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 do you calculate slope on a golf course?
Slope (men) = 5.381 x (bogey rating – USGA course rating) Slope (women) = 4.24 x (bogey rating – USGA course rating) So, once the golf course is rated, the bogey rating and the scratch rating are determined for each set of tees, leading to determining the slope number. What is USGA Golf Course Rating and Who Rates It?
What is a slope rating in golf courses?
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.
What is the average slope of an 18 hole golf course?
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.
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.
What is a good slope for 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 do you rate a golf course?
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.
How does course rating and slope work?
The Course Rating is simply the average score compiled by the par golfers. In this case, it's 72. However, the Course Slope is not simply the average score compiled by the bogey golfers. The value for Course Slope is a measure of the amount of slant (or slope) in the straight line drawn between the two values.
What is a difficult slope rating in golf?
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 slope rating of Augusta National?
137Augusta National Golf ClubClub informationPar72Length7,510 yards (6,870 m)Course rating78.1 (unofficial)Slope rating137 (unofficial)17 more rows
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 course ratings work?
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.
How is 9 hole Course Rating calculated?
The actual calculation is as follows: 9-Hole Score Differential = (Adjusted Gross Score for 9 holes x 113/Slope Rating + second nine par + 0.5 x Course Handicap) – Course Rating.
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 ...
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.
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 is the average slope rating?
The average slope rating is 120, according to Dean Knuth, also known as “the pope of slope,” the man who invented the system in 1982. In conclusion, course ratings and slope ratings are useful and objective measures of golf course difficulty.
How often do golf courses need to be rerated?
Plus, courses change, which is why they must be re-rated at least every 10 years.
How many yards can a female scratch golfer hit?
A female scratch golfer can hit 210-yard tee shots on average and reach a 400-yard hole, at sea level, in two shots. Meanwhile, the USGA says bogey golfers have a course handicap of 20 for men and 24 for women on golf courses of standard difficulty. Average yards off the tee are 200 for men and 150 for women.
What is a bogey rating?
This begs another definition. Namely, the bogey rating. In a nutshell, it’s the playing difficulty of a golf course for a bogey golfer.
What is scratch golf?
And what is a scratch golfer? According to the USGA, a scratch golfer is a man or woman who can play to a course handicap of zero on all rated golf courses. In others words, he or she can shoot a score that nearly matches the course rating from his or her designated tees.
What is a course rating team?
Authorized by golf associations and using USGA standards, course rating teams closely study a golf course and collect a lot of data, including on each hole.
What makes golf different from other sports?
One thing that makes golf different than other sports is the “playing field.”. Whether long or short, hilly or flat, no two golf courses are alike. And while they’re all challenging in their own way, some golf courses are harder than others. In fact, some courses are like childhood bullies who will steal your lunch money ...
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 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 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 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 is the slope of a golf course?
A golf course slope is a USGA designated rating number that indicates the difficulty of a specific course for bogey golfers. This number is used to calculate a player’s handicap index. The value is between 55 and 155, and the average standard slope number ranges from 113 to 120. The higher the slope number, the more difficult the golf course is for average golfers.
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. 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.
What Is the Minimum and Maximum Slope Rating?
The minimum established number for a slope rating is 55, while the maximum is 155. The difficulty is proportional with the number, i.e., the lower the slope rating, the less difficult it is. 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.
How to calculate slope rating?
The standard procedure to calculate the slope rating is to multiply the difference between the bogey rating and the USGA score rating. The score you get when the expected good score for a Scratch golfer (a zero handicapper) is multiplied by the expected good score for a bogey golfer (a Mid handicap golfer with a range from 18 to 30).
What is the difference between a slope rating and a course rating?
Therefore, the course rating provides scratch golfers information about the course difficulty, while the slope rating delivers the same information to bogey golfers. In other words, the USGA slope rating indicates the additional playing difficulty of the course for average golfers compared to scratch players. The dominant factor that defines the course difficulty is the golf course rating, not the slope rating.
How to rate a golf course?
