WHS INFORMATION PLEASE

[Lisbon]

“Can anyone give me a little guidance about the new world handicap.
I work abroad for several months of the year and currently hold both CONGU and USGA handicaps. I play considerably more competitions abroad than I do back in the UK.
I’m am currently working in Thailand until August 2020 before returning to Scotland in September.
The new WHS is replacing my USGA index in a few days time, so hopefully it will be well established by the summer and I should have at least 50 rounds entered on the new system!
Questions:
Do I hold two WHS handicaps from next November?
Or does the new WHS (January) Immediately replace my CONGU handicap, if not what happens in November, will CONGU issue me another new WH?
If so what happen to my established US(WH) index?
Does the WHS provide golfers with a unique number to ensure you only hold one handicap which can been used worldwide?
Hope someone can give guidelines on this, thank you in advance.

 

[rulefan]

“Can anyone give me a little guidance about the new world handicap.
I work abroad for several months of the year and currently hold both CONGU and USGA handicaps. I play considerably more competitions abroad than I do back in the UK.
I’m am currently working in Thailand until August 2020 before returning to Scotland in September.
The new WHS is replacing my USGA index in a few days time, so hopefully it will be well established by the summer and I should have at least 50 rounds entered on the new system!
Questions:
Do I hold two WHS handicaps from next November?
Or does the new WHS (January) Immediately replace my CONGU handicap, if not what happens in November, will CONGU issue me another new WH?
If so what happen to my established US(WH) index?
Does the WHS provide golfers with a unique number to ensure you only hold one handicap which can been used worldwide?
Hope someone can give guidelines on this, thank you in advance.

From November you will have one handicap. You will wind up with one identification code. Which country will hold your ID will depend on your choice of which club you want to be considered as your Home club.
When you say the USGA will be replacing your index, that surprises me. The US has already switched to WHS (on 6 January) and, as I understand it, all Handicap Indices have been recalculated.
Are you currently a member of a club in Scotland? But regardless, I think you will need to get your Scottish club to get Scottish Golf to handle the conversion for you.

I will PM you

 

[Lisbon]

Thanks for your reply. I accept that the US have switched over as of 06 January but the sports club who administer my handicap in Thailand are developing a new link between the website and the App. They are using a different concept which will not be fully implemented until the last week of January, this is when they plan to introduce the WHS.
I already have been in touch with my uk club which is actually in England. They said play with my new WHS while I’m abroad and then bin it on arrival home, reverting back to CONGO until November when I will get another new WHS!
Sounded a little like ‘Brexit’ confusion to me, that’s why I posted here to get advice!
L.

 

[duncan mackie]

It looks like they are all looking at your issue from their perspective!
The obvious, and personally I see it as the correct principle, is that you have to allocate your home handicap administrator going forwards and, after advising them of all the relevant history they make a decision as to your starting point on the system.
This makes the obvious assumption that you will have a single identity on a WHS database that all clubs worldwide will access (which I strongly suspect is only aspirational at this point - I welcome Rulefans input on that!) because that is the only way the system can work.
The practical alternative is that the first allocation stands, and that all other implementations are required to work to a rule that states that they use their transition process unless the individual has an existing WHS handicap index, in which case that is substituted. How the records are maintained across 3 systems after that, is as much of an issue as whether the recent history across all 3 clubs should be merged for the initial allocation!

The only certainty in my mind is that ending up with 3 different handicap indexes under the WHS won't look good!

 

[rulefan]

The advice I have been given is:
1) As suggested, play with the WHS handicap when outside CONGU. Use CONGU when here until transition. When you get the CONGU/WHS Index decide which best reflects your current playing status. If you have played significantly more overseas, it is suggested you get your handicap secretary to set your Index to the one determined by the USGA/WHS conversion.
2) If this is to be your home base, you will keep your CDH ID. When you login to the WHS Cloud via an app or website (with a Username and password) you will be taken to your data which will include your CDH ID.
3) It is expected that the auto transmission from the cloud of any handicap adjustment, as a result of scores from wherever you are playing, to be downloaded to the system of any club of which you are a member, will be available early next year. It will of course be part of the implementation for courses within GB&I.
4) Each national authority will have its own WHS cloud system to do all the handicap calculations. This will pass the results to a 'global' WHS cloud database.
I speculate that one or other or both (selectively) will download the results to all the clubs a player is registered with.

 

[Lisbon]

Thank you for the info, much appreciated
L.