by Dr. Ramona Hermann I
Published 3 years ago
Updated 2 years ago
5 min read
What is course rating in golf?
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
How are golf course ratings determined?
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 is the difference between slope and course 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.Jul 15, 2018
What is the course rating in golf UK?
Course Rating is a measure of the playing difficulty of a Course's set of tees for Scratch Men & Scratch Women (Handicap Index 0.0) golfers and provides, as before, the most meaningful basis for comparison of the relative playing difficulties of different sets of tees of that Course and of other Courses.
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 the highest slope rating of a golf course?
155
KIAWAH 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.Jul 2, 2007
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 slope rating should I play?
If you are playing a course with a slope in the 130's, you might want to aim for something under 95 as opposed to 90. On the other hand, a course with a slope in the low 100's may allow you to aim for an 85 – or even lower.May 11, 2016
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 the average Slope Rating UK golf courses?
around 125
The neutral value that is used in handicap calculations is fixed at 113. The GB&I average Slope Rating is around 125. A golfer's handicap for a specific course is determined by multiplying their Handicap Index by the Slope Rating of the course/tees and dividing by the Neutral Slope Rating of 113.
How does golf Slope Rating work?
What is a Slope Rating® and what does it represent? A. Playing length and obstacles impact higher-handicap players more than lower-handicap players, and Slope Rating measures the relative difficulty of a golf course for players who are not scratch players compared to those who are scratch players.
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 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 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.
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 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).
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.".
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.