Amateur Sensation Kim Seo-a's Handicap Is +7.1?

Last week, a fierce amateur storm swept through the golf world. Kim Seo-a, a 14-year-old born in 2012, finished tied for fourth at the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour's The Siena Open, drawing spotlight rivaling that of the winner. Meanwhile, national team member Oh Su-min (17) claimed sole third place at the Augusta National Women's Amateur. In that tournament, players who made the top 30 after two rounds competed in the final third round at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia, the home of the Masters. Kim Seo-a, a second-year middle school student, particularly captivated golf fans. Though she dropped one stroke in the final round, her explosive driving distance and consistent play — recording scores in the 60s for three consecutive rounds (68-69-69) — were widely considered enough to brighten the future of Korean women's golf. I was curious about "amateur" Kim Seo-a's handicap. When I inquired with the Korea Golf Association (KGA), an unbelievable answer came back: "plus (+) 7.1." A plus handicap? Typical amateurs who score above a course's par have their handicaps expressed as numbers to one decimal place. A plus handicap is the way to express the handicap of professional players or amateur experts who shoot under par on a given course. For example, a golfer who averages 70 strokes on a par-72 course would have a handicap of +2. While it is not possible to verify the number of rounds Kim Seo-a registered scores for or the difficulty of the courses she played, it is an undeniable fact that her recent performance has reached a remarkable level. Oh Su-min's submitted handicap is reportedly +4.6. A handicap — more precisely, a Handicap Index — is an indicator representing a golfer's average scoring level, signifying the expected score for a single round. However, a handicap is somewhat different in concept from a simple stroke average. Ahn Hyung-guk, an assistant manager at the Korea Golf Association, explained: "A handicap is not a golfer's actual score. Rather, it is an index derived by comparing the golfer's ability against a virtual scratch golfer — one with a handicap of zero — and it also factors in the difficulty of each individual course." In Korea, the proportion of golfers holding an official handicap is not particularly high. In the United States, where having a handicap is common, it is easy to find celebrities' handicaps made public. That is why every year, attention turns to which celebrities appear on the participant list for the PGA Tour's AT&T Pro-Am and how well they play golf. When Golf Digest revealed President Donald Trump's handicap of 2.8 in 2022, questions were raised about its credibility. There are broadly two benefits to consistently registering one's handicap. First, a handicap allows golfers to track their improvement. Over time, golfers can see how their handicap changes according to various factors such as swing adjustments, equipment changes, and courses played. Second, handicaps make casual rounds and competitions more enjoyable and fair by enabling golfers of different skill levels to compete on an equal footing. Some overseas golf courses also require an official handicap when making a reservation. Handicaps are not just for seasoned veterans or highly skilled golfers. Like the ranking system in the board game Go, the sooner a golfer establishes a Golf Handicap Index, the easier it becomes to compete fairly against opponents of all levels. It also helps improve one's game. With the development and introduction of the worldwide World Handicap System (WHS) in 2020, it has become very easy for anyone to obtain their own Golf Handicap Index. Being so fun that it is almost addictive is arguably golf's only downside. I hope we can share the joy of "reading golf" — a pleasure distinct from playing or watching it.

Amateur Sensation Kim Seo-a's Handicap Is +7.1?

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