what is a golf course usga rating

USGA

Golf Course Rating is an assessment of the difficulty of a given golf course for scratch golfers. The course rating estimates the scratch golfers’ average scores who played on the golf course under the rating procedure.

Full Answer

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 does course rating mean on a golf course?

Course rating is a very important part of the USGA Handicap System and is used in calculating a golfer's handicap index. A course rating of 74.8, for example, means that scratch golfers are expected to post an average score of 74.8 playing from that set of tees on that golf course.

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.

How stiff can a golf course rating go?

A course rating of 74.8 is pretty stiff, but there are no hard-and-fast parameters for how high or low course rating can go. Most course ratings range from the upper 60s to the mid-70s.

What determines rating for a golf course?

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.

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?

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.

Is Course Rating the same as scratch rating?

This allows the player to receive enough strokes from a particular set of tees, to play at an equal level of a scratch golfer from the same set of tees. When your course is rated, a scratch rating and bogey rating are both determined from each set of tees. (The scratch rating is the same as the course rating).

What is the slope at Augusta National?

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

What does a slope rating of 113 mean?

As we said earlier, it forms the base or neutral Slope Rating – a number that indicates a course of standard playing difficulty. That figure, for handicap purposes, is 113. Your WHS handicap index is worked out to one decimal place and that number is calculated against that neutral Slope Rating of 113.

What do course ratings 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. The number goes up with the difficulty of the course.

How does course rating affect handicap?

When you play a course with a Slope Rating higher than 113, your Course Handicap will be higher than your USGA Handicap Index. When you play a course with a Slope Rating lower than 113, your Course Handicap will be lower than your Handicap Index.

How does course rating and slope work?

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 considered a hard golf course rating?

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 a difficult Course Rating?

The Slope Rating can range from 55 (very easy for a bogey golfer) to 155 (very difficult), with 113 being the average slope.

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

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.

How many yards should a golf course be in front of a teeing area?

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. Overall, the golf course should not be shortened (or lengthened) ...

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 are the obstacles in golf?

These are: topography; fairway; green target; recoverability and rough; bunkers; crossing obstacles; lateral obstacles; trees; green surface and psychology.

What is a bogey rating?

The Bogey Rating represents the expected score for a bogey player. The difference between the Course Rating and the Bogey Rating is used in the determination of the Slope Rating. A male scratch golfer is one who can "play to a Course Handicap of zero on any and all rated golf courses.

How many yards can a female scratch golfer hit?

A female scratch golfer can "hit tee shots an average of 210 yards and can reach a 400-yard hole in two shots at sea level.". Each set of tees on a golf course receives a Course Rating and a Slope Rating. You can read more about the Course Rating at the USGA website including the history.

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 ...

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 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 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 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;