Two Days, Three Rounds: A Firsthand Look at Disc Golf’s Handicap System

By Jonas Pomoell, Co-Founder of Upsi Disc Golf app

Few weeks ago I found myself doing something I never expected: standing atop the leaderboard after a round of disc golf against much stronger players. My Upsi rating hovers in the mid-1300s. The rest of my group? Solidly in the 1100s, with a significant skill gap represented by 200+ point difference between us. But thanks to Upsi’s handicap system (the first of its kind for disc golf) I wasn’t just along for the ride. I was part of the competition.

It was a public holiday, so we took a road trip to Heinola, Finland, and stayed for the night.

If you're not familiar with the handicap system, it uses player ratings and course difficulty level (both powered by AI) to calculate expected performance and adjusts scores accordingly. This makes it possible for a lower-rated player to have a fair chance against higher-rated opponents, without altering the course or gameplay.

Round one: the proving ground

Our first round was on the formidable PRO (Blue) layout at Kippis. A course that demands respect. I played cautious and consistent style. Nothing flashy, just smart golf, the style that shows in the scorecard in the end. And after all holes Upsi showed it, I landed in first with a net zero handicapped score. Kari, rated over 200 points higher than me, followed at +1. Others came in at +3 and +7, the latter inflated by a brutal collapse on a single hole.

It felt like magic. But it wasn’t magic, it was the intelligent handicap system. And it worked.

Round two: revealing a weakness

After a sauna and good night's rest, the next morning brought us to the Kippis AM layout. It's a much easier than the PRO. And this is where the system’s current limits showed.

Only I received a handicap in this round, and it wasn’t enough to balance the playing field. I shot a modest -1, while the top-rated player posted a blistering -12. This disparity exposed a gap: the system doesn’t currently account well for players who are expected to score better than scratch. As it stands, it struggles on easy layouts or when top players go truly hot. An improvement is clearly on the backlog to better reflect relative performances in those conditions.

Even so, after two rounds, the total scores brought the group within just four strokes of each other. That’s rare in mixed-level play and a testament to the system’s potential.

Round three: the decider

After lunch we went back to the PRO layout for the final round. Handicaps were inaffected by the ratings update the night before. However, the fatigue of back-to-back competition showed. I hit a wall mid-round and carded painful double and triple bogeys. Even after comeback in the last 3 holes, it dragged my final score to +4. But again, I wasn’t alone, and fatigue hit us all differently.

This time, it was the strongest and most experienced players who pulled ahead. The course demanded it, and their form held. My score placed me third on that round.

The final score: fair fight, real fun

Over three rounds, the handicapped scores ranged from -10 to +3. Only a 13-throw spread. And the player placed last after the first round took the overall win. Without handicaps, the spread between the players would have been totally different.

The result? We all had a shot. We all felt the pressure. We all had fun. That’s the power of the handicap system: not erasing differences in skill, but creating opportunities for true competition.

And the group (not affiliated with Upsi) was so happy that they even wanted to give two video testimonials to prove it.

Final Thoughts

Upsi’s handicap system works brilliantly. While it could use a few tweaks for high-performing players or easier courses, it absolutely delivers on its promise. As someone who’s used to watching better players pull away early, this weekend proved exactly why the system matters — it made every throw count.

If you haven’t played a handicapped round yet, trust me: it’s a game-changer. Give it a try next time.

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Read more about the World's first open Handicap System for Disc Golf >>