Rules of Golf Review: I knocked it stiff on a par 3 and didn't putt it. What score do I put down for my handicap?
When you pocket a ball, your score for handicap purposes depends on the situation
FRANCK FIFE
You might know some golfers at your club or course who have a habit of raking putts that are not “gimmes.” They might even pick up their ball after a hole has been decided in match play, even though they still had some work to do to earn the bogey they want to put down on the card.
Can you pencil in whatever number you want on a scorecard when your ball is in your pocket? If you’re playing by the official Rules of Handicapping, the answer is an emphatic “no.”
Rule 3.3 covers what to do when a hole is started but you don’t hole out. Subject to other provisions in the handicapping rules, you must record your most likely score or net double bogey, whichever is lower, “as appropriate for the situation and depending on the format of play.” Who decides what your most likely score would have been? You have to follow guidelines set by the USGA. That score would be:
The number of strokes already taken to reach a position on a hole, plus
The number of strokes the player would most likely require to complete the hole from that position, plus
Any penalty strokes incurred during play of the hole.
You might have thought you have to take net double bogey when you pick up for handicap purposes. That’s not true. In the case of a player who knocks it stiff on a par 3 and rakes the ball, one stroke should be added to the score (so it’s a birdie). Any putt on the green from five feet or closer is considered made.
If a ball is between five and 20 yards from the hole and you pick it up, that you would add either two or three strokes to your score. The number depends your ability and/or the difficulty of the hole (it’s at your discretion).
Finally, if you were outside of 20 yards, add three or four strokes (again, it’s at your discretion). In most cases, you would likely be at a maximum of net double bogey—but not always. For example, a 25-handicap gets two shots on the seven hardest holes, so a net double bogey on a par 4 could be an 8 and it could be a 9 on a par 5.
Two other things to note about posting scores when pocketing your ball: 1) There is no limit to pick-up holes recorded for handicap purposes provided you had a valid reason for continuing to do it. Maybe some of the greens had damage rendering them unputtable. 2) If you pick up while using a format where holing out is mandatory (a “rattle-bottom” tournament, for example), you’d be disqualified for doing so.
