How is a golf course slope rating calculated?
Slope Rating is calculated by subtracting the Course Rating from the Bogey Rating and multiplying it by a constant.
How does Course Rating 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 determines slope rating?
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. It is determined by comparing the Course Rating™ to the Bogey Rating™.
How does a golf handicap work with slope?
Slope merely tells you how “proportionately” more difficult that particular set of tees plays for the higher handicapped golfers as opposed to lower handicapped golfers. The more difficult the tees play proportionately for the higher handicappers, the greater the Slope rating that will be issued. That's it!
What is the slope of Augusta National?
Augusta National Golf ClubClub informationPar72Length7,510 yards (6,870 m)Course rating78.1 (unofficial)Slope rating137 (unofficial)17 more rows
What is the average slope of a golf course?
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.
How does slope rating affect my handicap?
If these two golfers were playing one another, it is clear that Player B would actually need shots - slope rating allows parity, so 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 ...
How do you calculate handicap and slope rating?
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.
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.
What is 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 difference between slope and Course 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.
What tees should I play based on my handicap?
The middle tees are for middle to high handicap men, low-handicap or long-hitting women, and low-handicap or long-hitting senior men. The forward tees are for middle or high handicap women and seniors, and beginners of all stripes.
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.".
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.
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.
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 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 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 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 ...
What is a course rating?
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 a scratch golfer as compared to players who are. This concept should become clearer as we move through this detailed explanation of what golf slope rating is and how it relates to your own golf game.
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.
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 ...
How many shots is a 370 yard hole?
For a bogey golfer, a 370-yard hole is reachable in two shots. 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.
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 does slope rating mean in golf?
Simply put, Course Rating tells the best golfers how hard a golf course actually plays; Slope Rating indicates how much harder the course plays for ‘regular’ (meaning not among the best) golfers.
What is slope rating?
So, Slope Rating is a term trademarked by the USGA that indicates the measurement of the relative playing difficulty of a course for Bogey Golfers, compared to Scratch Golfers.
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.
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 a 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 at sea level. A female Scratch Golfer is a player who can play to a course handicap ...
What is the slope of a golf course?
Course slope is a figure that indicates the difficulty of a course in relation to a golfer who averages a bogey on every hole, and therefore, averages 18-over par on any given round.
What is a course rating?
Course rating is a figure that indicates the difficulty of a golf course to a golfer who averages even par on a round of 18. For instance, a course rating of 72 would portend that a "scratch golfer" would shoot 72 on that particular course.
What is a golf handicap?
Handicap is a number assigned to a golfer, indicating the number of strokes over par they are on an average round of golf. For instance, a golfer with an 18 handicap would typically shoot 18-over par during a round of 18 holes. On a course with a course rating of 72, this golfer would be expected to shoot 90. Meanwhile, a golfer with a 20 handicap would be expected to shoot 92 on this same course.
What Is Course Rating?
A golf course rating is a number that tells you what a scratch golfer should be shooting at that golf course. Scratch golfers are known for their ability to shoot par on a golf course. However, not all golf courses are made to be the same difficult.
What Is Slope Rating?
The slope rating is a number that indicates how challenging a golf course is for a bogey golfer. Of course, nothing in golf is quite that simple, so the slope rating is not as easy to figure out as the course rating. When we looked at the course rating, you saw that the number kind of coincided with what par is on the course.
The Importance of Course And Slope Rating
Now that you have a better understanding of what course and slope ratings are, it’s a good idea to try and understand the importance of these numbers. The slope rating and course rating can be used for several different reasons that help make the game of golf fair and fun for everyone involved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Now that you have a bit more understanding of the slope rating and course rating, here are a few of the questions that are often asked about this process. Don’t feel bad if you don’t fully understand the USGA handicap system. There is quite a bit involved in this, and sometimes it takes a while to get used to the concepts.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you now understand the concept of course and slope rating. This is not something that you will need to fully understand to play well the next time you hit the course. However, it is good to have an overall awareness of how these systems work.
What is the slope rating of a golf course?
Slope ratings range from 55 to 155, with 113 being the standard difficulty of the course. So whenever you see a 155 Slope rating, run away from it.
What is the golf handicap black box?
Golf Handicap’s Black box#N#Most golfers see the Handicap System as a black box judging their golf fate. Most don’t understand it but have chosen to go with the flow and humbly accept its verdict.