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What is a good golf quota for your handicap?
By Sam Whitlock · Published · Updated
Your starting golf quota is usually 36 minus your course handicap, so a 14 handicap starts on a quota of 22. Score more points than that in a round and you finish plus; score fewer and you finish minus. You can work out your own quota in the calculator with your handicap already filled in.
Why does the quota start at 36?
The quota starts at 36 because a par is worth 2 points on the common points scale, so par on all 18 holes gives a scratch golfer 36 points.
Each handicap stroke is one shot you're expected to drop, and since a bogey still earns 1 point, every stroke takes one point off the target. A 14 handicap who makes 14 bogeys and 4 pars scores 14 × 1 + 4 × 2 = 22, exactly the quota.
| Your score on the hole | Points |
|---|---|
| Eagle or better | 8 |
| Birdie | 4 |
| Par | 2 |
| Bogey | 1 |
| Double bogey or worse | 0 |
Your group can change these values, and if it does, the starting quota still comes from the same idea: the points a player of your handicap scores on an ordinary day.
What is the starting quota for each handicap?
Your starting quota is 36 minus your course handicap, or 39 minus it if your group plays from a base of 39, which makes every quota three points harder to beat. Here are the quotas from both bases.
| Course handicap | From 36 | From 39 |
|---|---|---|
| +2 | 38 | 41 |
| 0 | 36 | 39 |
| 5 | 31 | 34 |
| 10 | 26 | 29 |
| 14 | 22 | 25 |
| 18 | 18 | 21 |
| 24 | 12 | 15 |
| 30 | 6 | 9 |
A plus handicap adds to the base, so a +2 player starts on 38 from 36. If your handicap isn't on the table, the quota calculator takes any handicap and either base.
Which handicap does your quota come from?
Your quota comes from your course handicap, the number of strokes you get on the course you're playing today. Your Handicap Index is the number on your handicap record, and it describes how you'd play on a course of standard difficulty, one with a Slope Rating of 113.
Under the World Handicap System the course handicap is your Handicap Index × (Slope Rating ÷ 113) + (Course Rating − par), rounded to the nearest whole number. You'll find the slope and course rating on the scorecard or the course's handicap table, which also lists the answer for each index.
Take a Handicap Index of 12.4 on a course with a Slope Rating of 128, a Course Rating of 71.2 and a par of 72:
- 12.4 × 128 ÷ 113 = 14.05
- 14.05 + (71.2 − 72) = 13.25, which rounds to a course handicap of 13
- 36 − 13 gives a starting quota of 23
The same player gets a different course handicap on a harder or easier course, so a group that plays several courses should set the starting quota from the course of the day.
How do quotas work over nine holes?
Over nine holes the base halves to 18, because par on every hole is worth 18 points. The Chaparral Golf Club summer league sets each player's quota at 18 minus their 9-hole course handicap, and never lower than 4 points.
The World Handicap System works out a 9-hole course handicap from half your Handicap Index and the 9-hole ratings of the holes you play, so use that figure rather than half of your 18-hole one.
How do you set a team quota?
A team of four starts from 144, which is four times 36, and takes away the four players' handicaps added together. In Golf Compendium's example the players' handicaps are 5, 11, 20 and 28, which add up to 64, so the team's quota is 144 − 64 = 80 points.
That example counts points on each player's net score: 1 for a net bogey, 2 for a net par, 3 for a net birdie and 4 for a net eagle. If your group plays on gross scores with the scale above, agree on one scale before the round and use it for every team.
What happens to the quota with a high handicap?
On a base of 36, a course handicap of 36 gives a quota of zero, and anything higher gives a quota below zero. Some groups accept that, while others set a lowest quota, like the Chaparral league with its floor of 4 points. Whichever you choose, write it into your group's rules before a new high-handicap player joins, so nobody argues about it on the first tee.
What makes a quota good?
A good quota is one you beat about as often as everyone else in your group beats theirs. The handicap gets a new player close, and after that your own points totals do the work: many groups move each quota after every round, by a moving average or by the best 10 of your last 20 rounds. The guide to calculating a quota shows both with worked examples, and the calculator works out either from your recent totals.
Questions
Do I use my Handicap Index or my course handicap?
Use your course handicap, the strokes you get on the course you're playing that day. Take it from the course's handicap table, or work it out from your index with the slope and course rating.
What quota does a new player with no handicap get?
Agree on a starting number as a group, then let their first few rounds set it. The quota game rules cover the rest of the game.
Why do some groups start from 39 instead of 36?
A higher base makes every quota harder to beat by the same amount, so with 39 a 14 handicap needs 25 points instead of 22. Pick one base and use it for everyone in the group.
Can a quota be below zero?
Yes, on a base of 36 any course handicap above 36 gives a quota below zero. Some groups set a lowest quota instead, so agree on it before it comes up.