Garmin Golf App Handicap Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Garmin Golf™ App Use the World Handicap System (WHS) to Compute a Course Handicap?

Not all Garmin® golf products use WHS. Click here for a list of products that support WHS.

For Garmin golf products that do not use WHS, the course handicap is calculated using a Garmin calculated handicap system. The 8 scorecards with the lowest scores out of the 20 scorecards most recently played are factored into the calculation. The Garmin handicap calculation cannot be used for golf tournaments that require a WHS Handicap Index. 

How Do I Use My Own Official Handicap in the Garmin Golf App?

The Garmin Golf app will automatically calculate a handicap for you based on the Garmin handicap system. Some devices have the ability to enter your handicap and will override the automatically calculated handicap. For entering your handicap on your device, see the owner's manual.

If your Garmin golf product is WHS capable, your WHS handicap will be displayed automatically in the Garmin Golf app. 

Why Was My Handicap 0 the First Time I Used the Garmin Golf App?

We need at least one round uploaded before we can calculate your handicap.  As you upload or enter save more scorecards, your handicap will start to accurately reflect your real potential.

Are Partial Rounds Used in the Handicap Calculation?

Yes. When playing an 18 hole round, you need to play at least 13 of 18 holes. When playing a 9 hole round, you either need to play at least 7 holes in the front nine segment or at least 7 holes in the back nine segment.

Why Did My Handicap Not Go up After a Bad Round?

The handicap calculation uses your 8 most recent best scores out of the last 20 rounds, so you would have to consistently perform poorly before your handicap increases. 

Does Garmin Cap the Score for Each Hole?

Yes. Garmin will limit the posted score to a net double bogey for each hole. However, this limit is only for handicap calculations and will not affect what is shown on your scorecard.

Why do I need to select what tees I played from?

Your handicap will vary depending on which tees you play from. 

Will 9 hole rounds be included in the handicap calculation?

This depends on the most recent 20 scorecards. There needs to be more than one 9 hole scorecard within the most recent 20 scorecards for the 9 hole scores to be used with your handicap calculation. 

Are there any courses where my handicap can not be calculated automatically?

No. We will calculate a handicap for you on any of the 43,000+ courses we have in our database.

Are there minimum and maximum handicap values in the Garmin Golf App?

Yes. The minimum handicap is -10 and the maximum handicap is 54.