Hard & Soft Cap Explanation

Hard & Soft Cap Explanation

The World Handicap System has a "Soft" and "Hard Cap" built in, to limit the upward movement of a Handicap Index. 

There are two trigger points within the cap procedure:

  • The soft cap: The soft cap is triggered when the difference between a player’s newly calculated Handicap Index and their Low Handicap Index is greater than 3.0 strokes.
When a calculated Handicap Index increase is greater than 3.0 strokes, the value above 3.0 strokes is restricted to 50% of the increase.

  • The hard cap: The hard cap triggers to restrict the amount by which a player’s Handicap Index can increase, after application of the soft cap, to no more than 5.0 strokes above their Low Handicap Index.
There is no limit on the amount by which a player’s Handicap Index can decrease.

The soft cap and hard cap procedures start to take effect only after the Low Handicap Index has been established.

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