The golf handicap system allows golfers of all levels to compete against one another. However, most people do not understand how golf handicaps are calculated. In this article, we will take an inside look at the golf handicap system and how your handicap gets calculated.
To understand how the golf handicap system works, we need to gain a good understanding of some terms that are used to calculate a golf handicap: course rating, slope rating, and adjusted gross score.
You have no doubt seen the terms course rating and slope rating if you currently have a golf handicap. This is because each time that you complete a round of golf you are required to enter the course rating and slope rating of that particular course.
But what do these numbers mean? Well, let's first discuss course rating, which is easier to understand than slope rating. The course rating is easier to understand because it is expressed as a golf score. In fact, it is the exact score that a par golfer, otherwise known as a scratch golfer, would shoot on that course. Thus, if a golfer who normally shoots par golf plays a course with a rating of 69.2, and par is 72, that golfer will normally break par on that course.
The term slope rating is slightly more difficult to understand. This number, which will always be between 55 and 155, is expressed as a ratio instead of an actual golf score. This number assesses the degree of difficulty of the course for a bogey golfer as it relates to the course rating. To have a better understanding of this figure, you need to know that the average course plays at a slope rating of 113. A number higher than this means that the course will play more difficult for you. A number lower than this means that the course should play easier.
Finally, and perhaps more relevant than any term, is the notion of the adjusted gross score. Many golfers implement this incorrectly and it drastically affects their golf handicap. The adjusted gross score is simply instrumental in calculating your golf handicap. It prevents a few bad holes from adversely affecting your golf handicap.
Let's say that you are a golfer who would normally play bogey golf. This means that on a golf course with a par of 72 you would normally shoot a score of about 90. However, you may frequently have one or two holes on which you "blow up" and have a hole on which you get a score of 10.
According to the rules of golf, you are not allowed to report this score of a 10 because you would be reporting your actual score instead of your adjusted gross score. The adjusted gross score is a system that prevents one or two bad holes from adversely affecting your handicap in golf. For instance, in the example above, this bogey golfer can report no higher than a 7 on his or her scorecard. The rules of this adjusted golf score are outlined under the heading "Equitable Stroke Control" by golf's governing bodies.
These three terms-course rating, slope rating, and adjusted gross score-are the fundamental concepts in knowing how the golf handicap is calculated. With a solid understanding of these terms, you can come to a better understanding of your handicap in golf.
The golf handicap system allows golfers of all levels to compete against one another. However, most people do not understand how golf handicaps are calculated. In this article, we will take an inside look at the golf handicap system and how your handicap gets calculated.
To understand how the golf handicap system works, we need to gain a good understanding of some terms that are used to calculate a golf handicap: course rating, slope rating, and adjusted gross score.
You have no doubt seen the terms course rating and slope rating if you currently have a golf handicap. This is because each time that you complete a round of golf you are required to enter the course rating and slope rating of that particular course.
But what do these numbers mean? Well, let's first discuss course rating, which is easier to understand than slope rating. The course rating is easier to understand because it is expressed as a golf score. In fact, it is the exact score that a par golfer, otherwise known as a scratch golfer, would shoot on that course. Thus, if a golfer who normally shoots par golf plays a course with a rating of 69.2, and par is 72, that golfer will normally break par on that course.
The term slope rating is slightly more difficult to understand. This number, which will always be between 55 and 155, is expressed as a ratio instead of an actual golf score. This number assesses the degree of difficulty of the course for a bogey golfer as it relates to the course rating. To have a better understanding of this figure, you need to know that the average course plays at a slope rating of 113. A number higher than this means that the course will play more difficult for you. A number lower than this means that the course should play easier.
Finally, and perhaps more relevant than any term, is the notion of the adjusted gross score. Many golfers implement this incorrectly and it drastically affects their golf handicap. The adjusted gross score is simply instrumental in calculating your golf handicap. It prevents a few bad holes from adversely affecting your golf handicap.
Let's say that you are a golfer who would normally play bogey golf. This means that on a golf course with a par of 72 you would normally shoot a score of about 90. However, you may frequently have one or two holes on which you "blow up" and have a hole on which you get a score of 10.
According to the rules of golf, you are not allowed to report this score of a 10 because you would be reporting your actual score instead of your adjusted gross score. The adjusted gross score is a system that prevents one or two bad holes from adversely affecting your handicap in golf. For instance, in the example above, this bogey golfer can report no higher than a 7 on his or her scorecard. The rules of this adjusted golf score are outlined under the heading "Equitable Stroke Control" by golf's governing bodies.
These three terms-course rating, slope rating, and adjusted gross score-are the fundamental concepts in knowing how the golf handicap is calculated. With a solid understanding of these terms, you can come to a better understanding of your handicap in golf.
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