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. The slope number is used to convert your Handicap Index into a Course Handicap.
What is a slope rating in golf handicaps?
If handicaps were simply estimates of golfers' average scores, then these two players would have the same handicap index. But Player A is clearly the better golfer, and in a match between the two Player B would clearly need some strokes. Slope rating allows the handicap index to reflect these factors.
Is your golf course’s slope number too high?
Some players feel that if their golf course’s slope number is too high, they will not be competitive when visiting another club. This is not necessarily true. The above example shows the significance the course rating has on a player’s handicap differential compared to the slope number.
What is the slope of a golf course?
What is a course slope? In short, the slope of the course is a number that tells bogey golfers how much more difficult a set of tees should be for them than for a scratch golfer. For example, a course with many hazards may be much more difficult for a bogey golfer to avoid than a scatch golfer.
Does a higher slope rating mean a more difficult course?
A higher rating doesn’t necessarily mean that the course is more difficult than another. England Golf, who are charged with bringing in the WHS in this country, say: “The most significant factors involved in determining Slope Rating are length, trees, rough and water hazards.
Is a higher slope rating more difficult?
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 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.
How do you calculate handicap with slope?
Handicap differential = (Adjusted Gross Score-rating of the course) X 113 / Course slope ratings. The course rating is simply the scores of a new golfer on a normal course under a normal playing condition. Slope rating is the rating of 113 for a course based on the standard difficulty.
What is considered a difficult slope 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 average golf score for seniors?
The average score for someone over the age of 60 is 92 on a par 72 golf course. These people have a lot of time to play golf but they're getting older and their body doesn't work quite as well as it used to. Obviously, you'll have some golfers shoot much better and some that shoot much worse.
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's my handicap if I shoot 85?
If you shoot a 85, you can say that your handicap is an 13. You are a mid handicap golfer, which is an average handicap (more golfers fall into this group than any other).
What is the average golf handicap?
1. The average handicap index for men is 14.2. 2. The average handicap index for women is 27.5.
What is a good golf handicap?
What Is A Good Golf Handicap? A good golf handicap is ten or less. With a handicap index of ten or less, you will generally shoot somewhere around 82. Shooing in the low 80s is better than average but certainly not good enough to be considered a scratch player.
Whats a scratch golfer?
A scratch player essentially is one who can manage every aspect of their game, consistently, and can plot their way around the golf course hitting the right shots at the right time. A Scratch golfer will very rarely hit two bad shots in a row and has the mindset to recover rapidly from setbacks in a positive way.
What is the percentage of golfers that break 100?
Certainly, golfers who struggle to break 100 — it has been estimated that fewer than 25 percent of all golfers ever make it — hold little sympathy for the break-90 golfer who whines about shooting 81.
What is the highest Slope Rating golf course?
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.
What is Slope Rating and how does it work?
Slope Ratings are described by the USGA as indicating the “measurement of the relative playing difficulty of a course for players who are not scratch golfers, compared to scratch golfers”.
So what does that mean?
Remember your WHS Handicap Index is not your playing handicap. Every time you go to the course, that mark will be adjusted for Slope for the course, or tees, that is being played.
Need more information on the World Handicap System?
Visit our dedicated WHS page where you will find everything you need to know and details of how to contact us if you have any more questions.
What is the difference between slope and course rating?
The difference lies in the intended ‘audience’ for the ratings. A course rating is a number that is aimed at a scratch golfer, while the slope rating is meant as a way to measure difficulty for a player who is not ...
What is a scorecard in golf?
A golf scorecard is full of numbers. When you grab a scorecard to put into your pocket prior to walking to the first tee, you probably only pay attention to a few of those numbers – such as the par for the course and the total yardage. Most golfers decide which tees to play based on the yardage that is outlined on the card—a high handicapper may ...
What is a bogey golfer?
The USGA defines a bogey golfer as someone who has a handicap around 20 and can hit a typical tee shot around 200 yards. Slope rating is intended more for the purposes of this kind of player, as it helps to “level the playing field” between a scratch golfer and a bogey golfer.
