Golf Australia’s extensive consultation program yielded strongly expressed views from some clubs that they should be permitted to handicap social rounds. Other clubs strongly expressed the view that they should not be obligated to handicap social rounds.  It is a primary aim of GA to have a handicap system that has the flexibility to cater for those affiliated clubs who wish to offer the handicapping of social rounds to their members. GA’s feedback suggests that this will lead to greater participation. The new handicap system will permit a social score to be used for handicapping but only if the following conditions are met. Firstly, the player’s home club must have chosen to allow the use of social scores; secondly, the player must have nominated prior to starting a round that it is to count for handicap purposes; and thirdly, the score card must be signed by the player’s marker and the round must be played in accordance with the Rules of Golf.