RULES
Ball in Pocket? Here’s how to score it for handicap purposes BY RON KASPRISKE
Y OU MIGHT KNOW SOME golfers at your club or course who have a habit of raking putts that are not “gimmes.” They might even pick up their ball after a hole has been decided in match play, even though they still have some work to do to earn that bogey. Can you pencil in whatever number you want on a scorecard when your ball is in your pocket? If you’re playing by the official Rules of Handicapping , the answer is an emphatic NO. Rule 3.3 covers what to do when a hole is started but you don’t hole out. Subject to other provisions in the handicapping rules, you must record
the format of play.” What determines your most likely score? You have to follow guidelines set by the R&A and USGA. That score should be: • The number of strokes already taken to reach a position on a hole. • The number of strokes you would most likely require to complete the hole from that position. • Any penalty strokes incurred during play of the hole. You might have thought you have to take net double bogey when you pick up for handicap purposes. That’s not always true. In the case of a player who knocks it stiff on a par 3 and picks the ball up a foot or so from the cup, one stroke should be added to the score (so it’s a birdie). Any putt on the green from five feet or closer is considered made. If a ball is five to 20 metres from the
hole and you pick it up, you would add either two or three strokes to your score. It’s at your discretion but you should factor the difficulty of the hole and your skill level. Finally, if you were outside of 20 metres, add three or four strokes (again, it’s at your discretion). In most cases, you would likely be at a maximum of net double bogey – but not always. For example, a 25-handicap golfer gets two shots on the seven hardest holes, so a net double bogey on a par 4 could be an 8 and as high as a 9 on a par 5. Two other things to consider: (1) There is no limit to pick-up holes for handicap purposes provided you had a valid reason. Maybe some of the greens had damage, rendering them unputt-able. (2) If you pick up while using a format where holing out is man- datory ( “rattle-bottom”), you would be disqualified for doing so.
your most likely score or net double bogey, whichever is lower, “as appropri- ate for the situation and depending on
SELF EVALUATION Be honest with yourself when putting down a score for that pick-up hole.
PHOTOGRAPH BY STEPHEN DENTON
20 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
MAY 2026
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