Golfers who enjoy an occasional solo round may want to consider a trip north next year.
Amid a series of rule changes, the USGA announced earlier this week that scores from rounds played alone will no longer count for handicap purposes. The change falls under Section 5-1, which applies to “Acceptability of Scores.”
According to the USGA, the change supports the premise of peer review and “underscores the importance of providing full and accurate information regarding a player’s potential scoring ability, and the ability of other players to form a reasonable basis for supporting or disputing a posted score.”
The rule change, though, was met with some resistance from golfers who often play alone but would still like to maintain a proper handicap. Their voices were clearly heard by Golf Canada, the national sport federation of golf in Canada, which announced Tuesday that it would not be adopting that particular change:
Our Handicap & Course Rating Committee has voted not to adopt Section 5-1e vi of the USGA Handicap System Manual. (1/2)
— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) November 24, 2015
Scores made while playing alone will continue to count for handicap purposes.(2/2)
— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) November 24, 2015