NEW FOR THE 2025 SEASON!

USGA RELEASES PHASE 2 OF THE
HANDICAP REVIEW TOOL FOR CLUBS

Now available through your GHIN Admin Portal is the ability to review your entire club roster with a few clicks. The Tool should be used as a resource for the Handicap Committee to aid in gathering information to be considered as part of the handicap review process. 

Dear Member Clubs,

We are excited to share that Phase 2 of the Handicap Review Tool has be released and is now able to conduct a full roster review with a few clicks. Below you will find helpful documents, information and a video tutorial that further explains the new updates to the Handicap Review Tool.

Description of the New USGA Handicap Review Tool

The new USGA Handicap Review Tool will continue to be rolled out in a phased approach. Below is a brief description of Phase 2:

• A Handicap Committee can run a handicap review across its entire club’s roster.
• A golfer must have a full scoring record (20 scores) to be eligible for an adjustment in the Tool.
• If a Handicap Review is run on a player and a recommended Handicap Index adjustment is returned, then the Handicap Committee can choose to apply the adjustment as recommended, adjust by a different value, or take no action.
• Handicap review details that explain the flags and scores that apply to the  recommended adjustment are available for any golfer on the roster who is reviewed.
• For golfers whose Handicap Index is active at more than one club, the home club is responsible for making any adjustments.
• The Handicap Committee will have 14 days from the time of the review to apply or deny a recommended adjustment, after which the recommendation will expire.

Phase 3 of the Handicap Review Toll which will offer a flexible handicap review timeframe, enriched reporting, and automated notifications, is planned for release in fall 2025.

Use of the New USGA Handicap Review Tool
We strongly encourage you to read the USGA Handicap Review documents linked below which provides more detail about how to use the new USGA Handicap Review tool. The "View All Documents and Information" button below will take you to our website that hosts the full suite of information and resources for future reference.

WATCH: How to Use the Handicap Review Tool

Click the image below to view a video of step-by-step instructions on how to use the new tool.

More to Consider

• It is also important to consider that players must be informed of the club’s handicap review process, which includes player notification when the Handicap Index adjustment becomes effective and raising awareness to the process for appeals. More information about notification and appeal and the two paths available can be found here.
• A club has the discretion to run an individual review on a player when appropriate; such as due to a request or as information becomes available to the Handicap Committee. As stated in Rule 7.1a(i) of the Rules of Handicapping, the Handicap Committee should consider all available evidence before making any adjustment to a player’s Handicap Index. 
  
• In general, it is a best practice to plan a club-wide review during the club’s peak season, such as when its members are posting the most scores for handicap purposes. This timing will vary geographically, but for many states it will likely be in the June or July timeframe.

Effective January 1, 2025, the USGA Handicap Review Tool is the only WHS authorized tool to recommend an adjustment to a Handicap Index®.

Questions?

Mass Golf Support can be reached at ghin@massgolf.org or 774-430-9072