how to rate a golf course

Specifically, a golf course rating is determined by the following 5 factors:

• Measuring the fairways.
• Measuring the contours and size of the greens.
• Ascertaining the distances to (and between) hazards and out-of-bounds markers.
• Inspecting the bunkers.
• Reviewing the tee boxes.

Full Answer

How does the USGA rate golf courses?

To determine the Rating of a course the USGA measures several factors for each hole on the golf courses. The process examines every facet of a hole and its playability. Effective playing factors: roll, elevation, dogleg/forced layup, prevailing wind, and altitude.

How do golf courses get ratings?

A "ratings team," usually from a state golf association, visits the golf course and makes various measurements and notes and observations about how "easy" or "difficult" the course plays from the perspective of scratch golfers. (The ratings team is establishing such things as a course's "effective playing length" and " obstacle stroke value .")

What is the average score for a golf course?

Most course ratings range from the upper 60s to the mid-70s. Course rating systems are in use around the world by many different golf authorities. For example, in the United Kingdom and Ireland, the handicapping authority known as CONGU issues "Standard Scratch Scores" as a degree-of-difficulty rating for golf courses.

What does a golf course Rater do?

Course raters scrutinize each and every one of those humps and bumps and hazards, on every hole of every course they evaluate. They divide those obstacles into 10 categories, such as bunkers, trees, topography, out-of-bounds, water, rough, and on, and assign them each a degree of difficulty on a scale of zero to 10, with 10 being the most extreme.

How do you rate a golf course difficulty?

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.

What is a good rating for a golf course?

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.

How is Course Rating and slope determined?

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 golfer. Then subtract the course rating from that figure. Then multiply that figure by 5.381 for men and 4.24 for women.

What is Course Rating based on?

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.

What does a slope rating of 130 mean?

From Tom's tees, a slope of 130 gives him a 12 Course Handicap.

What is the difference between Course Rating and slope 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.

What is scratch rating in golf?

(Notes: A Scratch Rating is the evaluation of the normal playing difficulty of a set of tees for a player with a handicap of zero. A Bogey Rating is the evaluation of the normal playing difficulty of a set of tees for a player with a women's handicap of approximately 24 or a men's handicap of approximately 20)

How do you determine a bogey rating on a golf course?

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.

What is a good handicap golf?

What Is A Good Golf Handicap? A good golf handicap is ten or less. With a handicap index of ten or less, you will generally shoot somewhere around 82. Shooing in the low 80s is better than average but certainly not good enough to be considered a scratch player.

How do you calculate Course handicap?

A Course Handicap is determined by applying your Handicap Index to a Course Handicap Table or Course Handicap Formula, which is just simple math! Take your Handicap Index, multiply it by the Slope Rating of the tees played, then divide by 113 (this is the average Slope Rating).

How is golf handicap calculated?

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.

Golf Course Rating and Ranking

I have a simple way of rating golf courses and it is all based on what I feel after the round is over:

What Makes a Good Golf Course

To be competitive in the modern marketplace, a golf course needs to offer an enjoyable day. That is al but that is a large order if a lot of little things don’t support it. A good course can die by a thousand little cuts for dirty bathrooms, no drink cart service, devoted up tee boxes, no driving range, etc.

Golf Course Scorecard

I started using a scorecard to help me remember details about the course once I got home. The scorecard continues to evolve the more courses I review. Some silly things are on there like rake quality but that can be a subtle indicator of course quality. I include golf cart GPS because that is a gold standard for me.

Golf Course Photos

When I review a golf course, I take photos to feed this website. A lot of photos. Each hole is photographed from:

What Makes a Good Course for You?

When you are asked about a golf course from a friend, what do you say? What are the factors that make up your decision to recommend or not a golf course?

How often do golf courses need to be rerated?

Plus, courses change, which is why they must be re-rated at least every 10 years.

What is the average slope rating?