When rating the course, the team evaluates the landing area for a bogey golfer the first 200 yards off the tee. They measure the width of the fairway, consider any existing bunkers, and estimate the distance from the fairway center to the nearest boundary/hazard line or trees. The same measurement is applied for scratch golfers, adding 50 yards to the landing area off the tee. The process continues until the team reaches the green. There, the rating team measures the depth and the width of the Putting green, the bunkers and the water hazards, and the distance to the boundary line.
Why is it important to know the slope rating of a golf course?
In addition, the course’s slope rating determines the yardages for the course. A course with very low slopes is going to play longer than a course with very high slopes. This is the primary reason why golf course slope ratings are important to consider when you are buying a new course.
What is a slope chart in golf?
A slope chart golf is a visual representation that graphically shows where a player stands in comparison to the course’s par rating or slope rating.
Why do slope ratings matter in golf?
Why Does Golf Course Slope Ratings Matter? A golf course’s slope rating determines how long your drives will play from one hole to the next. Golfers love courses that have high slopes because it allows their players to get longer drives for less effort.
Why should tees be equally accessible?
Each set of course ratings, operative ratings, and tees should be equally accessible so that it is easy for a player to submit their handicap index to the course handicap and acceptable score in the playing handicap.
Is golf a sport?
Golf is a sport that has been around for centuries. Whether you’re just starting out or have years of experience, this can help you figure out which clubs are best suited to your needs.
Can you use slope rating chart in fairway?
Print it out. Remember, this slope rating chart is only effective for watching the golf course. This chart cannot be used in the fairway or on the green.
What is slope rating?
The Slope Rating measures the difficulty of a golf course for a bogey golfer. The Course Rating and the Slope Rating typically are printed on the scorecard for a golf course.
What factors affect the true playing length of a golf hole?
In addition to the raw length of the hole, the USGA team considers other factors that might affect the "true" playing length of a hole, including the amount of roll, elevation, doglegs or forced lay-ups, prevailing wind direction and altitude . The team also considers a number of potential obstacles, such as sidehill lies, width of fairways, difficulty of hitting the green, difficulty of the rough, bunkers, out-of-bounds areas, water hazards, green speed and the number of obstacles close to a landing area, which the USGA labels the "psychological" factor.
What is the USGA course rating?
A Course Rating measures the difficulty of a golf course and is a crucial component in determining a player's handicap. The Slope Rating measures the difficulty of a golf course for a bogey golfer. The Course Rating and the Slope Rating typically are printed on the scorecard for a golf course.
How many yards does a scratch golfer hit?
A typical scratch golfer, as defined by the USGA, hits 250-yard drives and can reach a 470-yard hole in two strokes. A typical female scratch golfer hits drives 210 yards and can reach a 400-yard hole in two strokes.
What is the rating of a par 70?
If an easy par-70 layout was rated a minus 2.0, the Course Rating would be 68.0. A typical scratch golfer should therefore shoot 75 on the difficult course and 68 on the easy course under good playing conditions.
What is the average slope of a golf course?
The slope values can range anywhere from 55 to 155. The average golf course is 113. This may seem like an odd number for a bogey golfer to have to remember and base their golf round off of. The United States Golf Association came up with these systems, and they work pretty well, but there is undoubtedly a learning curve involved.
What is handicap in golf?
The handicap system allows bogey golfers to have a fair match against scratch golfers, which makes golf such a special and vital sport.
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 happens if you shoot a 74 on a scratch golf course?
If a scratch golfer plays this course and shoots a 74, the player’s handicap differential would still be zero. Therefore the golfer’s handicap index is not going to be adjusted or changed all that much because they were playing a more challenging golf course.
What does a higher course rating mean?
A higher golf course rating means that the course raters have decided that it is much harder for a scratch golfer to shoot par at the golf course. Chances are the course rating is closer to 74 or even 75, and therefore that is what a typical scratch player would shoot.
What is the USGA rating system?
The concept of the USGA course rating system is to help ensure that you can play any golf course and have a good idea of what you are getting yourself involved in.
How is handicap index calculated?
The handicap index is created by calculating an average of 20 score differentials of a player. The score differential is the difference between your adjusted gross score and the course rating. Therefore if you are a golfer that shot 90 on a course with a 72.5 rating, your score differential would be 17.5.
