Do handicap allowances favor a plus handicap player since it moves their Playing Handicap™ closer to zero (up), while those above scratch move down towards zero? 

Does a handicap allowance favor any particular golfer?

A handicap allowance does not favor any particular golfer. When a handicap allowance is applied to a Course Handicap, the resulting Playing Handicap moves closer to zero regardless of whether they are a plus handicap player or a player above zero.

How does a handicap allowance work in practice?

For example, with two players at +5 and 10 Course Handicap, the stroke spread at 100% is 15. Applying an 80% allowance adjusts both equally toward zero:

• +5 Course Handicap → +4 Playing Handicap (+5 × 0.8)
• 10 Course Handicap → 8 Playing Handicap (10 × 0.8)
• New spread: 12 strokes (80% of the original 15)

Relative to a scratch player, both have been adjusted by the same percentage.

What is the purpose of a handicap allowance?

It is not about providing an advantage or gaining/losing strokes, it is about applying a percentage to a Course Handicap to make the competition more equitable based on the expected spread of scores in the specific format of play. In this example, a scratch player would receive one less stroke from a plus handicap player and give two fewer strokes to a higher handicap player.