Equitable Stroke Control

Equitable Stroke Control table

Under the USGA Handicap System, the maximum score per hole for handicapping purposes was as follows:

For example, if a golfer with a course handicap of 8, shot a score of 83, but that score includes a six on a par 3 (a triple bogey) then the posted score should be only 82. However, if a golfer with a course handicap of 11 had the same score, the proper score to post would be 83.

Golf Canada

In April 2012, Golf Canada adopted the same ESC table as the USGA. Before then, the following table was used:

Other methods

South Africa

Before October 2019, the GolfRSA Handicap System used a similar method for eliminating the impact on high hole scores on handicap calculations. Called Adjusted Gross, it used the following maximum scores per hole:

In October 2019, net double bogey was adopted as the maximum score per hole.

Net double bogey

Most other handicap systems that incorporate mitigation for high hole scores, do so by means of net double bogey (two over par after any handicap strokes have been applied) as the maximum score per hole. This method is also known as Stableford Points Adjustment as it is the lowest number of strokes that would award zero points under the Stableford scoring system.

References

References

1. "Handicap manual {{!}} Section 4: Adjusting hole scores {{!}} 4-3. Equitable Stroke Control". USGA.
2. "Handicapping FAQs {{!}} Section 4: Adjusting Hole Scores for Equitable Stroke Control (ESC)". USGA.
3. "Golf guide".
4. "Golf Canada to Institute Changes to Equitable Stroke Control".
5. "GolfRSA Handicapping Rules, effective September 2018".
6. "GolfRSA Handicapping Rules, effective October 2019".