Establishing an initial handicap can be done several ways. Some leagues...

  1. Start off with a calculated handicap using last season's scores. When you create your league, copy scores from last season (if you used League Manager last season).
  2. Use the USGA's "Second best score system". 
  3. Add available scores as practice scores.
  4. Require golfers to submit a history of scores to establish a handicap. Add as practice scores.
  5. Use the first event's score to handicap the first event. League Manager can be set up to calculate an "instantaneous" handicap. See Item 6 in Calculation Parameters.
  6. Start with no handicap and play until they have enough scores to establish a "good" handicap, then retroactively handicap the past events played.
  7. Start by typing in an estimated handicap. See Manually adjust player handicap.

League Manager can basically start handicapping any way your league decides.

Obviously the more scores League Manager sees for a golfer the better it can start handicapping the golfer.

To setup "how" League Manager calculates handicaps (number of scores handicap based on, handicap percent figure, number of high/low scores to drop, etc…), see Calculation Parameters.