Do old scores drop off, and can my handicap lapse if I stop playing?

• A score stays in your Handicap Index calculation as long as it is one of your most recent 20 scores, however old it is. Scores don't expire by date.
• Your Handicap Index only lapses if you are no longer a member of at least one golf club. Taking a break from golf doesn't cancel it.
• Your scoring record should be kept wherever possible, so if you rejoin a club later the Handicap Committee can use it.

Source: Rules of Handicapping (2024), Rule 5.5.