golf scorecard whoch is slope rating and which is course ratinf

by Dr. Horacio Langosh 5 min read

The slope rating is used when you are calculating your handicap; the course rating is used to develop a handicap index. The handicap index is created by calculating an average of 20 score differentials of a player. The score differential is the difference between your adjusted gross score and the course rating.

What is a Slope Rating? While the course rating indicates the difficulty of a course for a scratch golfer, the slope rating, by contrast, indicates how difficult the course should be for a bogey golfer (or someone who averages +18 for 18 holes).Jul 15, 2018

Full Answer

What is slope rating in golf courses?

A golf course’s slope rating is listed on their score card, along with the par for that course and the course rating. These numbers are intended to help golfers determine the difficulty of the course. Course and slope rating are both used in determining a handicap differential. The course rating is an estimated average score for a scratch golfer.

What does course rating mean on a golf scorecard?

Jul 25, 2016 · It is always a number between 55 and 155, with 113 being the "standard" slope. You calculate slope rating by finding the bogey rating, which is like the course rating, but measured for a bogey...

What is a scratch golf course rating?

According to the SCGA, the slope rating of a golf course can be anywhere between 55 & 155. For a bogey golfer, a course that has a slope rating of 55 should be extremely easy, while a course with a slope rating of 155 will be exceptionally tough.

What is a scratch golfer’s handicap?

Jun 24, 2012 · Slope Rating is a measurement of the difficulty of a particular course for bogey golfers, relative to the course rating. Again, slope values will increase with difficulty – try to stick to the lower course and slope ratings if you’re an average Joe. The main idea of slope ratings is to level the playing field for players of different skill levels.

How do you read slope and course ratings?

The Course Slope predicts the difficulty of a course for a “bogey” golfer, someone who shoots 18 over par or 90. Course Slope is a number between 55 and 155, with 113 being the average. The higher the number the more difficult the course. As with course rating each set of tees will have a slope rating.Aug 13, 2015

What is slope and rating in a golf scorecard?

The slope rating of a golf course is a mathematical measure of the difficulty of the golf course. Slope rating takes into account the USGA par rating of the course as well as the expected score of a higher handicap golfer.

How do you find the slope and rating of a golf course?

You calculate slope rating by finding the bogey rating, which is like the course rating, but measured for a bogey golfer. Then subtract the course rating from that figure. Then multiply that figure by 5.381 for men and 4.24 for women. Then round up to the nearest whole number.Jul 25, 2016

How do you determine course rating in golf?

Add or subtract the evaluation number from the par for the course. The Course Rating is a number with a single decimal. For example, if an extremely difficult par-72 golf course is a plus 3.0, the Course Rating would be 75.0. If an easy par-70 layout was rated a minus 2.0, the Course Rating would be 68.0.

What is the difference between slope and course rating?

While course ratings are a measure of the difficulty of a course, slope ratings are a measure of how much more difficult a course is for a high handicap golfer versus a lower one. For example, if you have two courses that each have a course rating of 72, they should be the same difficulty for a scratch golfer.Jul 15, 2018

What does a slope rating of 130 mean?

From Tom's tees, a slope of 130 gives him a 12 Course Handicap. Mary gets one stroke PLUS the difference between the course ratings, or 73.2 - 71.1 = 2.1. Rounded to the nearest whole number (. 5 or more is rounded up).

What is a slope rating in golf?

What is a Slope Rating® and what does it represent? A. Playing length and obstacles impact higher-handicap players more than lower-handicap players, and Slope Rating measures the relative difficulty of a golf course for players who are not scratch players compared to those who are scratch players.

What is the slope rating of my course?

What is Slope Rating? The course's Slope Rating indicates the difficulty of a golf course for a 'bogey' golfer (20 handicapper for a man, 24 for a woman) relative to a scratch player. So essentially, the difference in difficulty of the course between a scratch and bogey player make up the Slope Rating.Oct 22, 2020

How do you calculate handicap rating and slope?

Handicap differential = (Adjusted Gross Score-rating of the course) X 113 / Course slope ratings. The course rating is simply the scores of a new golfer on a normal course under a normal playing condition. Slope rating is the rating of 113 for a course based on the standard difficulty.

What is average slope of a golf course?

The higher the slope number, the harder the course is for the bogey golfer relative to the difficulty of the course for the scratch golfer. Slope numbers can range anywhere between 55 and 155 with the average slope in the United States being 120.

Which golf course has the highest slope rating?

KIAWAH ISLAND / S.C. / 7,356 YARDS / PAR 72 (Eight of our top 50 were created by the man they call the "Marquis de Sod.") The Ocean has the highest combination of Slope Rating (155) and Course Rating (79.6) in America, according to the U.S. Golf Association.Jul 2, 2007

What is the slope rating of a golf course?

Course and slope rating are both used in determining a handicap differential. The course rating is an estimated average score for a scratch golfer. It’s usually a number between 67 and 77. Slope Rating is also an estimated average, but it’s for what an average or bogey golfer would shoot on that course. Let’s take a look at slope rating in action:

What is slope rating?

