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What is a cap in golf?

Maximum handicap index allowed in a specific competition, designed to ensure appropriate competitive balance and maintain reasonable pace of play.

Definition

The maximum handicap index allowed in a specific competition, designed to ensure appropriate competitive balance and maintain reasonable pace of play. Handicap caps vary by tournament type and competitive level, with some events limiting participation to single-digit handicaps. Understanding cap policies helps golfers choose appropriate competitions and set realistic participation goals. Caps help ensure competitive equity while maintaining reasonable field sizes and pace expectations. Tournament directors use caps to create fair competition and manage operational considerations.

List of pages that link to this term

  2. Golfer playing a short chip to a clifftop practice green overlooking the sea (courses)

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    The Golf Handicap System Explained (2026) | Hole19

  3. Golfer putting on the green with wooded hills behind

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  12. Golf bag standing in a tiled Mediterranean clubhouse archway

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  13. Sunrise over a fairway and bunker with a hilltop clubhouse to one side

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  14. Two golfers loading their bags into a car boot at the start of a golf trip

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  15. Sunrise over a fairway and bunker with a hilltop clubhouse to one side

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  16. Golfer addressing the ball during practice, shot in moody black and white

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  18. Clifftop fairways at Cape Kidnappers above Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

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  19. Best Golf Courses in the Caribbean

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    Best Golf Courses in the Caribbean | Hole19

  20. Black Titleist Pro V1 dozen box with a single ball resting in front of it

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  22. White Titleist Pro V1 golf ball with the black number one and Titleist script

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  23. Golfer seen from behind finishing a swing on an open hilltop fairway, hazy warm light

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  24. Golfer mid-swing on a stylised purple gradient background, used as an email article cover

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    How to Stop Overthinking Your Swing Mid-Round | Hole19

  25. Golfers on an undulating green with rolling hills and open countryside beyond

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  26. The Best Golf Putters 2026

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    Best Golf Putters of 2026 | Hole19

  27. Aerial view of the parkland fairways and bunkers at Rungsted Golf Klub near Copenhagen at sunrise

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  29. Golfer hits a shot in front of JCB hoarding at LIV Golf UK

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  30. Golfer checking GPS shot distance on a phone during a round

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  31. TaylorMade Qi4D driver head at address

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  32. Sandy scrub golf hole at Pinehurst Resort, North Carolina

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  34. Basket of range balls tipped onto the grass under a blue sky during practice (game-improvement)

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  35. Titleist Pro V1 golf ball 2026

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  37. Callaway Quantum Max driver

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  38. The Old Course at St Andrews with the grey-stone Royal and Ancient Clubhouse behind the first tee and 18th green, Scotland

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  39. Golfers walking a fairway with trolleys on a sunny day

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  40. Heathland golf hole evoking Royal Worlington & Newmarket in England

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  42. Golfer mid-swing viewed from behind on a fairway

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  46. Wide open fairway and green under a clear blue sky

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  47. Titleist Pro V1 golf balls

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  48. Scotty Cameron Phantom 5 putter

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  49. Silhouette of a golfer mid-swing in misty light at sunrise

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  50. Two golfers walking the fairway together during a social round

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  51. Golfer standing in a shaft of light, focused before a shot

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    Pre-Shot Routine: The Secret to Consistency | Hole19

