Rules

How to post your golf scores

How to post your golf scores

With all golf courses across Canada permitted to open, golfers are encouraged to post their scores when they tee it up this season.

Posting your scores is absolutely important to maintain a consistent Handicap Index as part of the unified World Handicap System.

As a safety measure under COVID-19 protocols, golfers are not permitted to use kiosks found at local clubs or pro shops until further notice to reduce social touch points.

Login at golfcanada.ca 

  • Visit golfcanada.ca
  • Click “Post a Score”
  • Login using your member credentials
    • If you have forgotten your password, follow the prompts or click here
      Golf Canada Login

Post your score

  • Choose the golf course
  • Enter all applicable information
  • Members are encouraged to post scores hole-by-hole in order to ensure the correct adjustment of Net Double Bogey (your maximum hole score for handicap purposes)

Golf Canada post score


Post using the Golf Canada mobile app 

  • Open the mobile app on your Apple or Android device
  • Tap the Post a Score button
  • Choose the golf course
  • Members are encouraged to enter hole-by-hole scores
  • Post your score
Post scores Golf Canada app

How do I track my stats?

  • Members can enter their statistics for each game by selecting which stats they wish to maintain such as Fairways in Regulation (FIR), Putts, Penalty Strokes, Driving Distance etc.
  • Post their score Hole-By-Hole and select “Yes” in the “Track Stats” bar.
  • Enter in the statistical fields they wish to track and click “Post Score.”
Track Stats in Golf Canada Score CentreMembership-2020


How do I delete or edit a score?

Members can edit their scores at any time but can only delete an unedited score within 24 hours from the time the score was posted. After 24 hours or if an edit has been made, only the club administrator can delete a score. Scores that are edited will be denoted by a “#” beside the score in the scoring record.

  • Click on the “Pencil” icon to the right of the appropriate score.
  • Make the adjustment(s) to the score and click “Post Score.”
    • There may be some clubs that have changed their default setting (which may not allow golfers to edit or delete at all).

Edit Score in Golf Canada Score Centre


What if the course I played isn’t found in the directory?

If the club a golfer is looking for is not listed, please notify Golf Canada at members@golfcanada.ca or 1.800.263.0009 x4520. All member courses in Canada will appear in the course directory. Please note that courses that are not current members in Canada do not have valid course and slope ratings and scores from these courses cannot be entered for handicap purposes.


Not a member? Join Canada’s largest golf community here.

Rules

Handicapping: Active seasons

Golf Canada

The World Handicap System stipulates every player is responsible for returning all acceptable scores into one’s scoring record from rounds played on courses observing their active season, which is part of the golf season when courses have acceptable playing conditions.

Ultimately, it is the responsibility of authorized provincial golf association to declare active and inactive periods, and it is the responsibility of the area club and golfers to observe these dates for posting purposes.

Each year, provincial associations analyze numerous factors to determine their active seasons. This ensures consistency of when scores would be posted by the majority of golfers to help keep Handicap Factors accurate.

Scores made at any golf course observing an inactive season are not acceptable for handicap purposes. The rationale behind this is that posting scores during inactive seasons (periods of poor course conditions) could artificially increase a player’s Handicap Factor.

Scores made at a golf course in an area observing an active season must be posted for handicap purposes, even if the golf club from which the player receives a Handicap Factor is observing an inactive season. The club’s Handicap Committee must make it possible for a player to post these away scores at the beginning of the active season.

For example, if a player belonging to a golf club in Ontario plays golf in Florida during January, any scores made in Florida are acceptable and must be returned to the player’s Ontario golf club. If the player is also a member of a golf club in Florida, scores must be posted to the player’s Florida club.

In Canada, the active season in each province is as follows:

BC =     Mar.1 – Nov.15
AB =     Mar.1 – Oct.31
SK =     Apr.15 – Oct.31
MB =    Apr.15 – Oct.31
ON =    Apr.15 – Oct.31
QC =    Apr.15 – Oct.31
NS =     Apr.15 – Oct.31
NB =     May.1 – Oct.31
PE =     Apr.16 – Nov.14
NL =     Apr.1 – Nov. 30

It’s also important to note that if you are travelling to other countries, you should determine their active seasons to prevent posting unacceptable scores. Your home club needs all acceptable scores from the “off-season” as well to ensure your Handicap Factor is accurate once recalculated at the beginning of the season.

For a detailed list of active and inactive schedule in the United States, click here.

For more information on handicapping, click here.

To enter your scores for an official handicap, become a Golf Canada member here.

Rules

Temporary Greens and Score Posting under the World Handicap System

It’s not uncommon for some courses in Manitoba to close greens due to seasonal turf conditions. This is normal practice early in our season especially given our harsh winter climate. But what does that mean for score posting for handicapping purposes?
 