Slope Rating [Infographic] A golf course’s slope rating is listed on their score card, along with the par for that course and the course rating. These numbers are intended to help golfers determine the difficulty of the course. Course and slope rating are both used in determining a handicap differential.

What Is Course Rating?

A golf course rating is a number that tells you what a scratch golfer should be shooting at that golf course. Scratch golfers are known for their ability to shoot par on a golf course. However, not all golf courses are made to be the same difficult.

What Is Slope Rating?

The slope rating is a number that indicates how challenging a golf course is for a bogey golfer. Of course, nothing in golf is quite that simple, so the slope rating is not as easy to figure out as the course rating. When we looked at the course rating, you saw that the number kind of coincided with what par is on the course.

The Importance of Course And Slope Rating

Now that you have a better understanding of what course and slope ratings are, it’s a good idea to try and understand the importance of these numbers. The slope rating and course rating can be used for several different reasons that help make the game of golf fair and fun for everyone involved.

Frequently Asked Questions

Now that you have a bit more understanding of the slope rating and course rating, here are a few of the questions that are often asked about this process. Don’t feel bad if you don’t fully understand the USGA handicap system. There is quite a bit involved in this, and sometimes it takes a while to get used to the concepts.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you now understand the concept of course and slope rating. This is not something that you will need to fully understand to play well the next time you hit the course. However, it is good to have an overall awareness of how these systems work.

What does a course rating tell you?

A golf course rating tells you what a scratch golfer would be expected to shoot from the tees they're playing on a particular course under normal conditions. The rating is different for men and women.

How many yards can a scratch golfer hit?

A male scratch golfer, for rating purposes, can hit tee shots an average of 250 yards and can reach a 470-yard hole in two shots.". A scratch woman can "can hit tee shots an average of 210 yards and can reach a 400-yard hole in two shots at sea level.".

What is slope in golf?

The golf course slope is a measure of a course's difficulty, but it is not considered the better of the two measurements. Golf course slope is actually derived from the golf course rating. Slope is a measure of a golf course's difficulty in a relative comparison of a scratch golfer to a bogey golfer (someone who shoots around 90 for 18 holes).

What Exactly is a Golf Course Rating in Golf?

A golf course rating is a score that is established by a USGA official in order to ascertain the difficulty of a particular golf course. In America, golf courses are rated in regard to their difficulty for scratch and bogey golfers, and a slope rating is then expressed.

How is a Golf Course Rating Calculated?

The rating of a golf course is calculated by taking into consideration the various aspects, hazards, and layout of the course in question. Once the various factors are calculated, a numerical value is attributed to the course based on the overall difficulty of the golf course.

What is Considered a Good Golf Course Rating?

Describing a golf course rating as ‘good’ is a bit of a misnomer, as the measure is concerned with determining the difficulty of a particular course, not necessarily the quality. As such, you should treat golf course rating as a measure of how easy or difficult the course will be for you to play.

What is Considered a Difficult Golf Course Rating?

The higher the golf course rating, the harder it will be but anything over a slope rating of 120 is considered difficult. To explain further about difficulties on courses, if you play two golf courses that are both Par 72, the course that is rated 71.8 will be more difficult than the course rated 71.2.

Is a Higher Course Rating Harder?

Yes, the higher a course is rated, the harder it is. The responsibility for rating a golf course falls with a team from the golf association within a particular area. This is important, as the team follows the stringent monitoring format expressed by the USGA.

Is Course Rating the Same as SSS?

Course rating has replaced SSS as the official metric and is now the primary measure of what a scratch golfer is expected to score on a golf course. In the handicapping system, SSS (Standard Scratch Score) was used as the expected score of scratch golfers under normal weather conditions.

What is the Difference Between a Course Rating and Slope Rating?

The main difference between a course rating a slope rating is the calculations used in the overall formula of deciding how difficult a golf course is rated at.

What is slope rating?

Slope Rating is a measurement of the difficulty of a particular course for bogey golfers, relative to the course rating. Again, slope values will increase with difficulty – try to stick to the lower course and slope ratings if you’re an average Joe. The main idea of slope ratings is to level the playing field for players of different skill levels.

Why is a course rating higher?

A course rating will be higher in value if the course is more difficult. You’ll notice on a scorecard a few course ratings, which correspond to the different tees. Essentially, the course rating is the number estimated to be the average scores of half of the best rounds played at that course.

What is the average slope rating for 18 holes of golf?

Some do, but the real-world average is higher than 113 .

What is the minimum slope rating for a golf course?

The minimum slope rating is 55 and the maximum is 155 (slope does not relate specifically to strokes played as course rating does).

What is slope rating?

Slope rating (a term trademarked by the United States Golf Association) is a measurement of the difficulty of a golf course for bogey golfers relative to the course rating. Course rating tells scratch golfers how difficult the golf course will be; slope rating tells bogey golfers how difficult it will be. To put it another way: USGA Course Rating ...

What is USGA course rating?

USGA Course Rating is an evaluation of the difficulty of a golf course for scratch golfers. (More specifically, the number is an estimate of the average scores of the best 50-percent of rounds played by scratch golfers at the course being rated.) Course rating is very easy to understand because it is expressed in strokes.