What does yardage tell you about golf?
No matter what level of player you are, the yardage for the course can tell you a lot about which tees are best for your game. However, there are other numbers on the scorecard that warrant your attention. Specifically, there are two other numbers that should be noted – the course rating, and the slope rating.
What does 113 mean in golf?
When it Comes to Golf Slope Higher = Harder. As you might suspect, a higher slope rating is going to equate to a more difficult golf course for the average golfer to play. The “standard” or base slope rating is 113, meaning a course that is rated at 113 will play to a standard difficulty level. From there, the ratings can go up and down all ...
How many yards should a golfer play on a tee?
Most golfers decide which tees to play based on the yardage that is outlined on the card—a high handicapper may want to keep the total yardage down around 6,000 yards, a mid-handicapper will be okay at around 6,500, and an accomplished player will be glad to take on a challenge of 7,000 yards or more. No matter what level of player you are, the ...
What is the difference between an easier course and a harder course?
Easier courses will have a course rating slightly under par, while harder courses will come in above. For example, an easier course may have a course rating of 70.5, while a difficult course could be rated at 75 or even higher.
What is handicap in golf?
A golf handicap is a numerical measurement of your game over a recent period of time. It is much more than an average of strokes over/under par, but also considers the difficulty of the course, and furthermore, the difficulty of the tees your choose to play. Having a handicap allows you to measure yourself against other players.
What does slope mean in golf?
In short, the slope of the course is a number that tells bogey golfers how much more difficult a set of tees should be for them than for a scratch golfer. For example, a course with many hazards may be much more difficult for a bogey golfer to avoid than a scatch golfer.
How to calculate handicap on a tee?
You are playing a set of tees with a slope of 126. To determine your course handicap, simply multiply your handicap by the slope and divide by 113. Here is the equation. Your course handicap: 9.2 x 126 / 113 = 10.2. Your friend's course handicap: 13.5 x 126 / 113 = 15.
How many rounds does a golfer need to play to get a handicap?
The USGA requires five rounds before calculating a golfer's handicap. MyGolfinstructor.com only requires a single round to help you get started as soon as possible. Your first round will show a course handicap of zero and your actual handicap index will become more accurate as you play more rounds.
Why is course rating important in golf?
The course rating is a key factor in determining your handicap index because it helps to level the playing field for golfers that typically play on more or less difficult courses than others.
What is a scratch handicap?
A high handicap index is considered a player of less skill and a handicap index closer to 0 is considered very good. A "scratch" golfer is one with a 0 handicap index.
What is the purpose of the handicap system?
The handicap system uses what is called equitable stroke control (ESC) which has the purpose of solving this exact issue. Your handicap should be a representation of your normal playing ability. Equitable stroke control is the USGA's answer to minimizing the damage of a "blow-up" hole.
What is the role of slope in golf?
The most important role of a slope is leveling the playing field for players of different skill levels. For example, let's say Player A and Player B average 85 strokes each for 18 holes. But Player A's average is established on a very difficult course (say, a slope rating of 150), while Player B's average is established on a much easier course (say, a slope rating of 105). If handicaps were simply estimates of golfers' average scores, then these two players would have the same handicap index. But Player A is clearly the better golfer, and in a match between the two Player B would clearly need some strokes.
What is slope rating in golf?
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.
Why is the handicap index lower for A and B?
Because he plays on a course with a higher slope rating, Player A's handicap index will be lower than Player B's (when it is calculated using the slope ratings), despite the fact that they both average scores of 85. So when A and B get together to play, B will get those extra strokes he needs.
What is the minimum slope rating for 18 holes?
The minimum slope rating is 55 and the maximum is 155 (slope does not relate specifically to strokes played as course rating does). When the slope rating system was first put into effect, the USGA set the slope for an "average" golf course at 113; however, not many 18-hole golf courses have slope ratings that low.
