Page type: Computed handicap worked example
Free tool: Open the calculator →
Illustrative 18-hole allocation
For N = 36, each hole receives floor(N/18) strokes, then Stroke Index values 1 through N mod 18 receive one additional stroke. The model maps Hole 1 to Stroke Index 1 through Hole 18 to Stroke Index 18 only to make the lookup reproducible.
When strokes exceed 18
Strokes repeat after the first 18: every full cycle gives one more stroke on every hole, then the remainder starts at Stroke Index 1. This is a positive-stroke illustration, so it does not represent the different treatment required for plus Playing Handicaps.
Authority and scope
Appendix C states that the National Association establishes handicap allowances, or may delegate that responsibility, and that a Committee should specify the allowance in the Terms of Competition. An authorised national, regional, club, or event procedure therefore controls. Do not transplant this illustrative result as a universal arbitrary rule for house games.
Table
| Hole | Illustrative Stroke Index | Strokes Received |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 4 | 4 | 2 |
| 5 | 5 | 2 |
| 6 | 6 | 2 |
| 7 | 7 | 2 |
| 8 | 8 | 2 |
| 9 | 9 | 2 |
| 10 | 10 | 2 |
| 11 | 11 | 2 |
| 12 | 12 | 2 |
| 13 | 13 | 2 |
| 14 | 14 | 2 |
| 15 | 15 | 2 |
| 16 | 16 | 2 |
| 17 | 17 | 2 |
| 18 | 18 | 2 |
Worked example
[object Object]
Rule reference: [object Object]
Sources: www.usga.org
Common questions
How does this page decide the holes?
It uses the supplied illustrative model: Hole 1 has Stroke Index 1 through Hole 18 has Stroke Index 18, and it distributes all 36 positive match-play strokes across that card. It is not a replacement for a course's published stroke indexes.
What happens after 18 strokes?
The model gives every hole one stroke for each full 18-stroke cycle, then gives the remainder to Stroke Index 1 upward. With 36 strokes that is 2 full cycles (one stroke on every hole, 2 times over) plus 0 more on Stroke Index 1 through 18.
Does this page set an event's stroke procedure?
No. The authorised National Association, Committee Terms of Competition, and actual scorecard control; this is a transparent lookup convention for a draft data pack showing how 36 strokes land, not an event's stroke procedure.