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In the game of golf, the handicap system dates all the way back to the late 17th century and was devised to allow players of differing skill levels to compete against one another on a more even playing field.
Currently, both the United States Golf Association (USGA) and Royal & Ancient (R&A), which oversee the game of golf worldwide, use the World Handicap System (WHS), which began to be introduced globally in 2020.
Players can track their scores online using the Golf Handicap and Information Network (GHIN), which provides golfers with an official Handicap Index and allows score tracking, stats, and tournament eligibility through a unique GHIN number.
Every amateur golfer who loves the game dreams of one day becoming a scratch golfer – meaning they have a handicap of 0.0 and can be expected to shoot at par on any GHIN-rated course.
But what about the pros? More specifically, what about the best players in the world?
If a talented amateur can be a scratch golfer, just how good are the best of the best? Well, thanks to Rory McIlroy, we now have our answer.
Rory McIlroy Has A Preposterous 8.7 Golf Handicap
McIlroy, the world’s No.2-ranked golfer, had an impressive 2025 season. He won three times in three of sport’s most iconic tournaments: The Pebble Beach Pro-Am, The Players Championship, and The Masters, completing the career grand slam with the latter.
He also helped lead Europe to an impressive victory on U.S. soil in the 2025 Ryder Cup.
Along the way, McIlroy also set out on a side project.
Rory answered a question that we’ve been speculating about for years…
What would (insert legend) be if they kept their GHIN?
Rory simply… posted some scores this year. Incredible. He’s a +8.7. pic.twitter.com/JFYUIiAxqS
— The Golf Engineer (@engineeringolf) December 24, 2025
McIlroy tracked scores from tournaments throughout the year in the GHIN to find his handicap. In the end, he came out with an astonishing +8.7 handicap. That means McIlroy is nearly a full nine shots better than a scratch golfer.
To make things even more impressive, there’s a good chance that number is underselling his greatness.
Every GHIN-rated course has a slope rating. That means that more difficult courses are weighted more heavily than easier courses. However, the slope rating does not account for PGA Tour tournament setups, which are generally more difficult than the day-to-day course setup.
There’s a good chance McIlroy is actually a double-digit plus handicap.
So next time you hit a good shot and think maybe you could hang with the pros, you might want to think again.