GolfRSA simplifies rankings with new system launch

14 June 2026 – GolfRSA will introduce an updated rankings system on 1 August 2026 as part of its transition to the new DotGolf tournament management platform, delivering a simpler, more consistent and easier-to-understand ranking system for golfers across South Africa.

The rankings update follows the recent migration of South Africa’s handicap system to DotGolf and forms part of GolfRSA’s drive to bring handicaps, tournament administration and rankings together on a single platform, once again.

The new Men’s Rankings go live on 1 August, while the Women’s Rankings will continue unchanged until 31 December 2026 before moving to a similar points-based system from 1 January 2027.

Neil Homann, GolfRSA Manager for Operations, Rules and Training, said the changes are designed to make the rankings more consistent across all categories.

“We wanted to simplify the system while ensuring the rankings continue to accurately reward performance. Bringing everything onto one platform also creates a more streamlined experience for players, unions and tournament organisers.”

Among the most noticeable changes is that ranking points will now appear with fewer decimal points instead of four decimals. While the numbers will look different, the relative value of performances remains unchanged.

The Mid-Amateur Rankings will see the biggest adjustment. The minimum divisor for the rankings will decrease from five to four, making it easier for more active players to feature in the standings. The category will also follow the same points allocation model used across GolfRSA’s other rankings, creating greater consistency.

Across all men’s rankings, players will also benefit from a more flexible calculation system. Once they have reached the minimum number of tournaments (minimum divisor), their lowest scoring events will gradually be discarded as they continue competing. This rewards consistent performances while allowing golfers to recover from the occasional poor result.

Junior and Senior rankings will also be easier to navigate, with new age-group filters allowing users to view rankings by categories such as Under-19, Under-17, Over-55 and Over-60, rather than relying on separate ranking lists or symbols.

The Women’s Rankings will retain their current calculation method for the remainder of 2026, which will be shown in a different format and published as a PDF. A full transition to the new points-based system will take place on 1 January 2027, with further information to be communicated later this year.

Homann believes that moving all GolfRSA’s rankings to DotGolf will result in quicker updates of the rankings and easier navigation of the rankings for the end user.

“This is another positive step in modernising our systems and creating one consistent ranking model across the game, and we look forward to launching the new rankings next month.”

Click HERE for the official communications to all unions.