When will the handicap update to take account of the world handicap system?

Now that we're suppose to have new handicaps, when will Garmin update its calculations to take this into account?!

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Former Member over 4 years ago in reply to DaveBedford +1

Right, the club should always have the PAR, CR and SR for the course available. I was referring to be able to check what the Garmin system has in it's database.

WHS came into effect in the Netherlands…
DaveBedford over 4 years ago in reply to Former Member +1

The Handicap Index is the same around the world, there is just a slight difference in how the Playing Handicap index is calculated. The charts at the course will work out the playing handicap correctly…
mindstorm over 4 years ago in reply to DaveBedford +1

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/voices-the-flaw-in-the-new-world-handicap-system-dean-knuth

This explains it quite well. I'm still not convinced that Garmin have changed the non-UK calculation either…

All Replies

I’d like to know this too. It’s ridiculous that a premium golf watch can’t take your handicap index, look at the course slope and apply the right handicap given different tees and stroke indices. 3 months and no answer is very poor. I also submitted all the relevant info for my club tees/pars and SI’s 2 months ago and still no update

0 mindstorm over 4 years ago in reply to KevinAlger

I've asked @GarminChris to look at this. It's difficult to work the best way as it would need every tee box worldwide to be mapped (including all the index corrections) and could take years to be completed. I think the best way is for the watch to hold your WHS handicap and then ask your playing handicap as you start a round. Quick, easy and reliable.

0 KevinAlger over 4 years ago in reply to mindstorm

I agree it’s quite a big database but it’s then the equivalent of a vlookup excel function. I’m particularly annoyed that most courses are set up with just a men’s or women’s tee option rather than the coloured tee markers - if Golfshot can do it, why can’t Garmin?

0 Owen over 4 years ago

Where are you guys all located? I'm in BC, Canada and we were on the WHS starting at the beginning of 2020. I've entered my current handicap index of 31.7 into the watch. I've played 4 rounds since I got the watch in a Boxing Day sale and all rounds have been correctly identified and accounted for my course handicap on the course/tees I play at - Gleneagles in West Vancouver.

0 KevinAlger over 4 years ago in reply to Owen

UK here. WHS implemented here in November 2020, but it doesn’t seem like the watch is geared up for it at all as course indexes for each tees are nowhere to be found so the watch can’t determine the playing handicap for each round

0 Owen over 4 years ago

Ah - OK then. That's an issue for @GarminChris to look at then - I would say that Garmin needs to update their course database to include the correct Course Rating and Slope Rating for UK and probably any course that's not in North America. Assuming that info has been updated within the corresponding Country's Golf Association site, it's sad that Garmin hasn't provided an update by now - the Nov 2020 date for UK has been known for at least a year so there was plenty of time for Garmin to prepare for the needed update. The watch will never be the master of your WHS Handicap Index, as that gets recalculated every time you enter your score into your National Association's scoring site.

0 KevinAlger over 4 years ago in reply to Owen

Yes. Completely agree with all of that

0 DaveBedford over 4 years ago in reply to KevinAlger

Apparently there is a difference to how the WHS has been implemented in the UK to the rest of the world! Consequently you will have to enter your playing handicap in the watch as a local handicap for it to calculate your score correctly.

0 Former Member over 4 years ago

How can we check what the Course Rating, Slope Rating and other information is for the courses we want to play?
The Garmin website does not list the details.

Also, for past rounds. How can I see the handicap used and corrected score? The Garmin Connect Website doesn't seem to show this.

0 Former Member over 4 years ago in reply to DaveBedford

DaveBedford, how did you found out?

Trial and error starting a round using different settings?