what does a course rating mean

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.

Full Answer

How is course rating calculated?

May 24, 2019 · 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. Featured Video

What is considered a good rating?

Mar 31, 2022 · 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 tells the best golfers how hard a golf course actually plays; USGA Slope Rating indicates how much harder the course plays for "regular" (meaning not among the best) golfers.

What is course rating?

Jul 24, 2017 · 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. The USGA defines course rating as follows:

What are golf course ratings?

Aug 13, 2015 · 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. A rating is given for every set of tees on the course.

What does rating of a course mean?

What is a good course rating?

Is a higher course rating harder?

What is the average course rating?

How do course ratings work?

What golf tees should I play from?

How does slope rating affect my handicap?

How does Course Rating and slope affect handicap?

What is a bogey golfer handicap?

How do you calculate course rating and slope?

Does higher slope rating mean harder course?

What is the highest golf course rating?

What is the slope rating for 18 holes?

The minimum slope rating is 55 and the maximum is 155 (slope does not relate specifically to strokes played as course rating does). The higher the slope, the more difficult the course is. When the slope rating system was first put into effect, the USGA set the slope for an "average" golf course at 113; however, not many 18-hole golf courses have slope ratings that low. Some do, but the real-world average is higher than 113. (However, a slope of 113 is still used in certain calculations within the handicap system.)

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;

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 a bogey rating?

This begs another definition. Namely, the bogey rating. In a nutshell, it’s the playing difficulty of a golf course for a bogey golfer.

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 is a course rating team?

Authorized by golf associations and using USGA standards, course rating teams closely study a golf course and collect a lot of data, including on each hole.

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.

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 ...

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 score of a bogey golfer on a second course?

So while the par golfer will still shoot 72 on the second course, the bogey golfer will have a score above 90.

What is the slope of the second course in golf?

The second course is also rated at 72 but has a slope of 135. The increased Course Slope could be a result of the length of the course. A longer course can wreak havoc on a bogey golfer. He is hitting long irons or woods into most greens, which will usually result in a missed green.

What is the slope of a golf course?

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. For example, the blue tees might be 123, the white tees 119, and the red tees 114.

What is a course rating?

Course Rating. 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.

When was the handicap system revised?

Less skilled golfers are much more likely to be impacted by course difficulty. Based on this information, the handicap system was revised in the late 1980s to include a second measure called Course Slope.

Is 72 a long course?

The course rated at 72 with a slope of 113 is probably not a long course. Or maybe it has wide fairways and with few hazards. So the par golfer still shoots par on this course and the bogey golfer shoots 90. The second course is also rated at 72 but has a slope of 135.

Do you have to record your score when you turn in a score?

Every time you turn in a score you are required to record the Course Rating and Slope for the course and set of tees you played. Many golfers are familiar with the terms Course Rating and Slope, but don’t really know what they mean.

What is the rating process for golf?

The rating process requires a study of each hole, including detailed data obtained at all landing areas for both the scratch and the bogey golfer. The shot lengths discussed in the definitions for these two types of golfers are used by the rating teams to determine where the landing areas are. Both length corrections and obstacle values are considered at each point along the hole.

What is the slope rating of a golf course?

Slope Rating: The USGA’s mark that indicates the measurement of the relative playing difficulty of a course for players who are not scratch golfers, compared to scratch golfers. It is computed from the difference between the Bogey Rating and the Course Rating for the same set of tees on the same course and is expressed as a whole number from 55 to 155. A course of standard playing difficulty has a Slope Rating of 113.

How are obstacles assigned?

Each obstacle is assigned a value of 0 to 10, depending on their relation to how a scratch or bogey golfer would play the hole. When the evaluation is complete, the numbers for each factor are totaled and multiplied by a relative weight factor. The weighted obstacle values are applied to scratch and bogey formulas, and then converted to strokes. Those strokes are added or subtracted from the yardage rating to produce Course and Bogey Ratings.

How many yards can a bogey golfer hit?

This player hits tee shots an average of 200 yards and can reach a 370-yard hole in two shots. A female bogey golfer has a Course Handicap of approximately 24. This player hits tee shots an average of 150 yards and can reach a 280-yard hole in two shots.

What is the USGA rating system?

