COMMUNITY

From the USGA handicap manual,

Definitions:
Scoring Record

A "scoring record" is a file of up to twenty of the most recent scores posted by a player, plus any eligible tournament scores, along with appropriate USGA Course Rating, Slope Rating, course*, and date of each score.

(doesn't say here that the T score is included in the handicap, just that it's part of the record. But it sounds like it should.)

From the handicap calculation section:

10-2. Handicap Index Formula

The Handicap Index formula is based on the best Handicap Differential(s) in a player's scoring record. If a player's scoring record contains 20 scores, the best 10 Handicap Differentials of the most recent 20 scores are used to calculate the Handicap Index. As the number of scores in the scoring record decreases, the percentage of scores used in a scoring record decreases from the maximum of the best 50 percent. If the scoring record contains 9 or 10 scores, only the best three scores (30 to 33 percent) in the scoring record will be used. Thus, the accuracy of a player's Handicap Index is directly proportional to the number of acceptable scores posted. A Handicap Index must not be issued to a player who has returned fewer than five acceptable scores. The following procedures illustrate how an authorized golf association, golf club, and computation services calculate a player's Handicap Index.

(doesn't state that T scores are given any special place in the calculation at all)

Most of the later reference to T scores seems to imply that they are used to determine if an individual posts unusually lower scores in tournament rounds than they normally report in other rounds, ie. 'sandbagging'.

A record of your T scores for one year is held in your record. These are used as a computation to determine if a reduction in your handicap index is necessary due to exceptional tournament scores lower than your handicap index.

First, your two lowest T scores are added together and divided by two. This average is subtracted from your handicap index. If this difference is less than 3.0, then no reduction is necessary. However, if the difference is greater than or equal to 3.0, then there is a table based on the the difference and the number of tournament rounds.

You can read more about it at the USGA link:

http://www.usga.org/Rule-Books../

Rule 10-3 is the one that covers Exceptional Tournament Scores.

Got it. Thanks a bunch!

I'd almost have to break par in a tournament to get any help out of tournament scores. And I don't break par. Not yet, anyway. :)

Great rule!