which numbers determine difficulty rating on 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.

Full Answer

What is a golf course’s difficulty rating?

Course rating helps determine a course’s difficulty by analyzing different aspects. Five critical play aspects explored in this process include roll, elevation, altitude, forced layup, and wind. Additionally, obstacles that may interfere or hinder golfing also undergo analysis.

How do I check the rating of a golf course?

1 check in the clubhouse/pro shop, where the ratings may be posted, or to ask one of the professionals on staff; 2 call and ask staff for the rating (s); 3 visit the course's website, which, ideally, will list the course ratings.

What do the numbers on a golf scorecard mean?

Every scorecard includes a pair of numbers next to the tees to help a player determine the difficulty of the golf course: rating and slope. We mentioned these in a previous post Reading Between the Lins of a Scorecard.

How to identify the most difficult holes on a golf course?

As a player, you can quickly identify the golf course’s most challenging hole by looking at the stroke index. The stroke index is a technique that ranks a golf course’s holes from the hardest to the simplest. The front nine golf hole receive odd numbers (1-17), whereas the back holes receive even numbers (2-18).

How do you determine the difficulty 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.

What does a slope rating of 130 mean?

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

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.

What do the numbers on a golf scorecard mean?

Each hole is rated by difficulty, one being the hardest on the course, and 18 the easiest. These numbers are listed in a row titled “handicap.” This allows a player to compute a net score for each hole based on his handicap, which measures a golfer's skill based on his previous scores.

Is a higher or lower slope rating harder?

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.

Is a slope rating of 130 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 do course ratings mean?

What is a "Course Rating"? The quick answer is that it's a single number indicating the difficulty of a golf course to an expert golfer, a "par golfer". The figure is used when calculating handicaps. The Course Rating is a number, close to par for the course, and is expressed with a single decimal digit.

What is a good golf course rating?

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 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).

What do the handicap numbers mean on a scorecard?

On every course scorecard, you will see a line called 'HDCP.' HDCP stands for Handicap, and rates the difficulty of each hole (1 being the hardest, 18 the easiest). If two friends of course handicaps 10 and 22 play a match, then the less skillful player will receive 12 strokes - one on each of the twelve hardest holes.

How do you read golf stats?

The higher the total of the two numbers is good. The maximum is 18. The higher the number on the left shows how much pressure the player is putting on the golf course to score low numbers. Obviously, they are getting more birdie opportunities.

What is slope rating in golf?

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 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.

How often does the USGA evaluate golf courses?

I know this makes my head spin but I am sure the USGA has a wicked big spreadsheet to crunch the numbers. The USGA evaluates each golf course every ten years in addition new golf courses complete the evaluation every five years.

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.

Why do golf clubs have handicaps?

Since not all golf players have the same skill set and experience, most golf clubs have a unique handicap system. This handicap system helps golfers with varying abilities to compete on a level playing field.

What is the purpose of handicapping golf?

This process assists golfers to know how many strokes each player will get in comparison to their competitors.

How to identify the most challenging hole in golf?

As a player, you can quickly identify the golf course’s most challenging hole by looking at the stroke index.

What is the purpose of course rating?

During course rating, most golf clubs use a specific protocol such as the USGA course rating guide to determine the difficulty of a course. The analysis occurs in each hole to identify the course rating for scratch and bogey players in each spot.

What happens when you have a higher handicap?

As the golfers play, the player with a higher handicap will get handicap strokes equivalent to the difference between his/her handicap and the competitor’s handicap.

What is stroke index?

The stroke index is a technique that ranks a golf course’s holes from the hardest to the simplest. The front nine golf hole receive odd numbers (1-17), whereas the back holes receive even numbers (2-18). This system ranks a golf course’s holes in difficulty, with a lower number indicating a more demanding golf hole.

What is a bogey rating?

Under course rating, golf clubs can also conduct bogey course rating, which determines the average score an average golf player attains in a course during normal weather conditions.

How to calculate a golf course rating?

The course rating number is calculated by measuring dozens of different factors for each tee, on every hole of a golf course. This means that thousands of values have to be collected and collated before the course’s rating can be computed.

