When you hear about a plus handicap in golf, you are talking about a player who actively performs better than the standard of a 'scratch' or 0-handicap golfer. This article will break down exactly what that means, how the math behind it works, and paint a picture of the incredible skill it takes to not just be a plus handicapper, but to achieve the elite level of a +5.
Before we can understand a plus handicap, it’s helpful to quickly review what a standard handicap is. At its simplest, a handicap is a number that represents a golfer's potential ability. The higher the number, the more strokes that player is "given" to help them compete on a level playing field against more skilled players. Its purpose is to make the game fun and competitive for everyone, regardless of their proficiency.
Let's say you are a 15-handicap golfer. When you go out to play a par 72 course, you aren’t necessarily expected to shoot a 72. You’re expected to shoot somewhere around an 87 (72 + 15). If you do shoot an 87, your "net score" is 72, or even par. The system works by subtracting your handicap from your gross (actual) score.
The baseline for this entire system is the "scratch golfer." A scratch golfer has a handicap of 0. They are the player who, on a course of standard difficulty, is expected to shoot par. They receive no strokes. They are the benchmark from which all other handicaps are measured. But what happens when a player is consistently better than that benchmark?
This is where things get interesting and where many golfers get confused. A plus handicap (written as "+5," for example) is reserved for players who are so consistently good that their average score is under par. While a 15-handicap golfer gets to subtract 15 strokes from their score, a +5 handicap has to add five strokes back to theirs to bring them up to the net standard of par.
Think about it this way:
If a player with a +5 handicap shoots a fantastic round of 67 on a par 72 course, their net score isn’t 67. To level the playing field, you would add their five handicap strokes back, making their net score 72. Essentially, that player "gave" the field five strokes and still shot par. The plus sign (+) means "add," signifying that this player is better than the scratch standard.
Under the World Handicap System (WHS), your Handicap Index is not just a simple average of your scores. It’s calculated using the best 8 of your last 20 submitted scores. For each score, a "Score Differential" is determined using this formula:
(Adjusted Gross Score - Course Rating) x (113 / Slope Rating)
Let's break that down:
To end up with a plus handicap, a player must consistently post Adjusted Gross Scores that are lower than the Course Rating. When you subtract a higher number (Course Rating) from a lower number (your score), you get a negative result. For example, if a player shoots 70 on a course with a 73.0 rating, the first part of the calculation is -3. This negative differential, when averaged with other similar scores, produces a negative handicap index, which we display as a positive, or 'plus,' number. So, a Handicap Index of -5.1 is shown as +5.1.
Reaching a plus handicap of any kind is an amazing achievement. Reaching a +5 is entering the domain of elite D-1 college players, mini-tour professionals, and the most accomplished amateurs in the game. It is extraordinarily rare.
A +5 handicap means that, on average, a player is expected to shoot five strokes better than the course rating. If they step onto a championship-level track with a demanding Course Rating of 74.5, they're not just hoping to break par, the handicap system forecasts that they will shoot around a 69 or 70. Week in, week out, they are producing scores deep into the red.
These players don't just shoot low scores on their home course. The WHS is designed to be portable. A +5 player has demonstrated the ability to post these elite numbers on a variety of courses with different layouts, conditions, and levels of difficulty. Their game travels, and it holds up under pressure.
So, what separates a +5 from a regular scratch golfer? It’s not one single thing, it’s the complete elimination of weaknesses across every part of the game.
The single biggest hallmark is the absence of "blow-up holes." A 5-handicap might have a double bogey or two on their card during a bad round. A scratch golfer rarely does. A +5 golfer almost never does. They have an expert's ability to manage trouble. When they hit a poor tee shot, they don't compound the mistake by trying a hero shot. They punch out cleanly, rely on their wedge game to get it close, and confidently make the 6-foot putt to save par or, at worst, an easy bogey. They turn potential doubles into bogeys, and bogeys into incredible par saves.
This goes beyond simply hitting the ball solidly. A +5 handicapper has almost total command over their golf ball. They can shape it both directions on command - hitting a soft draw to a back-left pin or a high fade that lands softly on a firm green. Their distance control with their irons is impeccable. When they have 155 yards to the hole, they aren’t just trying to hit the green, they are flying the ball a specific number, like 153 yards, to give them the best putt. Their misses are still on firing on all cylinders.
This is where they truly make their money. For a +5 player, getting up-and-down from around the green is not a fortunate outcome, it's the standard operating procedure. They possess a dizzying array of shots: the low spinning checker, the high soft floater, the simple bump-and-run. Their hands are so good that they can turn a missed green - something a regular golfer fears - into a non-event. They see scrambling as an opportunity, not a punishment for a poor approach shot.
You simply cannot maintain a plus handicap without being a phenomenal putter. Three-putting is nearly non-existent in their world. Inside 10 feet, they possess a quiet confidence that they expect to make everything. Their true genius, however, shows up in their speed control on long-distance putts. They have an innate ability to roll a 50-foot putt up to within tap-in range, time after time, eliminating pressure from their game.
A +5 golfer plays chess while many others play checkers. Every shot is preceded by a strategic decision. They know the percentages, understand where the "safe miss" is on every approach, and build their round on a foundation of smart, conservative-aggressive plays. Mentally, they are resilient. A bad shot is acknowledged, learned from, and forgotten by the time they get to their next one. They stay in the present and never let one bad swing or one missed putt affect the next one.
For the vast majority of golfers, achieving a +5 handicap is not a practical goal. It demands a level of commitment, time, and talent that aligns more with playing golf for a living. However, understanding what makes these players so good can provide a roadmap for improvement for any golfer.
If you want to move your game in that direction, focus on the same principles:
A +5 handicap is more than just a number, it's a testament to complete mastery over the sport of golf. It signifies a player who consistently performs at a level far exceeding par, so much so that they must add strokes back to their scorecard to compete fairly against others. It reflects a game with no significant weaknesses, a sharp mind, and unending dedication.
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