What is meant by when some asks about your golf handicap?

[AnthonyM]

I just started golfing this year. I have pretty much learned most on my own by watching videos and practicing. I took a golf class in college with the hopes of learning about the game, but when I got to the class there wasn't even an instructor. The class consisted of just going to a gym and hitting balls into a net for 30 minutes.

[Len702]

average score above par. so if you are a 20 handicap you usually finish 18 holes of golf 20 over par

[eric172]

idk

[JohnF613]

A handicap is an attempt to allow players of different skill levels to play against each other fairly. It has absolutely nothing to do with par.

In a competition, each player will deduct the number of strokes in the "course handicap" from their score.

So, if you have a 12 handicap on that course, and you shoot 85, your net score will be 73. If another player has a 9 handicap and shoots 85, their net score will be 76. You would beat that player.

It has absolutely nothing to do with par.

In reality, it's a little complicated. Each course is given two numbers: a Course Rating, which says how well an expert will play the course, and a Slope Rating, which says how much more difficult it will be for a Bogey golfer. Neither of these numbers has anything to do with par.