Best 8 of 20
Scores Explained.
Your WHS Handicap Index is based on the average of your best 8 Score Differentials from your most recent 20 qualifying rounds — not your average. Here's why that matters.
Definition
Under the WHS, a Handicap Index is calculated from the best 8 Score Differentials in a golfer's 20 most recent qualifying rounds. Using the best rather than the average means the index reflects potential — what you're capable of on a good day, not what happens on an average one.
What "best 8 of 20" means
WHS tracks a rolling 20-round pool — your 20 most recent qualifying rounds. From those, it selects the 8 with the lowest Score Differentials, averages them, and applies a 96% multiplier to get your Handicap Index.
Using the best rather than the average means your Handicap Index reflects your potential — what you're capable of when everything clicks, rather than what happens on an average day. The system assumes that, given the right conditions, a golfer can play to their best 8 rounds.
What counts as a qualifying round
- ✓Formal club competitions
- ✓General play rounds at your club
- ✓Rounds at other WHS-registered clubs
- ✓9-hole rounds (two combined = 1 qualifying round)
- ✓Rounds on WHS-rated courses abroad
- ✗Practice rounds or range sessions
- ✗Rounds on non-WHS-rated courses
- ✗Rounds not played under the Rules of Golf
- ✗Rounds where not all holes were completed
- ✗Scrambles and shotgun formats
Fewer than 20 rounds — the ramp-up table
When you're a new golfer or have fewer than 20 rounds on record, WHS uses a scaled-down version of the best-8-of-20 calculation. The table below shows how many differentials are used at each stage.
| Rounds in record | Differentials used |
|---|---|
| 3 | Lowest 1 |
| 4 | Lowest 1 |
| 5 | Lowest 1 |
| 6 | Average lowest 2 |
| 7–8 | Average lowest 2 |
| 9 | Average lowest 3 |
| 10–11 | Average lowest 4 |
| 12 | Average lowest 5 |
| 13–14 | Average lowest 6 |
| 15–16 | Average lowest 7 |
| 17–20 | Average lowest 8 |
All figures use the WHS 96% multiplier. Adjustments in the early rows account for limited data — the index is set conservatively until enough rounds are on record.
How it affects your handicap movements
A great round only enters the pool and replaces the worst of your existing best 8. The impact is limited to the difference between your new differential and the one it displaces.
A high differential is added to your 20-round pool but, since the best 8 are selected, it typically sits in the 12 unused rounds — provided it's not better than your current worst best-8 score.
Once you have 20 rounds on record, each new qualifying round pushes the oldest out of the pool. If your old best rounds drop off, your index can rise even if your recent play is consistent.
Because bad rounds typically don't affect the best-8 selection, submitting every qualifying round is safe — and important, since WHS requires honest record-keeping as a condition of maintaining an active handicap.
Common questions
Why 8 of 20 and not all 20?
WHS research found that using a golfer's best scores — rather than their average — creates the fairest handicaps for competition. A golfer who can break 80 occasionally but averages 85 is a better player than their average suggests. Using the best 8 of 20 means that occasional best performance can be replicated in competition with the right conditions and preparation.
Do 9-hole rounds count?
Yes — two 9-hole qualifying rounds are combined into an 18-hole equivalent and counted as one round in your record. Each 9-hole round generates a differential based on the ratings for that nine. They can be at the same course on the same day, or two separate 9-hole rounds at different times.
What happens if I haven't played for a long time?
Your Handicap Index doesn't expire from inactivity alone, though some national authorities can flag infrequently used handicaps. If you return to play after a gap, your existing 20 rounds still form the basis of your index — no rounds have "aged out" simply due to time, though some authorities apply an inactivity review after 12+ months without a qualifying round.
Can I see which 8 rounds are being used?
Yes — most handicap systems (England Golf's MyEG, Golf Ireland's GUI portal, etc.) show your 20 most recent differentials with the best 8 highlighted. Some clubs also display this in their competition management software. Dormie shows your active handicap alongside round tracking so you always know where you stand.
Related guides
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