Golf is quite a complicated sport when it comes to rules. Whether it is getting a PGA Tour Card, or the credentials to go pro, golf can be quite a confusing sport.
To become a pro however, a golfer needs to have a certain handicap. What is a handicap, and what handicap does one need to be a pro golfer? Simply put, a handicap is a number put on a golfer’s potential that is used to enable players of varying abilities to compete against one another. Do not be mistaken, for the better players are those with the lowest handicaps.
The rules relating to handicap however are different from country to country, but there has recently been the introduction of a new World Handicap System (WHS) which was introduced in 2020.
What handicap does one need to be a pro golfer?
Being a pro golfer is not an easy feat, and maintaining a low handicap is every amateur golfer’s dream. A majority of top golf professionals play to handicaps of +4 to +6 only. Phil Mickelson currently plays at a handicap of +5.2, while Paul Casey plays at +6 at the Isleworth Country Club in Florida. It must be noted that to get a handicap, golf must be played on the same course in the same way.
Most Tour golfers are between +4 and +7 handicaps. That means on the low end, at their home course, a golfer would have to shoot four strokes under par to be “even”. Although Tiger Woods hasn’t had an official handicap since he was 20, he is currently playing off +8. However, it is clearly not easy to maintain a good handicap, and several pro golfers have to do incredibly well to get a low one.
Also read: PGA Tour: What are the requirements to earn a PGA Tour Cards?
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