each hole downward to a net double bogey, if necessary. That means, for handicapping purposes, a player can have up to Par + 2 (strokes) + any handicap strokes received on that hole.
Equitable Stroke Control (ESC) requires that a player posts a maximum of double bogey on any given hole if their Course Handicap is 9 or less for 18 holes. For handicapping purposes, the player's gross scores are adjusted downward to 5, 7, and 6, or double bogeys, respectively. For each course/tee combination, a calculated Course Handicap is available. Knowing one's Course Handicap, one can look up the Equitable Stroke Control table and determine the highest adjusted gross score allowed.
The scores golfers report as part of the USGA Handicap System are adjusted gross scores. Golfers who have handicaps report their scores following the round. In the USGA handicap calculation, golfers don't report their gross scores (the actual number of strokes played), but their adjusted gross scores. And those adjusted gross scores are used to calculate a golfer's handicap index. For each score posted, a Score Differential is calculated to determine which scores are the best, considering the course difficulty (Course Rating, Slope Rating, and a playing conditions calculation are all important).
Once a golfer has 20 scores, their eight lowest Score Differentials are added together, averaged, and rounded to the nearest tenth, resulting in their Handicap Index. The Handicap Index is the lowest Handicap Index value that an individual has had in the last 12 months. It is not calculated but is based on each of the issued Handicap Index values that a golfer has on record during the time period.
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Frequently asked questions
An adjusted golf score is a player's gross score modified under the World Handicap System (WHS) procedures for unfinished holes, conceded strokes, holes not played, or not played under the Rules of Golf.
Only golfers with a USGA Handicap Index need to use adjusted gross scores.
First, you need to know your course handicap for the golf course being played. Then, you need to consult the equitable stroke control (ESC) guidelines, which tell golfers the maximum single-hole score they can report for a round for USGA handicap purposes.
The purpose of the USGA Handicap System is to represent a golfer's potential for scoring. A golfer's handicap is their potential best scoring when they are playing at their best.
The formula for an adjusted gross score is: Score Differential = (Adjusted Gross score – Course Rating-Playing Conditions Calculation adjustment) x 113 / Slope Rating.
