how to interpt golf course rating & slope

by Maeve Schmitt 7 min read

How to Calculate Course & Slope Rating

  • Step 1. Adopt the scratch golf standard. To determine the Course Rating for a particular golf course, the USGA...
  • Step 2. Apply the Course Rating process. The rating process is done by a team of people who consider many factors in...
  • Step 3. Add or subtract the evaluation number from the par for the course. The Course Rating is a...

Course Rating indicates the difficulty of a course for a “par” or scratch golfer. For example, if a course has a par of 72, the Course Rating might be 71.4. This is the score the scratch golfer is expected to shoot on the course. The number goes up with the difficulty of the course.Aug 13, 2015

Full Answer

How do golf courses determine course ratings?

The course rating measures the relative difficulty of a golf course. The higher the course rating (expressed as a number such as 69.7), the more difficult the golf course. In other words, golfers would be expected to shoot a higher score on a golf course with a course rating of 73.1 than a golf course with a course rating of 69.7.

What is slope rating in golf courses?

Aug 23, 2021 · How to View a Golf Course Slope Rating Chart in Excel or Word: Open Excel or Word with the proper type of “File” drop-down menu. Click the “Fill Out the File Form” button. Fill out the form to read the slope rating chart. Take a picture and save it as a PDF. Print it out. Remember, this slope rating ...

What is the average score for a golf course?

How to Calculate Course & Slope Rating Step 1. Adopt the scratch golf standard. To determine the Course Rating for a particular golf course, the USGA... Step 2. Apply the Course Rating process. The rating process is done by a team of people who consider many factors in... Step 3. Add or subtract the ...

What are slope and par on a golf course?

Jul 25, 2016 · Course rating expressed as a number with a single decimal point. For example, a particularly tough course could have a par of 72 and a rating from the back tees of 74.3.

What does the rating of a golf course mean?

The Course Rating is designed to assign a numerical value to represent the difficulty of the course for a scratch golfer. This number is calculated by measuring the fairways, inspecting the bunkers, measuring the size and contours of the greens, determining the distance to hazards and out of bounds locations, etc.Dec 13, 2018

What is a good course rating golf?

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; and 74.5 at the more difficult one.Mar 31, 2022

Is 122 slope rating hard?

What is a hard slope rating? If we know that the average slope rating of a golf course is 113, we can deduce that any golf course with a slope rating higher than 113 is more difficult than the average course. Don't be intimidated if you see a slope rating that is above 113.

What does a course rating of 73 mean?

Essentially, the course rating is the number estimated to be the average scores of half of the best rounds played at that course. The International, a course in Bolton,MA, measures a whopping 8,325 yards with a par 73 (from the “Tiger” tees…Jun 24, 2012

Does higher slope rating mean harder 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.

How is Course Rating calculated?

The Course Rating is calculated from the effective playing length and obstacle factors for 9 or 18 designated holes. The Course Rating is expressed in strokes to one decimal point and represents the expected score for a scratch player. The Bogey Rating represents the expected score for a bogey player.

Is a 130 slope rating hard?

If you see a slope rating that falls anywhere in the double digits, you can expect that course to play rather easy, even for a bogey golfer. On the other hand, taking on a course with a slope rating in the 130's or 140's is going to present a serious challenge to a player with a mid or high handicap.May 11, 2016

What is the slope at Augusta National?

Augusta National Golf Club
Club information
Length7,510 yards (6,870 m)
Course rating78.1 (unofficial)
Slope rating137 (unofficial)
Course record63 - Nick Price (1986), Greg Norman (1996)
17 more rows

What does a slope rating of 130 mean?

From Mary's tees, a 140 slope rating gives her a 13 Course Handicap. From Tom's tees, a slope of 130 gives him a 12 Course Handicap.

What is a hard slope rating?

So what is Slope? Slope merely tells you how “proportionately” more difficult that particular set of tees plays for the higher handicapped golfers as opposed to lower handicapped golfers. The more difficult the tees play proportionately for the higher handicappers, the greater the Slope rating that will be issued.

How is bogey rating calculated?

The formula for determining a course's Bogey Rating: Divide its Slope Rating by 5.381 for men, or 4.24 for women, then add the result to the Course Rating. The final number is the target score for a Bogey Golfer.

