WHS Reference

WHS Handicap
Allowances.

The complete table of WHS-recommended handicap allowances for every golf format — and why the percentages differ between them.

Definition

A WHS handicap allowance is the percentage of a player's Course Handicap applied as their Playing Handicap in a specific format. Individual stroke play: 95%. Singles matchplay: 100%. Four-ball matchplay: 90%. Four-ball stroke play: 85%. Foursomes: 50% of the combined total. Greensomes: 60% of the lower plus 40% of the higher Course Handicap.

Why allowances exist

The reason allowances drop below 100% in team formats is that having a partner changes the statistical advantage of being a higher handicapper. In singles stroke play, every shot on every hole matters — your handicap shots need to offset your full disadvantage. In four-ball, where only the better of two partners' scores counts per hole, a high handicapper contributes less than in singles. The 85% allowance accounts for that reduced contribution.

WHS allowances are not optional guidelines — for handicap-qualifying rounds they must be followed. In casual or society play, clubs often agree the allowance before the round.

Full allowance table

Individual formats

Format	Allowance	Applied to
Stroke Play Each player's Course Handicap	95%	Each player's Course Handicap
Stableford Each player's Course Handicap	95%	Each player's Course Handicap
Par / Bogey Each player's Course Handicap	95%	Each player's Course Handicap
Maximum Score Each player's Course Handicap	95%	Each player's Course Handicap
Singles Matchplay Both players' Course Handicaps	100%	Both players' Course Handicaps

Four-ball formats

Format	Allowance	Applied to
Four-Ball Matchplay Each player's Course Handicap individually	90%	Each player's Course Handicap individually
Four-Ball Par / Bogey Each player's Course Handicap individually	90%	Each player's Course Handicap individually
Four-Ball Stroke Play Each player's Course Handicap individually	85%	Each player's Course Handicap individually
Four-Ball Stableford Each player's Course Handicap individually	85%	Each player's Course Handicap individually

Team formats

Format	Allowance	Applied to
Foursomes (Alternate Shot) Combined Course Handicap per team	50%	Combined Course Handicap per team
Greensomes 60% lower CH + 40% higher CH	60% / 40%	60% lower CH + 40% higher CH
Pinehurst / Chapman 60% lower CH + 40% higher CH	60% / 40%	60% lower CH + 40% higher CH
Scramble (4 players) 25%/20%/15%/10% lowest to highest	25/20/15/10%	Each player individually, 25%→10% lowest to highest handicap
Scramble (2 players) 35% lower CH + 15% higher CH	35% / 15%	35% lower CH + 15% higher CH

Source: WHS mandatory handicap allowances as published by Scottish Golf. Four-ball matchplay and par/bogey use 90%; stroke play and stableford variants use 85% — reflecting the different scoring structures.

Why the percentages differ

Individual play — 95%

Every hole counts. A disastrous hole can wreck your score with no partner to bail you out. The 95% (rather than 100%) accounts for the fact that players tend to play slightly better when their score is being recorded — not all holes result in the worst possible outcome.

Singles matchplay — 100%

Each hole is its own separate contest. A 5 on a par 4 doesn't cascade into the next hole — you just concede or play on. Because each hole is independent, there's no statistical advantage to reduce, so 100% applies.

Four-ball matchplay — 90%, stroke play — 85%

In both variants, only the better score of two partners counts on each hole — so a reduction from 100% is warranted. The allowance differs slightly by scoring structure: in matchplay each hole is independent (win/loss/half), so the partner advantage is slightly less pronounced in cumulative terms, hence 90%. In stroke play and stableford, where every stroke across all 18 holes aggregates, the statistical benefit of the better ball is stronger, hence the greater reduction to 85%.

Foursomes — 50% of combined

Two players alternate shots, hitting every other shot. Each player only takes half the shots. So combining their two Course Handicaps and halving gives a fair playing handicap that reflects each partner contributing to alternate shots.

Greensomes — 0.6 / 0.4 weighted

Both partners drive, then the team selects the best drive and alternates from there. The lower-handicap player's ability matters more (they're likely to have the better drive selected more often), so their Course Handicap gets a 60% weight and the higher-handicapper gets 40%. The combined total is the Playing Handicap.

How to use this in practice

Step 1

Calculate Course Handicap

HI × (Slope ÷ 113) + (CR − Par) for each player on the day's tees.

Step 2

Apply the format allowance

Multiply Course Handicap by the format's percentage. Round to the nearest whole number.

Step 3

Find the shot difference

Subtract the lower Playing Handicap from the higher. The difference is the shots received.

Step 4

Allocate by Stroke Index

Shots fall on the lowest Stroke Index holes first (SI 1, 2, 3…). One shot per hole unless total exceeds 18.

Common questions

Are WHS handicap allowances mandatory?

For handicap-qualifying rounds, clubs must follow WHS-recommended allowances. For social rounds and internal competitions, clubs have discretion — many use 100% for simplicity. Always check what allowance a competition is using before teeing off.

Why does stroke play use 95% not 100%?

Research behind the WHS showed that golfers in a formal competition tend to hole out on all holes, keeping their score from becoming catastrophically high on any single hole. This slight cushion means 95% better reflects the true playing value of the handicap in a stroke play round versus the Handicap Index calculation, which includes net-double-bogey adjustments that effectively cap the worst holes.

Can a club use a different allowance in their own competitions?

Yes. Clubs can set their own allowances for non-qualifying competitions. Many use a straight 100% across all formats for simplicity. But for the round to count as a qualifying score for handicap purposes, the WHS-recommended allowance must be applied.

What is the allowance for a singles Stableford competition?

95% — the same as stroke play. Stableford is an individual format where every hole counts. The 95% allowance is applied to Course Handicap before distributing shots by Stroke Index.

How does the Playing Handicap differ from the Course Handicap?

Course Handicap is the raw number calculated from Handicap Index, Slope, Course Rating, and Par. Playing Handicap is Course Handicap multiplied by the format allowance. In singles matchplay (100% allowance), they're identical. In four-ball matchplay (90%), the Playing Handicap is slightly lower. In four-ball stroke play or stableford (85%), it's lower still.