What is the average stroke rating of a par 72?

Course rating is very easy to understand because it is expressed in strokes. A par-72 course that is easy might have a course rating of 68.9; one that is difficult might have a course rating of 74.5. That means that a scratch golfer should be expected to average 68.9 strokes in his better rounds at the easier course;

What is a course rating?

The Course Rating is a number, close to par for the course, and is expressed with a single decimal digit. For example: If par for a course is 72, it's Course Rating might be 71.4. Rating values go up with difficulty. Actually, for any given golf course, you can expect to see three (or even more) values for the Course Rating.

What is course slope?

Course Slope is a creation of The United States Golf Association and has been licensed to the Royal Canadian Golf Association. Courses outside of the United States and Canada (and their protectorates) will probably not have a Slope rating.

Did the USGA notice the 1980s?

In the 1980s, The USGA noticed this too. Statistically, they could show that no matter how easy or difficult a course was, the very best of golfers will still shoot a score close to par. But they also noticed that the scores of less-proficient golfers were more strongly affected by the difficulty of a golf course.

Is Course 3 a bogey course?

But Course 3 is extra difficult for bogey golfers. Perhaps this is a very long course, one that won't faze professionals. But the added length may prove too much for the typical bogey golfer. When we look at their scores, we find that the average is close to 92.

When was the handicap system revised?

And so, the handicap system was revised in the late 1980s to include a second figure to describe the difficulty of a golf course. This figure is known as The Slope.

Is slope a measure of difficulty?

The Slope is actually not a measure of a course's difficulty. That's the responsibility of The Rating figure. The Slope is a measure of how much difference a course's difficulty is for the average bogey golfer compared to the scratch golfer. Allow us to illustrate what this means.

What is the slope rating of a golf course?

Slope ratings range from 55 to 155, with 113 being the standard difficulty of the course. So whenever you see a 155 Slope rating, run away from it.

What is the golf handicap black box?

Golf Handicap’s Black box#N#Most golfers see the Handicap System as a black box judging their golf fate. Most don’t understand it but have chosen to go with the flow and humbly accept its verdict.

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What Is A Slope Rating?

  • While the course rating indicates the difficulty of a course for a scratch golfer, the slope rating, by contrast, indicates how difficult the course should be for a bogey golfer (or someone who averages +18 for 18 holes). Also unlike course rating, slope values can range from 55 to 155 wit…
See more on thegolfacademy.org

Why Have Two numbers?

  • As you may have figured out already, golf is a difficult game and contains a very wide range of golfers, each with very different levels of skill. In the mid 80’s the USGA started to catch on to this big divide between scratch or professional golfers and mid to high handicap golfers. It turns out that that statistically, no matter how easy or hard a course is, scratch golfers will almost always …
See more on thegolfacademy.org

Ratings and Updates

  • While the course and slope ratings of a golf course are unlikely to change dramatically, they are usually re-evaluated every 4-5 years. This is mostly due to the fact that courses change slowly over time. While small trees may have been planted when a course opened, as they continue to grow they can start to affect play on the course in different ways. Similarly, additional features s…
See more on thegolfacademy.org

Wrap-Up

  • Although it might not be the most pressing matter for some golfers, understanding how course and slope ratings work is sure to only help you understand the game better in the long run. At the very least, it’s something to think about while you’re comparing the different courses you’ve played throughout the year; hopefully, you’re looking back at some low scores on a really challenging co…
See more on thegolfacademy.org

What Is Course Rating?

  • A golf course rating is a number that tells you what a scratch golfershould be shooting at that golf course. Scratch golfers are known for their ability to shoot par on a golf course. However, not all golf courses are made to be the same difficult. If you have a scorecard lying around, you can take a look to see what the course ratingis. Chances are it is somewhere between a 71 and a 74…
See more on mygolfheaven.com

What Is Slope Rating?

  • The slope rating is a number that indicates how challenging a golf course is for a bogey golfer. Of course, nothing in golf is quite that simple, so the slope rating is not as easy to figure out as the course rating. When we looked at the course rating, you saw that the number kind of coincided with what par is on the course. The bogey rating or slope rating is much different. The slope valu…
See more on mygolfheaven.com

The Importance of Course and Slope Rating

  • Now that you have a better understanding of what course and slope ratings are, it’s a good idea to try and understand the importance of these numbers. The slope rating and course rating can be used for several different reasons that help make the game of golf fair and funfor everyone involved.
See more on mygolfheaven.com

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Now that you have a bit more understanding of the slope rating and course rating, here are a few of the questions that are often asked about this process. Don’t feel bad if you don’t fully understand the USGA handicap system. There is quite a bit involved in this, and sometimes it takes a while to get used to the concepts.
See more on mygolfheaven.com

Conclusion

  • Hopefully, you now understand the concept of course and slope rating. This is not something that you will need to fully understand to play well the next time you hit the course. However, it is good to have an overall awareness of how these systems work. Golf course handicaps will update every two weeks or so. If you all of a sudden have an increase in your handicap, yet you have been pla…
See more on mygolfheaven.com