When Course Renovations Close a Hole: How to Post Your Score

Fall often brings important golf course renovation and improvement projects. While this work helps provide better playing conditions in the future, it can also require one or more holes to be temporarily taken out of play.

A round played during a temporary closure may still be acceptable for handicap purposes—but the proper posting procedure depends on how many holes are closed and whether those holes are located on the same nine or different nines.

One Hole Closed During a Nine-Hole Round

Ordinarily, all nine holes associated with a nine-hole Course Rating™ and Slope Rating® must be played for a nine-hole score to be acceptable.

During an approved temporary closure, the authorized golf association may permit golfers to use net par for the closed hole.

After playing all eight available holes:

Enter your actual score on each hole played.
Enter net par for the closed hole.
Post the round as a nine-hole score.

What is net par?
Net par is the par of the hole plus any handicap stroke or strokes the player receives on that hole. For example, a player receiving one stroke on a par-4 would enter a 5. A player receiving no strokes would enter a 4.

Two Holes Closed on the Same Nine

When two holes are closed on the same nine and the remaining 16 holes are played:

Select “Hole-by-Hole” score entry in GHIN.
Enter your actual gross score for each of the 16 holes played.
Leave the two closed holes blank.
Submit the score.

GHIN will use the holes played to calculate an expected Score Differential™ for the two holes not played and combine it with the remainder of the round.

A nine-hole score cannot be posted from the side containing the two closed holes. However, the unaffected nine remains eligible for normal posting when all nine holes are played.

Two Holes Closed on Different Nines

If one hole is closed on each nine, the authorized golf association may approve the temporary use of net par for both closed holes.

After playing all 16 available holes:

Enter your actual scores for the holes played.
Enter net par for each closed hole.
Post the completed 18-hole score.

Three Holes Closed on the Same Nine

If all three closures are located on the same nine, the round may be posted using the normal procedure for playing 10–17 holes:

Select “Hole-by-Hole” score entry in GHIN.
Enter your actual gross score for every hole played.
Leave the three closed holes blank.
Submit the score.

GHIN will use the holes played and calculate the appropriate expected Score Differential for the holes not played.

A nine-hole score from the affected side is not acceptable. The unaffected nine may still be posted normally when all nine holes are played.

Three Holes Closed Across Both Nines

When three closed holes are spread across both nines, golfers should not enter net par or estimate scores for those holes. Because the proper procedure may depend on the course’s temporary rating arrangement, check with the golf staff or authorized golf association before posting.

Quick Reference

Temporary Closure	How to Post
One hole closed during a nine-hole round	Play all eight available holes and, if authorized, enter net par for the closed hole.
Two holes closed on the same nine during an 18-hole round	Enter the 16 holes played and leave the two closed holes blank.
Nine-hole round on a side with two closed holes	Do not post.
Nine holes played on the unaffected side	Post normally after playing all nine holes.
Two holes closed on different nines	If authorized, enter net par for both closed holes.
Three holes closed on the same nine	Enter the holes played and leave the three closed holes blank.
Nine-hole round on a side with three closed holes	Do not post.
Three holes closed across both nines	Do not use net par; ask the golf staff for guidance.

Important: Net par should not automatically be entered whenever a hole is closed. Its temporary use must be approved by the authorized golf association. Before posting, confirm the approved procedure with the golf course staff. Once the closed holes reopen, normal score-posting requirements resume.