what is a 76.1 golf course rating

by Harold Herzog DVM 7 min read

What does a golf course rating below 72 mean?

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. Loading...

How to find a golf course's USGA course rating?

How to Find a Golf Course's USGA Course Rating Every golf course that has a USGA Course Rating should include those ratings on its scorecard. If it doesn't, a golfer can: check in the clubhouse/pro shop, where the ratings may be posted, or to ask one of the professionals on staff;

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 is a bogey rating on a golf course?

The bogey rating or slope rating is much different. 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.

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.

What rating is considered a hard golf course?

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 is the hardest Slope Rating in golf?

155KIAWAH 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.

What is the average Slope Rating for a PGA 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.

What is the slope rating of Augusta National?

137Augusta National Golf ClubClub informationPar72Length7,510 yards (6,870 m)Course rating78.1 (unofficial)Slope rating137 (unofficial)17 more rows

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.

What is considered the most difficult golf course in the world?

The South Course At Torrey Pines Golf Course — San Diego, California. While all the courses on the U.S. Open rotation are challenging, the South Course at Torrey Pines is among the most demanding.

What handicap is a 100 golfer?

a 28What is your handicap if you shoot 100? If you shoot around 100 for 18 holes, your handicap is roughly a 28 (100-72 = 28).

What is the slope rating at Pebble Beach?

144The 18-hole "Pebble Beach" course at the Pebble Beach Golf Links facility in Pebble Beach, California features 6,828 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 72. The course rating is 74.3 and it has a slope rating of 144 on Bent grass.

How hilly is Augusta National golf course?

The golf course is set on terrain that is difficult to appreciate on TV. The highest point on the course can be found on the 10th tee which has an elevation of 328 feet (100 meters). The lowest point is on the 12th green which has an elevation of 176 feet (54 meters).

Is Augusta a tough course to walk?

Augusta definitely saved the best (read hardest) for last. The hill up to the 18th green is steep! Noted: Final hole, lets goooo!

How does slope rating affect my handicap?

All players perform differently on the same course. will generally find more challenges with distance, accuracy and obstacles than the scratch player. and Slope Ratings allow the handicap system to reflect this, enabling golfers of differing abilities to play together and have a fair and enjoyable game.

What is the average Course Rating?

113The 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.

Is an 84 a good golf score?

Good, based on what is average, is 90 strokes for every 18 holes played. This “good” golf score is based on playing a round of golf on an industry standard par 72 course. If a golfer stays within (assuming they are an amateur) scoring a 90-108 stroke (maximum), they are within the 'good golf score' range.

What is considered the most difficult golf course in the world?

The South Course At Torrey Pines Golf Course — San Diego, California. While all the courses on the U.S. Open rotation are challenging, the South Course at Torrey Pines is among the most demanding.

Is Augusta National a hard course?

The Course Rating of Augusta National turned out to be 76.2, which puts it in the top ten toughest courses in the U.S. Augusta National is a big, robust course with towering pines, dramatic elevation changes, broad fairways, and greens that are slicker than a bobsled run.

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 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 slope rating for 18 holes of golf?

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

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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 ...

Who is Josh Sens?

A golf, food and travel writer, Josh Sens has been a GOLF Magazine contributor since 2004 and now contributes across all of GOLF’s platforms. His work has been anthologized in The Best American Sportswriting. He is also the co-author, with Sammy Hagar, of Are We Having Any Fun Yet: the Cooking and Partying Handbook.

What is Course Rating?

The Course Rating is the evaluation of the playing difficulty of a golf course for the scratch player (0 handicap.) It is used in conjunction with the Bogey Rating, (the difficulty of the course for a bogey player of 20-24 handicap) to determine the Slope Rating. The Slope Rating will determine a player’s Course Handicap.

How is Course Rating Calculated?

Course Rating and Bogey Rating are calculated using the USGA Course Rating System. The Course Rating System is extremely objective and takes into account all the factors that affect the playing difficulty of a course.

How Does Course Rating Affect Handicap?

Course Rating and Slope Rating affect Course Handicap. Each player with a WHS Handicap Index will play off a different Course Handicap at different venues, and off different tees, depending on the Slope Rating. Course Handicap is calculated by dividing Slope Rating by 113 and multiplying by Handicap Index.

What is the Average Course Rating?

There’s not really such a thing as an average Course Rating but there is an average, or standard, Slope Rating – the difference between Course Rating and Bogey Rating multiplied by a predetermined value – The average or standard Slope Rating is 113.

tadpole87

what is a considered a hard golf course rating? The course I normally play is on a rating 72.8/149 and course yardage is 6711. I struggle to break 90 and only manage to do it twice 89 and a 87. I am not a long hitter and average between 230-240 drives. My average scores are in the mid 90s and its been my mission to break 90 consistently.

dagolfer18

I would say any course that, from the tips, has a rating of par or higher and a slope in the high 130s or higher. A few examples from some of my local courses:

dennyjones

A rating/slope of 72.8/149 is very difficult for mid/high handicap players. It's beyond my scope to enjoy a round from those tees. Does the course have shorter tees? My home course from the tips plays 76.0/146 but I play either 72/135 or 69.0/123 or the hybrids between those.

tadpole87

A rating/slope of 72.8/149 is very difficult for mid/high handicap players. It's beyond my scope to enjoy a round from those tees. Does the course have shorter tees? My home course from the tips plays 76.0/146 but I play either 72/135 or 69.0/123 or the hybrids between those.

imsys0042

The last two places that I've been a member at play very similar. Here's the ratings, from the normal men's tees:

tadpole87

The last two places that I've been a member at play very similar. Here's the ratings, from the normal men's tees:

mohearn

what is a considered a hard golf course rating? The course I normally play is on a rating 72.8/149 and course yardage is 6711. I struggle to break 90 and only manage to do it twice 89 and a 87. I am not a long hitter and average between 230-240 drives. My average scores are in the mid 90s and its been my mission to break 90 consistently.

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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 ar...
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