Glossary terms

  2. Above the HoleAceAddressAggregateAim LineAlbatrossAll SquareAlternateAlternate ShotAmateur Status
  3. Angle of AttackApproachApronBack NineBack TeesBack-weightingBackspinBall Flight LawsBall MarkerBall Position
  4. Ball SpeedBall WasherBanana BallBeachBelly PutterBelow the HoleBent GrassBest BallBetter BallBig Dog
  5. Bingo Bango BongoBirdieBladeBlockBogeyBogey GolferBogey RatingBounceBreakBreakfast Ball
  6. Bump and RunBunkerCabbageCapCarryCart Path OnlyCasual WaterCenter of GravityChapmanChip
  7. Choke DownChunkCleekClosed FaceCoefficient of RestitutionCompressionCondorCourse HandicapCourse RatingCross Bunker
  8. CupCutCut LineDancingDeadDecelerationDensity RatingDimple PatternDistance ControlDivot
  9. Divot PatternDog LicenseDoglegDormieDouble BogeyDouble CrossDouble EagleDouble HitDrawDrive
  10. DriverDropDrop ZoneDuck HookDuffEagleEffective Playing LengthEntry FeeEquipment RulesESR
  11. EtiquetteEuropean TourEven ParExemptionExpected ScoreExtra HoleFace AngleFace InsertFadeFairway
  12. Fairway BunkerFairway WoodFalse FrontFat ShotFeather BallFirst CutFirst TeeFive BallFlagFlag Stick
  13. Flat SwingFlexFlierFloatFlogFlop ShotFlourishFlushFollow ThroughFootprints in the Sand
  14. ForeFore CaddieForecaddieForward PressForward TeesFour-BallFoursomeFried EggFront NineFront Tees
  15. Full ShotFunctionGalleryGambleGap WedgeGimmeGPSGrainGrand SlamGraphite Shaft
  16. GreenGreen CommitteeGreen FeeGreen in Regulation (GIR)Green ReaderGreen SpeedGreenkeeperGreensideGripGroove
  17. Gross ScoreGround Under Repair (GUR)Grounding the ClubGroup PlayHalf ShotHalf TurnHalvedHandicapHandicap AllowanceHandicap Index
  18. HandleHard CapHard PanHazardHead CoverHead SpeedHigh SideHoleHole HighHole in One
  19. Hole LocationHole OutHome CourseHonorHookHoselHybridImpactImpact PositionImpact Zone
  20. In PlayIn-Course RatingIndexInitial DistanceInsertInside PathInside the LeatherInspectionIntegrityIntended Line
  21. Interlocking GripInternational Golf FederationInward NineIronIsland GreenJabJackJarredJawsJerked
  22. JiggerJoint InitiativeJumpJunior GolfJust ShortKickKick PointKikuyuKillKnee
  23. Knock DownKnockdown ShotKnown ValueKnuckleLagLag PuttingLanding AreaLaunch AngleLaunch MonitorLay Up
  24. Laying the SodLead EdgeLeaderboardLeading EdgeLeague PlayLieLie AngleLinksLinks GolfLip
  25. Lip OutLocal RulesLoftLoft AngleLong GameLong IronLoopLooperLost BallLow Point
  26. LPGALucyLungeMaintenanceMajor ChampionshipsMarkerMarshalMatch PlayMaximum ScoreMedal Play
  27. Member's BounceMid-IronMinimum Number of ClubsMisclubMixed FoursomeModified StablefordMonday QualifierMost Likely ScoreMoving DayMulled
  28. MulliganMunicipalNassauNative AreaNearest Point of ReliefNet Double BogeyNet ScoreNiblickNineteenth HoleNo Card
  29. NobbleNon-ConformingNormal StanceNumber OneObscured BallObstacle FactorsOfficial GuideOffsetOne Ball RuleOne-Piece Takeaway
  30. Open ChampionshipOpen Club FaceOpen QualifyingOpen StanceOrder of MeritOut of BoundsOutside AgencyOutside PathOver the TopOverclub
  31. Overhanging BranchOverlap GripPace of PlayParPar 3 CourseParallaxPartnerPathPCCPenalty Area
  32. Penalty StrokePerfect RoundPerimeter WeightingPGAPGA TourPinPin HighPin PositionPitchPitch Mark
  33. Pitching WedgePivotPlay ThroughPlayer's EditionPlaying HandicapPlugged BallPlus HandicapPoint of EntryPortPreferred Lies
  34. PressPro ShopPro-AmProgressive ScoringProvisionalPullPull HookPull SlicePushPush Cart
  35. Push HookPush SlicePut BackPuttPutterPutting GreenPutting SurfaceQ-SchoolQualifyingQualifying Round
  36. QuarterQuittingQuotaR&ARainsuitRangeRange FinderRatingReady GolfRecovery Shot
  37. Red StakesReference PointReliefRestoreReverse OverlapRhythmRickRinger ScoreRipRoll
  38. RoughRoundRound RobinRoutingRowRoyalRub of the GreenRunRun UpRunner
  39. RutterSand SaveSand TrapSand WedgeSandbaggerScore DifferentialScotch FoursomesScrambleScratch GolferSemi-Private
  40. Senior TeesShaftShaft FlexShambleShankShort GameShort SideShotgun StartSix-Six-SixSkin
  41. SkullSliceSlope RatingSnap HookSnowmanSoft CapSoleSpamSpikesSpin Rate
  42. Split TeesSpraySpring LineSquareStablefordStack and TiltStanceStimpmeterStroke IndexStroke Play
  43. Stroke SaverStrokes GainedStrongSweet SpotSwingpathTake ReliefTap-inTarget LineTeaching ProfessionalTee
  44. Tee BoxTee MarkerTee SheetTee TimeTempoTen-Shot RuleTexas ScrambleTexas WedgeThree BallThree Jack
  45. Three-PuttThrough LineThrough the GreenThumbsTierTight LieToeTopToppedTour
  46. Tour SauceTournamentTrajectoryTransitionTree LineTriple BogeyTurnUnder ParUndulationUneven Lie
  47. UnplayableUp and DownUphill LieUSGAUtility ClubValeValidationVardon GripVariablesVariance
  48. VegasVelocityVentVertical GrooveVFTVirtual Club FittingVisual CenterVolumeVolunteerWaggle
  49. Walk ThroughWalking CourseWaste AreaWaste BunkerWater HazardWeather DelayWedgeWeightWeight PortWet Line
  50. WhiffWhite StakesWind CheaterWindowWinter RulesWire-to-WireWolfWoodWorm BurnerWR
  51. Wrist CockX FactorX HeightX OutYardageYardage BookYardage MarkerYellow LineYellow StakesYield
  52. YipsZero HandicapZincZipZoneZone DefenseZone HittingZone PlayZone SystemZoysia
Hole19 symbol

Join 4.8M+ golfers worldwide today. Download now!

Hole19 is the leading golf app for tracking scores, navigating courses with GPS precision, and unlocking performance insights.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play