The basis of the USGA Course Rating System are the factors that affect the playing difficulty of a golf course. The USGA Course Rating System is one of great detail and is the only recognized Rating System in United States. The SC Golf Association has eight Course Rating ...

What is course rating?

Course Rating: The evaluation of the playing difficulty of a course for scratch golfers assuming normal course and weather conditions. It is expressed as the number of strokes taken to one decimal point (72.5), and is based on yardage, effective playing length corrections and other obstacles that affect play for the scratch golfer.

How often do golf courses need to be rated?

USGA standards call for courses to be re-rated every 10 years, or if it is a new golf course, every 3 years for the first 10. In South Carolina, to keep with the strong standards set forth by our Executive Board, we re-rate golf courses every 3 years for the first 10 and every 6 years there after. A course must also be re-rated if significant changes have been made. These changes might include re-location of tee boxes, alterations to green surfaces and sizes, and removal and / or addition of bunkers, hazards, Out of Bounds, and trees.

What does a higher course rating mean?

A higher golf course rating means that the course raters have decided that it is much harder for a scratch golfer to shoot par at the golf course. Chances are the course rating is closer to 74 or even 75, and therefore that is what a typical scratch player would shoot.

What is handicap in golf?

The handicap system allows bogey golfers to have a fair match against scratch golfers, which makes golf such a special and vital sport.

What is the USGA rating system?

The concept of the USGA course rating system is to help ensure that you can play any golf course and have a good idea of what you are getting yourself involved in.

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.

What is a golf 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 the average slope of a golf course?

The slope values can range anywhere from 55 to 155. The average golf course is 113. This may seem like an odd number for a bogey golfer to have to remember and base their golf round off of. The United States Golf Association came up with these systems, and they work pretty well, but there is undoubtedly a learning curve involved.

How is handicap index calculated?

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. Therefore if you are a golfer that shot 90 on a course with a 72.5 rating, your score differential would be 17.5.

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 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.

What is the average scratch golf score?

It turns out that that statistically, no matter how easy or hard a course is, scratch golfers will almost always shoot in the high 60’s to low 70’s. While this might not seem like a big deal, having a very narrow spread of scores even on courses that are much easier or harder than average ones creates a rating that underestimates changes in course difficulties for the rest of the golfing population. However, they also realized that this phenomenon was the exact opposite for mid-high handicap golfers. While one course might only play slightly harder in the eyes of a scratch golfer, less proficient golfers might find their scores to be significantly higher on this new, harder course.

How to calculate handicap for a course?

If you’re interested in calculating your handicap for a particular course, multiply your handicap by the course rating divided by 113. This will adjust your handicap to the difficulty of the course.

What is the scorecard for a golf course?

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

How often are golf course slope ratings re-evaluated?

While the course and slope ratings of a golf course are unlikely to change dramatically, they are usually re-evaluated every 4-5 years.

What are the slope and course rating in golf?

While frequently unused by new or casual golfers, slope and course rating are two of golf’s most important, and most commonly confused numbers. These two numbers might be a seemingly random arrangement of numbers on your scorecard, but in reality , they are two of the great equalizers in the game of golf.

Is 72 a good slope rating for scratch golf?

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. However, if bogey-golfers on course A averages a score of 90 while bogey-golfers on course B average a score of 95 the slope rating for course B would be higher than for course A; indicating a higher level of difficulty for higher handicap players.

Is golf a difficult game?

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.

What is the background of a course rater?

The backgrounds of course raters range from lawyers to engineers to teachers. Regardless of the person’s past or present profession, each course rater has the same thing in common: their love for the game of golf.

Why do slope ratings change?

Course rating and slope ratings usually change because of the effective playing length of the golf course.

What is the slope number of a golf course?

The Slope number for a golf course actually tells you how difficult the golf course is for a bogey player (17.5 - 22.4 Handicap Index for a male golfer) compared to a scratch player. 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.

Do you need a full course rating?

However, more than likely you are not in need of a full course rating.

Does the USGA require a rating?

The USGA requires all authorized golf associations to periodically review the ratings of their courses and to revise them if necessary. The USGA has licensed the MGA to rate courses according to their guidelines. If your club is a member of the MGA, you are required to comply with the guidelines that the USGA has set down for the MGA to follow.