9 hole Rules

9-hole (or more) competitions may be legitimately handicapped as outlined in the following excerpt from the Australian Handicapping System:

Any stipulated round of nine holes or more may be used for handicap purposes. Please note it is a committee decision as to whether a 9-hole event (or an event of between 10-17 holes) is to be a competition round and handicapped. Method for Extending Score for Round of 9-17 Holes Into 18-Hole Score (Note: This method is also to be used by Handicap Committees where a player was meant to have played 18 holes, but stops play FOR ANY REASON after having played at least 9 holes) i) If a player does not play a hole, or plays it other than under the Rules of Golf, the score recorded for that hole for HANDICAP PURPOSES must be net par (eg two Stableford points). This hole score when recorded on the card should be preceded by an X ; eg X-5). ii) Example: A player with a handicap of 18 does not play the 16th (a par 3), the 17th (a par 4), and 18th (a par 5), due to rain or darkness. For HANDICAP PURPOSES, they should be considered to have had the following scores for these holes; 16th 4, 17th 5, 18th 6. iii) This same method applies when a committee is extending scores from a 9-hole competition (or any competition of 9-17 holes) into 18-hole scores for lodgment into GOLF Link. iv) Where the player has played LESS than 9 holes, the score must not be extended for handicapping via use of this method. (See Section 9-1(i) and Section 9-2(i) of the Australian Men’s& Women’s Handicap System.) v) Where a Handicap Committee feels a player has failed to complete a round for the purposes of manipulating either their score or their handicap, a penalty score should be entered (see Section 9-2(i) of the Australian Men’s& Women’s Handicap System). vi) Note: This procedure applies to holes NOT ACTUALLY PLAYED. It does NOT apply to holes started but not completed for whatever reason. The Most Likely Score concept applies to holes started but not completed (see Most Likely Score in the Definitions of the Australian Men’s& Women’s Handicap System). The extended scores are then used as in a normal 18-hole competition.

With nine-hole medal play events, half the player s full handicap should be used (with .5 being rounded up). For par & Stableford events, the stroke index should be applied as per in an 18-hole event.

Click here to view a Q&A sheet for competitions of 9-17 holes.

Click here to view the full Australian Handicappping System.