How is golf course slope rating calculated?

How to Calculate Slope Rating
  1. Use the Bogey Rating of the course. ...
  2. Locate the USGA Course Rating. ...
  3. Subtract the Course Rating from the Bogey Rating. ...
  4. Multiply the difference between Course Rating and Bogey Rating according to gender.

Step: 01

Sale the desired golf course slope rating chart. How to View a Golf Course Slope Rating Chart in Excel or Word:

Step: 02

Add Slope to Gt Index – The gt index would indicate how steep a particular hole is, for example, an index of 35 is high. For example, any hole with an index of 35, above would be considered difficult. The gt index would indicate how steep a particular hole is, for example, an index of 35 is high.

Step: 03

Take the slope rating chart, find the slope grades, and then determine the overall value of each club based on the chart. Why Does Golf Course Slope Ratings Matter? A golf course’s slope rating determines how long your drives will play from one hole to the next.

Rating and equal display to golf course slope rating chart

Each set of course ratings, operative ratings, and tees should be equally accessible so that it is easy for a player to submit their handicap index to the course handicap and acceptable score in the playing handicap.

What is a course rating?

A Course Rating measures the difficulty of a golf course and is a crucial component in determining a player's handicap. The Slope Rating measures the difficulty of a golf course for a bogey golfer. The Course Rating and the Slope Rating typically are printed on the scorecard for a golf course.

How many yards does a scratch golfer hit?

A typical scratch golfer, as defined by the USGA, hits 250-yard drives and can reach a 470-yard hole in two strokes. A typical female scratch golfer hits drives 210 yards and can reach a 400-yard hole in two strokes.

What is a golf course rating?

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.

What is the slope of a golf course?

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). It is always a number between 55 and 155, with 113 being the "standard" slope.

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 is a scratch golfer?

The USGA defines a scratch golfer as (for men) |a player who can play to a Course Handicap of zero on any and all rated golf courses. 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.".

What is the slope rating of a golf course?

A golf course of standard relative difficulty has a Slope Rating of 113. The front of a teeing area, as defined in the Rules of Golf, should not be placed more than 10 yards (10 metres) in front of, or behind, the relevant permanent distance marker on each hole.

How often do you have to re-rate a golf course?

). Course Ratings must be reviewed periodically and revised and reissued as necessary. New golf courses can change frequently during the first years after construction and must be re-rated within five years of the initial rating date. Thereafter, golf courses must be re-rated at least once every 10 years.

When must a golf club notify the Authorized Association of changes to the course?

A golf club must notify the Authorized Association when permanent changes are made to a golf course. Permanent changes to the golf course require the Authorized Association to review the current Course Rating and Slope Rating and to determine whether a re-rating is necessary.

What is a USGA rating?

USGA Course Rating is a numerical value given to each set of tee boxes at a golf course to approximate the number of strokes it should take a scratch golfer to complete the course. Course rating is a very important part of the USGA Handicap System and is used in calculating a golfer's handicap index.

Who is Brent Kelley?

Brent Kelley is an award-winning sports journalist and golf expert with over 30 years in print and online journalism. USGA Course Rating is a numerical value given to each set of tee boxes at a golf course to approximate the number of strokes it should take a scratch golfer to complete the course.

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 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 ...

1. Scratch golfers vs. bogey golfers

Scratch golfers and bogey golfers differ in many ways. One of those is how far they hit the ball. For rating purposes, the USGA system assumes that scratch golfers fly their drives an average of 225 yards, with 25 yards of roll. They carry their second shots an average of 200 yards, with 20 yards of roll.

2. Distance: the long and short of it

The difficulty of a course depends partly on its length. But yardage alone is not the only measure of how long a course plays. Raters also take into account the firmness of the turf, the strength of the prevailing wind, doglegs, forced carries and elevation.

3. An obstacle course

From the tee box to the pin, golfers have to navigate all kinds of obstacles. Course raters scrutinize each and every one of those humps and bumps and hazards, on every hole of every course they evaluate.

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.

What is a Course Rating?

This scorecard shows the course rating (first number) and slope rating (second number) for each set of tees at a course.

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 with 113 being the average.

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.

Ratings and Updates

Changes in green roll, topography, or other obstacles can dramatically change the difficulty of a hole or course.

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.

image