The ALAMO CITY GOLF TRAIL offers the GHIN HANDICAP SYSTEM at a reduced rate to its Players Club Pass Holders and guests. This is a separate service not provided as part of the Players Club program.
$35 PER PERSON/YEAR
If you sign up before September 15th, your GHIN will expire on December 31st of the same year. After September 15th, your GHIN will expire on December 31st of the following year.
Everything you need to know about a golf handicap
What’s your handicap? Perhaps the most frequently heard three-word question on a golf course. It’s an inquiry that often provokes boastful, embellished or, ahem, overstated responses. So next time you get paired up with someone new and they want to know your handicap, we’ve got you covered.
Before we begin, it’s important to know the difference between a course handicap and a handicap index. A handicap index is a number that indicates a player’s skill and is taken to one decimal place (ex., 10.4). You might refer to your index as your ‘raw’ handicap, or the number that is really important to know. You never actually use this index while playing; rather, you must first convert it to the slope of the specific set of tees you are playing to get a Course Handicap. This will create a whole number and is what makes your Handicap Index portable from course to course. You might need fewer strokes on an easy course and more strokes on a harder course.
World Handicap System
Golf already has a single set of playing Rules, a single set of equipment Rules and a single set of Rules of Amateur Status governed by the USGA and The R&A. In January 2020 the World Handicap System was created to unify the six pre-existing systems into a single system that:
- enable golfers of different abilities to play and compete on a fair and equal basis, in any format, on any course, anywhere around the world;
- be easy to understand and implement, without sacrificing accuracy; and
- meet the varied needs and expectations of golfers, golf clubs and golf authorities all around the world and be adaptable to suit all golfing cultures.
After significant engagement and collaboration with the existing handicapping authorities and other National Associations, it has been agreed that the time was right to bring the different handicapping systems together as a fourth set of Rules, to support the global game.
The WHS will encompass both the Rules of Handicapping and the Course Rating System (formerly known as the USGA Course Rating and Slope System).