How often are golf courses rated?

Most golf courses are rated every 10 years. But ratings may be done more frequently if renovations or significant changes have been made to a particular hole or an entire golf course.

How many yards can a scratch player hit?

A male scratch player is a golfer who can hit tee shots approximately 250 yards long and reach a 470-yard hole in two shots at sea level.

What does slope rating tell you?

The slope rating doesn't necessarily tell you how hard or easy a particular course is. But it does tell you how much more difficult it is for a bogey golfer compared to a scratch golfer.

What is golf jargon?

Golf is a game of jargon. Number of holes to a course; the number of strokes to each hole; handicaps, birdies, par, albatrosses; scratch, bogie, slope rating, eagle, ace...and so it goes on! As well as all its jargon, however, golf is also a game of numbers and of rules .

Where is Denfield Golf Course?

Whether you are playing at St. Andrews, Augusta, or the back nine at the Denfield Golf Course on the South Island of New Zealand, golf’s rules, standards and, above all, its handicap system, allow players of all abilities to compete on an equal footing.

What tool is used to measure the speed of a putting green?

In order to work out the speed of a putting green, a simple tool called a Stimpmeter is used.

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.

What is a rating team in golf?

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 .")

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.

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).

What is a course rating of 74.8?

Most course ratings range from the upper 60s to the mid-70s.

When will golf course ratings be standardized?

Establishing a common, globally used system for course ratings is something golf's governing bodies and handicapping authorities have frequently discussed, and beginning in 2020 a new system will be introduced that standardizes course rating around the golfing world.

When was the first course rating system created?

But "course rating" is usually taken to mean the USGA Course Rating system, and the USGA's course ratings trace back to the establishment of the first such system in 1911.

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.

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 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.

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.

Can physical change cancel out ratings?

These two factors of change, both physical change and increased experience, frequently work against each other and often times nearly cancel out most changes in ratings, however, the possibility is always there. Although many of us spend very little time considering the ratings of courses we play, looking at courses through a different lens, such as how a scratch versus bogey golfer might play a hole, is actually a great way to improve your course management skills.

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 to find slope rating?

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. Then round up to the nearest whole number.

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).

How many strokes are there in an 18 hole golf match?

The strokes for an 18-hole match are divided between the nines, with an odd number of strokes giving that player an extra shot on one of the nine-hole sides. For example, if a player gets 13 strokes, they get a stroke on the holes ranked No. 1-13 in handicap, meaning they get seven strokes on the odd-numbered side and six on the even-numbered side. ...

How do you determine your golf handicap?

Golf courses determine handicaps by starting with what they think is the hardest hole. That's the No. 1 handicap hole. The hardest hole on a golf course is often the longest par 4, but that's not always the case. Sometimes, it can be a particularly long par 5. Sometimes it's a longer, but not the longest, par 4. It could be the hole with the most hazards and trouble for players. But setting up the handicap of holes on a golf course completely depends on identifying the toughest hole.

How do golf courses determine handicaps?

Golf courses determine handicaps by starting with what they think is the hardest hole. That's the No. 1 handicap hole. The hardest hole on a golf course is often the longest par 4, but that's not always the case. Sometimes, it can be a particularly long par 5.

What is the USGA recommendation for golf?

The USGA recommends courses allocate the odd numbers on the front and the even numbers on the back, unless the back nine is decidedly more difficult than the front. They also recommend not allocating the lower handicap numbers -- i.e., the hard holes -- to the start or end of a nine-hole run. Then, players can use their handicap index in ...

Why are the handicap numbers on the opposite nine?

Why is that? That's because of the handicap allocation system.

Does GNN make commissions?

We also occasionally include links to products and services from merchants of our choice. GNN may earn a commission from sales generated by those links. See more in GNN's affiliate disclosure.

How to determine how long a golf course plays?

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. All of those factors are then weighed together to determine whether the course plays longer or shorter than its actual yardage.

What is the measure of a tough course?

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 of that same course for a bogey golfer.

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.

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.