Golf is a unique sport that allows players of all skill levels to compete against each other in tournaments (or just on the weekend).
Scottie Scheffler, currently the best player in the world, still plays at his local course and competes against amateurs.
How do they make it fair?
With the
How to Calculate Your Golf Handicap
Since 2020, we’ve had one system worldwide, the “World Handicap System” (WHS).
Golf Handicap Calculation Basics:
- It is the average of your BEST 8 scores from your last 20 rounds.
- If you are just getting started, you can have a handicap once you’ve played 54 holes (eg. 3x full rounds of 18 holes, 6 quick rounds of 9, or a combination).
- It factors in course difficulty (a score of 80 on a really difficult course may be a better than a 77 on an easy course).
- If you submit it officially, your handicap is updated overnight.
- The maximum handicap index is 54.
- For a true reflection – you need to submit ALL of your scores. Yes, the good ones, and also the terrible ones. Don’t be a sandbagger!
For most players, you should be tracking playing stats anyway and
Online Golf Handicap Calculator
First: Select how many rounds you will enter
- 20 for the most accurate
- 10 if that’s all you’ve played
- 3 as the minimum
Then for each round:
- Enter your score
- The course rating
- The course slope
- Hit the “Calculate Handicap” button and your round differentials and overall handicap will be calculated for you.
- If you want to save a copy – click the “Print” button and print it or save as PDF.
Note: If you are using course cards, these should have the course rating and slope on them. If not try looking up the course on one of these databases:
- USGA course database site has data for MOST courses worldwide.
- I’ve found it is lacking for Australian courses, in which case try this Golf Australia Course Search.
- Any other database sites I should link? Let me know in the comments or send me a message/email.
Free Google Sheets Golf Handicap Calculator
If you want to track your handicap over time or get a better understanding of how it’s calculated, I’ve made a Google sheet for you where you can input your scores and track your handicap progress. The great thing about this is you can get a chart showing your progress over time.
Click the button below to download it and then make a copy:
What is a Golf Handicap?
Think of a
In simple terms, your
A common mistake is thinking it is your AVERAGE score.
It’s not.
It’s the average of your BEST scores.
You can expect to hit your handicap or a few shots better about 1 out of every 5 rounds. Your other 4 rounds are likely to be worse.
For Example:
- Scratch (0 handicap) = You have the potential to score par (or slightly under)
- 10 handicap = You can shoot around 82 on a par-72 course
- 20 handicap = You’re looking at low 90s when playing to your potential.
- 30 handicap = Welcome to the Century Club (100+)
The benefit of having a handicap is that you can take your handicap index and play against anyone, anywhere in the world, and know how to make it a fair competition.
It’s also how you can keep track of if you are improving at
Course Rating and Slope Rating
Two key numbers that help make your handicap accurate across different
What is Course Rating?
Course rating tells a scratch golfer how difficult the course plays. The rating represents what a scratch player (Handicap Index of 0.0) should be able to score on a good round (playing to their potential) assuming normal weather conditions and normal course conditions.
- An average course rating is around 71 (close to the par score).
- The lowest 18-hole course rating I could find is Hamilton Farm Golf Club in New Jersey. Its “Hunter” tees have a course rating of only 54.4 (suggesting a scratch golfer would shoot around 54 or 55 on this course).
- The highest course rating I know of is Torrey Pines South in San Diego, California (where the US Open has been held). The black tees at this course have a course rating of 78.8 (suggesting even a scratch golfer on a good day is likely to shoot 6 or 7 over par).
The course rating is based on things like:
- Length of the course (tips will have a higher rating than the forward tees)
- Obstacles
- Challenges
- Landing zones
- Green difficulty
- etc.
What is Slope Rating?
Slope rating tells a mid-handicap player (17 – 22 handicap) how difficult the course plays. With a higher number meaning a tougher course. Depending on where things like hazards and obstacles are, sometimes these will have a bigger impact on a scratch golfer and sometimes it will have a bigger impact on a higher handicap player.
- A slope rating of 113 means the course is equally as difficult for a scratch golfer as it is for bogey players (which is why this figure is used in calculating handicaps).
- The lowest (official) 18-hole slope rating I could find is Mylora Golf Course in Canada. The gold tees have a slope rating of only 84 (meaning this course is MUCH easier for bogey golfers compared to scratch golfers).
- The highest slope rating I know of is TPC Sawgrass in Florida. The championship TPC tees have a slope rating of 155. The highest rating there is (meaning this course is MUCH harder for bogey golfers compared to scratch golfers).
NOTE: Slope ratings are gender and tee specific. Each tee on a course will have a different rating and a different rating for each gender.
Golf Handicap vs Golf Handicap Index
Understandably, many players get confused when they hear handicap and handicap index. Both these terms are thrown around and many beginners might not be sure what they mean.
To make it simple, a handicap index is the official term used for a handicap that has been certified by the USGA or any other official governing body.
World Handicap System Overview
Still not clear how it works? The video below gives a good overview.
Or if you have questions – pop a comment down at the end and I’ll help you out.