The average slope rating is 120, according to Dean Knuth, also known as “the pope of slope,” the man who invented the system in 1982. In conclusion, course ratings and slope ratings are useful and objective measures of golf course difficulty.

How many yards can a female scratch golfer hit?

A female scratch golfer can hit 210-yard tee shots on average and reach a 400-yard hole, at sea level, in two shots. Meanwhile, the USGA says bogey golfers have a course handicap of 20 for men and 24 for women on golf courses of standard difficulty. Average yards off the tee are 200 for men and 150 for women.

What is USGA rating?

“A USGA Course Rating is the evaluation of the playing difficulty of a course for scratch golfers under normal course and weather conditions. It is expressed as the number of strokes taken to one decimal place (72.5), and is based on yardage and other obstacles to the extent that they affect the scoring difficulty of the scratch golfer.”

What makes golf different from other sports?

One thing that makes golf different than other sports is the “playing field.”. Whether long or short, hilly or flat, no two golf courses are alike. And while they’re all challenging in their own way, some golf courses are harder than others. In fact, some courses are like childhood bullies who will steal your lunch money ...

What is scratch golf?

And what is a scratch golfer? According to the USGA, a scratch golfer is a man or woman who can play to a course handicap of zero on all rated golf courses. In others words, he or she can shoot a score that nearly matches the course rating from his or her designated tees.

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.

How many yards does a scratch golfer have?

Based on those numbers, a scratch golfer is considered capable of reaching a 470-yard hole in two shots.

How far do scratch golfers hit the ball?

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. A bogey golfer, on the other hand, averages ...

How many shots is a 370 yard hole?

For a bogey golfer, a 370-yard hole is reachable in two shots. 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.

Is an open course tough?

A U.S. Open course is tough by any measure. The measure the United States Golf Association uses is the course and slope rating system, which assigns two different numbers meaning two different things. While the course rating tells you how difficult a track is for a scratch player, the slope tells you the relative difficulty ...

What is a golf course rating?

Golf Course Rating Definition: The evaluation of the playing difficulty of a course for scratch golfers under normal course and weather conditions. It is expressed as the number of strokes taken to one decimal place (72.5), and is based on yardage and other obstacles to the extent that they affect the scoring difficulty of the scratch golfer.

How does the USGA determine the rating of a golf course?

To determine the Rating of a course the USGA measures several factors for each hole on the golf courses. The process examines every facet of a hole and its playability.

What is the difference between a scratch golfer and a bogey golfer?

Here is the difference between a scratch golfer and a bogey golfer according to the USGA: Scratch Golfer : A male scratch golfer is 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.

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 female scratch golfer is a player who can play to a Course Handicap of zero on any and all rated golf courses. A female scratch golfer, for rating purposes, can hit tee shots an average of 210 yards ...

What are the obstacles in golf?

Obstacle factors: topography, fairway, green target, recoverability and roughs, water hazards, out of bounds, trees, green surface, and psychology. Each obstacle is assigned a value of 0 to 10, depending on its relation to how a scratch or bogey golfer would play the hole.

What does 72 mean in golf?

In conclusion, a golf course rating farther below 72 means an easier golf course. If you see a golf course rating lower than 69 from the white tees, prepare for a fun day of lower scores.

How often should USGA courses be updated?

USGA Course Ratings should be updated (through a re-rating) every 10 years (or in five years for a newly built course), and when a course undergoes renovations that result in significant changes.

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.

Why should tees be rated separately for men and women?

At least a few of a course's tees should be rated separately for men and for women, because men and women will post different scores playing from the same set of tees. For example, the forward tees might be rated 67.5 for men and 71.5 for women. The ratings are determined when a golf course requests to be rated (and pays the fee).

Who determines the slope rating of a golf course?

The USGA evaluates many elements of a golf course to determine its Course Rating. Course and slope ratings are calculated by the United States Golf Association. In fact, the USGA trademarks and licenses its USGA Course Rating and USGA Course Slope Rating to the Royal Canadian Golf Association -- countries other than America ...

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.