- Course and slope rating are both used in determining a handicap differential.
- The course rating is an estimated average score for a scratch golfer. It’s usually a number between 67 and 77.
- Slope Rating is also an estimated average, but it’s for what an average or bogey golfer would shoot on that course.
Full Answer
What does slope rating really mean for a golf course?
The slope rating of a golf course is a measure of its difficulty for bogey golfers. The term comes from the likelihood that when playing on more difficult courses, players’ scores will rise more quickly than their handicaps would predict. The “slope rating” of a course thus predicts that rise.
Which golf course has the highest slope rating?
- Red Ledges Golf Club (Heber, UT), 151 slope
- Royal Isabela (Isabela, PR), 151 slope
- Sebonack Golf Club (Southampton, NY), 151 slope
- Pronghorn Golf Club (Nicklaus) (Bend, OR), 151 slope
- Old Corkscrew Golf Course (Estero, FL), 151 slope
How do you calculate slope in golf?
- Hole 3, Par 4, it is one of the most famous holes of the Portuguese Golf, with view to the Atlantic Ocean, its picture was used for many years to ...
- Hole 4, Par 3, played over a natural ravine to a quite demanding Green.
- Hole 13, Par 3, you play over a big lake to an elevated green well protected with 4 bunkers.
What does course rating and course slope really mean?
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 is slope vs rating?
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 is slope and 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. Course rating tells scratch golfers how difficult the golf course will be; slope rating tells bogey golfers how difficult it will be.
What is a good slope rating?
The higher the Slope Rating, the harder the course is for the bogey golfer, relative to the difficulty of the course for the scratch golfer. Slope Ratings can range anywhere between 55 and 155, with the average slope rating in the United States being approximately 120.
What does a higher slope rating mean in golf?
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.
Is 122 slope rating hard?
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.
How does slope rating affect my handicap?
All players perform differently on the same course. will generally find more challenges with distance, accuracy and obstacles than the scratch player. and Slope Ratings allow the handicap system to reflect this, enabling golfers of differing abilities to play together and have a fair and enjoyable game.
What is the slope at Augusta National?
The 18-hole "Augusta National" course at the Augusta National Golf Club facility in Augusta, Georgia features 7,270 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 72. The course rating is 74.0 and it has a slope rating of 135 on Bermuda grass.
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
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 slope rating of Pebble Beach?
145Pebble Beach Golf LinksClub informationPar72 (71 - U.S. Open)Length7,075 yards (6,469 m)Course rating75.5 (U.S. Open)Slope rating14516 more rows
What golf tees should I play from?
The championship tees (back tees) are for low-handicap men. 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 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 the scramble format?
Course and slope rating, as well as handicap, are taken into account during the popular "scramble" format, which is often used during corporate and charity golf events. Typically, upon completion of the event, a golfer's handicap is deducted from their final score.
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 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 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 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.
Who is Brent Kelley?
Brent Kelley is an award-winning sports journalist and golf expert with over 30 years in print and online journalism. 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.
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).
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 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 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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 a course rating?
The Course Rating is a number, close to par for the course, and is expressed with a single decimal digit. For example: If par for a course is 72, it's Course Rating might be 71.4. Rating values go up with difficulty. Actually, for any given golf course, you can expect to see three (or even more) values for the Course Rating.
What is course slope?
Course Slope is a creation of The United States Golf Association and has been licensed to the Royal Canadian Golf Association. Courses outside of the United States and Canada (and their protectorates) will probably not have a Slope rating.
Is slope a measure of difficulty?
The Slope is actually not a measure of a course's difficulty. That's the responsibility of The Rating figure. The Slope is a measure of how much difference a course's difficulty is for the average bogey golfer compared to the scratch golfer. Allow us to illustrate what this means.
Did the USGA notice the 1980s?
In the 1980s, The USGA noticed this too. Statistically, they could show that no matter how easy or difficult a course was, the very best of golfers will still shoot a score close to par. But they also noticed that the scores of less-proficient golfers were more strongly affected by the difficulty of a golf course.
Is Course 3 a bogey course?
But Course 3 is extra difficult for bogey golfers. Perhaps this is a very long course, one that won't faze professionals. But the added length may prove too much for the typical bogey golfer. When we look at their scores, we find that the average is close to 92.
When was the handicap system revised?
And so, the handicap system was revised in the late 1980s to include a second figure to describe the difficulty of a golf course. This figure is known as The Slope.
Can a computer detect trends?
But nowadays a computer can detect trends for a given course even if those trends change as subtly as a glacier over time. When the computer detects that a given course is playing "differently" than it has in the past, the computer flags that course for further scrutiny. Of course, there are obvious triggers.