P.O. Box 1029 •
Monroe, Washington 98272-4029
(360) 794-5082 or email Golf Link Master

Equitable Stroke Control

Equitable Stroke Control

Equitable Stroke Control (ESC) is the "capping" of individual hole scores to make handicaps more indicative of a player's scoring potential. The maximum score that a player can post on any hole is based on the player's Course Handicap. In the case of a player without an established handicap scores are adjusted using the maximum hole score for the highest Course Handicap. Once your Handicap Index is established you use the ESC table below.

 Course Handicap   Maximum Score per Hole 
up to 9 Double Bogey
10 through 19 7
20 through 29 8
30 through 39 9
40 or higher 10

Terms and Definitions

  • Raw score - The gross or unadjusted total score for a round
  • Adjusted score - The total score after Equitable Stroke Control has been applied
  • Equitable Stroke Control ESC maximum allowed individual hole scores to more accurately represent a player's scoring "potential"
  • Handicap Differential - difference between adjusted scores and course difficulty
  • Handicap Index - adjusted average of handicap differentials to one decimal place
      max USGA Handicap Index -- men/36.4 -- women/40.4
      max USGA Handicap Index(N) -- men/18.2 -- women/20.2
      (N)     means 9 holes
  • Course Handicap - whole number adjustment of Handicap Index for a specific course (most courses have a chart to make this conversion)

The process starts by turning raw scores into adjusted scores (per ESC) and then calculating a Handicap Differential for each adjusted score. You then plug these differentials into the formula for a Handicap Index. Once you have a Handicap Index it can easily be converted into a Course Handicap for any specific course you play.

A Handicap Index is a number that, loosely, is a measurement of a player's potential scoring ability on a course of average difficulty, and sort of represents the difference between a player's scores and the course ratings of the golf courses he/she plays. It is figured from a player's best scores, and is calculated to one decimal place.

P.O. Box 1029 •
Monroe, Washington 98272-4029
(360) 794-5082 or email Golf Link Master
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