What does USGA course rating mean?
To put it another way: USGA Course Rating tells the best golfers how hard a golf course actually plays; USGA Slope Rating indicates how much harder the course plays for "regular" (meaning not among the best) golfers.
What is the average slope rating for golf courses?
The United States Golf Association established the average slope rating to 113, but it has later increased to about 120 as there aren’t many 18-hole golf courses with slope ratings set that low. As has been observed, most golf courses worldwide have average slope ratings of about 120.
What does slope number mean in golf?
Thus, the slope number converts a golfer’s handicap into a course handicap. In this way, it is made sure that a bogey golfer is allowed to play at an equal level to a scratch golfer, and it helps them obtain enough strokes from the same set of tees. This is the mathematical formula of how it is derived:
What is USGA rating?
What is USGA Golf Course Rating and Who Rates It? 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.
How many strokes does a par 72 golf course have?
It is expressed in strokes, so an easy par-72 golf course could have a 68.9 course rating, while the more difficult one is likely to have a rating of 74.5. In other words, an average golfer should expect to play 68.9 strokes when the course playing difficulty is rated ‘easy,’ while on a challenging course, the same golfer is expected ...
When did the slope rating start?
USGA introduced the slope rating measurement in the 1980s as a system of fairness directed to bogey players. Namely, they observed that a bogey golfer is likely to increase the number of strokes considerably more when playing on a course with a higher level of difficulty than a scratch golfer. This led to creating a slope handicap system ...
Do golf courses affect the slope number?
Yes, they do. However, the course rating impacts the golfer’s index considerably more than the slope number. It often happens that players become too focused on the slope number while ignoring the golf course number.
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 slope rating of a bogey golfer on a course?
However, if bogey-golfers on course A averages a score of 90 while bogey-golfers on course B average a score of 95 the slope rating for course B would be higher than for course A; indicating a higher level of difficulty for higher handicap players.
What is a course rating?
The simple answer is, a course rating is a number that indicates what a scratch golfer (a golfer that averages par for a round) should shoot on this particular course. So, while the par for a particular course might be 72, a course rating of 70.1 would indicate that a scratch golfer should be almost two under par on average.
What is the slope number of 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. Slope numbers can range anywhere between 55 and 155 with the average slope in the United States being 120.
Why do slope ratings change?
Course rating and slope ratings usually change because of the effective playing length of the golf course.
How many yards does a scratch golfer hit?
Amateur Championship. On average, he hits his tee shot 225 yards in the air with 25 yards of roll. His second shot travels 200 yards in the air with 20 yards of roll.
How many yards can a bogey golfer hit in 2 shots?
Therefore, the bogey golfer can reach a 370 yard hole in 2 shots and a scratch golfer can reach a 470 yard hole in 2 shots. There are five playing-length factors that are considered for each hole: roll, elevation, wind, dogleg/forced lay-ups, and altitude.
How far should a marker be from the teeing area?
At no time should a permanent marker be less than two yards from the front of a teeing area or less than four yards from the back of a teeing area.
How long does it take for a golf course to re-rate?
The MGA is required to re-rate a golf course within a 10-year period. All newly constructed golf courses often change due to their maturity.
What is the MGA course rating department?
The MGA Course Rating Department also provides clubs with a course measuring service as part of their membership. This service is available regardless of whether your course is new, existing, or if changes have been made.
What Is Slope Rating and How Does It Work?
Let’s Get Into The Maths…
- Remember that ideal course we talked about at the beginning? 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. That probably doe…
So What Does That Mean?
- Remember your WHS Handicap Index is not your playing handicap. Every time you go to the course, that mark will be adjusted for Slope for the course, or tees, that is being played. That provides your Course Handicap for that round. That number could be adjusted again if you’re playing in a competition and certain allowances – such as 9/10 or 3/4 – n...
Need More Information on The World Handicap System?
- Visit our dedicated WHS page where you will find everything you need to know and details of how to contact us if you have any more questions.