Equitable Stroke Control (ESC) is the downward adjustment of individual hole scores for handicap purposes in order to make handicaps more representative of a player's potential scoring ability. ESC sets a maximum number that a player can post on any hole depending on the player's Course Handicap. ESC is used only when a player's actual or most likely score exceeds his maximum number based on the table below. There is no limit to the number of holes on which a player may adjust his or her score.

Course Handicap	Maximum Score Posted on Any Hole
9 or less	Double Bogey
10 through 19	7
20 through 29	8
30 through 39	9
40 and above	10

For nine hole handicaps the new ESC is as follows: