What Is Equitable Stroke Control in Golf?
Equitable Stroke Control: A rule that caps the maximum score on any hole for handicap purposes, preventing blow-up holes from wrecking your index.
Equitable Stroke Control — full definition
A procedure under the World Handicap System (called Net Double Bogey) that limits the maximum score on any hole for handicap purposes. The cap is double bogey plus any handicap strokes received on that hole. This prevents one blow-up hole from distorting your Handicap Index.
Equitable Stroke Control — frequently asked
Equitable Stroke Control — how does it work?
- Now called Net Double Bogey under the World Handicap System
- Max score per hole = double bogey + any handicap strokes received on that hole
- Prevents one bad hole from distorting your Handicap Index
More on Equitable Stroke Control
Net Double Bogey is applied before a score becomes a differential, so it is upstream of everything else on your record.
- Score differential calculatorPost the adjusted gross, not the raw one.
- Handicap calculatorWhere the capped score eventually lands.
- US golf associations directoryThe bodies that administer the World Handicap System where you play.
Other course rating terms
Course Rating
A USGA-assigned number representing the expected score for a scratch golfer under normal conditions.
Slope Rating
A number from 55 to 155 that measures how much harder a course plays for bogey golfers versus scratch golfers.
Bogey Rating
The expected score for a bogey golfer — roughly a 20-handicap (men) or 24-handicap (women).
Handicap Index
A portable measure of your playing ability that travels with you from course to course.
Course Handicap
The number of strokes you receive on a specific course from a specific set of tees.
Playing Handicap
Your Course Handicap adjusted for the specific format of play.
Score Differential
A score that measures how well you played relative to the difficulty of the course.