Last Updated: Oct 31, 2023
Golf Slang: Maxed my Handicap
"Maxed out my handicap" is where a player's actual score on a hole or for a round is so high that it exceeds the maximum allowable score for their handicap
Written By: Zach Gollwitzer
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Term Overview
A brief overview of the term including definition, usage, origins, helpful visuals.
"Maxed out my handicap" is where a player's actual score on a hole or for a round is so high that it exceeds the maximum allowable score for their handicap
Put me down for a 7, that's the max for my handicap on this hole.
"Maxed out my handicap" in golf refers to a situation where a player's actual score on a hole or for a round is so high that it exceeds the maximum allowable score for their handicap on that hole or for the entire round.
In most cases, golfers have a maximum score they can record on each hole based on their handicap index. This maximum score is often referred to as a "net double bogey." It ensures that a player's handicap doesn't become unfairly affected by a few disastrous holes. So, when someone says they've "maxed out their handicap," they mean they've taken the maximum allowable strokes for their handicap on one or more holes, resulting in a score that doesn't accurately reflect their actual ability.
For example, if a player has a handicap index of 18 and plays a hole with a stroke index of 12 (meaning it's one of the harder holes on the course), their maximum allowable score for that hole might be 8 strokes (net double bogey). If they take 10 strokes to complete the hole, they've "maxed out their handicap" for that hole.
Don't worry if you don't understand all this... Even for an experienced golfer, this can be tough to understand!
About the author: Zach Gollwitzer
Hey, I‘m Zach, the founder of The DIY Golfer! I created this site while playing D1 collegiate golf with a simple mission—I wanted to learn the golf swing and get better at golf myself.
Fast forward a few years, and my “journal“, The DIY Golfer, has been viewed by millions of golfers worldwide looking to do the same with their games. my mission is to make golfers more consistent in just a few hours a week through advanced practice strategies and timeless, first-principle golf instruction.