World Handicap System

Yurts, raters and vast lands: WHS success in Mongolia

The R&A

22 Aug 22

3 mins

One of the world’s most least populated countries, known for its vast emptiness that links land and sky, is reaping the benefits of adopting the World Handicap System (WHS).

With over 100 national federations successfully transitioning to the new WHS since 2020, including most of the leading golf nations, it is the system’s impact among less familiar countries for golf that is also notable. Mongolia – a landlocked nation in eastern Asia which boasts only four golf courses – previously had no real handicap system in place. While it only has 1.7 people per km across its rugged 1.56 million km landscape, the Mongolian Golf Association (MGA) has embraced the WHS to the benefit of all golfers. The WHS provides golfers with a unified and more inclusive handicapping system for the first time. Developed by The R&A and USGA in close coordination with existing handicapping authorities, the WHS provides all golfers with a consistent measure of playing ability, with handicaps calculated in the same way wherever they are in the world.

WHS benefits

“Our association held an annual meeting last December and everybody agreed that the new World Handicap System is one of the greatest achievement in the last five years,” said Margad Byambajav, the MGA’s Secretary General, after they successfully implemented the WHS in April 2020 to replace their own system. While their golf courses are in a tough position financially after a lack of tourists due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the game is back being played in Mongolia without any restrictions. Over 160 members are registered on the system in Mongolia, with golfers enjoying the ease with which to upload scores. Almost 8,000 scores have been submitted, with an average of 50 scores per golfer, even despite the challenges of the pandemic. The story of the WHS’s success in Mongolia has been one of collaboration. The R&A, for instance, organised for their four courses to be rated by a group of expert raters from the Japan Golf Association (JGA).

The WHS provides all golfers with a consistent measure of playing ability, with handicaps calculated in the same way wherever they are in the world.

Special rating team

Charlie Funakoshi from the JGA explains, “Upon receipt of a request from Claire Bates, Director – Handicapping at The R&A, we decided to assist the Mongolian Golf Association and formed a special rating team. “It was mid-October 2019 when we visited Mongolia to rate the four golf courses – Mt. Bogd Golf & Country Club, Riverside Golf Club, UB-2 Golf Course and Chinggis Khaan Golf Course. We were surprised that the courses were very well designed and just as good as other courses in the UK, Japan or anywhere else in the world. “It was really a fun trip with good people, good food, beautiful golf courses, gorgeous nature and breathtaking views. There are only a few hundred Mongolian golfers enjoying the game locally, but if you look at these courses, you will certainly feel their huge passion and love for the game of golf. We were delighted to assist the Mongolian Golf Association in adopting the WHS, which we believe will hugely contribute to further growth of the game in Mongolia.” Byambajav is certainly pleased with the progress in Mongolia over the last two years. “The WHS is perfect for us and we carefully followed the technical specifications to develop the software,” added Byambajav. “The WHS is carefully designed and it works just perfect. The biggest benefits are integrity, fairness and simplicity. Our members are very happy to use it because it demonstrates a player’s ability exactly.

Developing the sport

“The WHS is a core part of the game in Mongolia, because we are all amateurs and the WHS ensures everyone has fair chance to compete. We are in very early stage of the development of golf and there are many things that need to be done, for example reforming the basic structure of the Mongolian Golf Association.” Poignantly, the WHS’s adoption in Mongolia would be especially pleasing for a former R&A official, who sadly passed away suddenly in early 2017. Alan Holmes was a former Chairman of the Rules of Golf Committee for The R&A, and he was one of the driving forces behind the development of the WHS. “Alan was passionate about golf, the WHS and an avid golfer and traveller,” recalls Claire Bates. “In 2015, he and his wife took the Trans-Siberian Railway – during which they spent a couple of nights in a Mongolian yurt. “On arriving at said yurt, Alan noticed that they seemed to be located on the edge of a golf course! Beside himself with excitement, he got up at the crack of dawn the next morning, arrived at the club and managed to get in a round. He thought this was marvellous! I therefore think it is quite fitting that Mongolia has embraced the WHS so enthusiastically.”