Understanding Polo Handicaps: The Complete Guide
From -2 to 10 goals: everything you need to know about the polo handicap system and how players are rated.
The Polo Handicap System Explained
The handicap system is one of polo's most unique features, allowing players of different abilities to compete fairly.
How It Works
- Players are rated from -2 to 10 goals
- A team's handicap is the sum of its four players' individual handicaps
- The difference between teams' handicaps determines a goal advantage for the lower-rated team
Handicap Levels Explained
-2 to 0: Beginner
New players still learning the basics. Most recreational players fall in this range.
1-2: Developing
Competent riders who understand the game. Can participate in low-goal tournaments.
3-4: Intermediate
Strong club-level players. Beginning to play in medium-goal tournaments.
5-6: Advanced
Semi-professional level. These players are highly skilled and often play in high-goal teams.
7-8: Professional
Elite players, typically full-time professionals. Only a few hundred players worldwide hold these ratings.
9-10: World Class
The pinnacle of polo. Fewer than 15 players in the world hold a 10-goal handicap at any time.
Who Sets the Handicap?
Each country's polo association reviews and assigns handicaps, typically once or twice per year. The USPA, HPA, AAP, and other national bodies each maintain their own lists, though they share information.
Tournament Categories
- Low Goal: 0-8 goal team handicap
- Medium Goal: 8-16 goal team handicap
- High Goal: 16-22 goal team handicap
- Open: No handicap limit (typically 30-40 goals)