World Handicap System explained: Everything you need to know
The World Handicap System is here in the UK. After years of research and hundreds of hours of work, we have pulled together this comprehensive guide on WHS to help you navigate these new waters.
Need a refresher course on the World Handicap System? Here is everything you could possibly need to know…
World Handicap System explained
What the experts say about WHS
Frequently asked questions
NCG opinion
Case studies
If you have any questions about the World Handicap System, contact Steve Carroll via email or Twitter and he will look into finding the answer for you.
Steve Carroll
A journalist for 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long. A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A's prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.
Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men's Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.
A part of NCG's Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He currently floats at around 11.
Steve plays at Close House, in Newcastle, and York GC, where he is a member of the club's matches and competitions committee and referees the annual 36-hole scratch York Rose Bowl.
Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NTCJ exams at Darlington College of Technology.
What's in Steve's bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; TaylorMade Stealth 2 irons; TaylorMade Hi-Toe, Ping ChipR, Sik Putter.