5.8 Limit on Upward Movement of a Handicap Index

There are two trigger points within the cap procedure:

(i)

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.

(ii)

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.

(See Diagram 5.8.)