If the use of temporary greens and/or tees is due to seasonal turf conditions which change from day-to-day, scores should be posted for handicap purposes to the normal course rating and Slope rating if the following criteria are met: (1) the Rules of Golf can be followed during this time period (i.e., no automatic two putts, no oversized holes); (2) the effective playing length of the course remains intact (i.e., loss of yardage from temporary tees and greens offset by less than normal roll). 
 
If the Rules of Golf cannot be followed, the score to be posted for that hole is NET PAR (Par of the hole being played plus any handicap strokes received on that hole) which is in accordance with Rule 3.2 of the Rules of Handicapping. If a majority of holes on the course cannot be played in accordance with the Rules of Golf, scores shall not be posted.
 
For more Handicapping FAQs, please visit golfcanada.ca/handicapping.
Rules

Rules of Golf & Rules of Handicapping COVID-19 Guidelines

CLICK HERE FOR COVID-19 RULES OF GOLF AND RULES OF HANDICAPPING FAQs


The COVID-19 global pandemic is an unprecedented and difficult time for Canadians and Golf Canada stands with our entire golf community during this unprecedented time.

We all love the game for the escape it provides and its positive impact on our physical, social and mental well-being. We look forward to better and healthier days and when the time is right for Canadians to return to recreational normalcy, clubs and courses will be ready to welcome golfers back to the tee.

We continue to urge golfers to follow the guidelines from health and governmental officials to keep you and those around you safe, and to minimize any possible exposure to coronavirus. This is especially true on a golf course, where golfers, workers and operators should heighten their level of awareness on exposure to surfaces like flagsticks, golf balls, bunker rakes, tees, carts and scorecards. We all need to do our part to respect expert advice and make the right decisions to protect each other.

It is not the intended purpose of the below guidance to either encourage or discourage anyone from playing the game, but rather, in our governance role, to help golf course operators, committees and golfers better understand how the Rules of Golf and Rules of Handicapping apply to the various questions received by the governing bodies.

The Modernized Rules of Golf were drafted to offer each Committee the flexibility to make decisions as to how golf is played at their course or in competition and the Committee Procedures section of the Official Guide to the Rules of Golf (available online here) offers a significant amount of guidance and recommendations on how to address circumstances unique to each course or competition.

This flexibility will prove to be very helpful as Committees look to address many of the challenges they are facing within the current environment. While the Committee Procedures section is a tremendous resource and has much to offer, many of the current questions were not originally contemplated under the Rules of Golf and therefore there is no history or guidance provided. To better address the questions that have come about because of these unique circumstances and the related challenges, additional guidance can be accessed by clicking here. This will continue to be updated as additional questions are received.

As active seasons start to open across the country, we would like to discuss impacts on Handicapping.  From the perspective of the Rules of Handicapping, the most frequent questions received are primarily related to the acceptability of scores for posting to a player’s scoring record. In particular, to modifying the hole and not requiring the player to “hole out” as required under the Rules of Golf. These are founded in a desire to minimize the possibility of exposing golfers to coronavirus and have included leaving the hole liner raised above the putting surface or placing various objects into the hole so the ball can be more easily removed. In these specific cases, ensuring guidance from health and governmental officials is being followed, a temporary measure is in place in Canada to accept scores played under these conditions for handicap purposes using the most likely score guidelines (Rule 3.3, Rules of Handicapping), even though the player has not holed out.

Please remember that this temporary measure is now in effect within Canada until advised otherwise by Golf Canada.

For more information and detailed guidance, please contact your Provincial Golf Association or Golf Canada.

Inside Golf Manitoba Rules

Golf Manitoba remembers Eric Henke

Golf Manitoba is saddened to have learned that Eric Henke, formally of Rapid City, Manitoba passed away in Minnedosa, Manitoba on December 20, 2019 at the age of 68 years

Eric was a volunteer rules referee with Golf Manitoba since 2008. Over the past 11 years, Eric officiated at numerous provincial and national level amateur golf championships.  In the spring of 2019, he completed his Level 3 certification, the highest level of referee certification offered through Golf Canada.

In order to increase his knowledge of the rules, Eric attended a number of Golf Canada and USGA golf rules seminars, at his own expense, in Canada and the U.S.  Invariably his exam marks were amongst the highest, if not the highest, in a class composed of senior golf referees. In the words of one of the top USGA referees: “Eric REALLY knew the rules.”

Eric also was very helpful in sharing his knowledge and understanding of the rules with his fellow officials . He thoroughly enjoyed volunteering his time and expertise and he will be missed both as a colleague and a friend.

If you wish to leave a note on a tribute wall in memory of Eric, you may do so here >> https://www.whitesfh.ca/notices/Eric-Henke