Slope Rating [Infographic]
- 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.
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.
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 are the top 100 golf courses in the US?
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What are the best golf courses in the US?
The Top 20 Golf Courses in the United States in 2019
- Pine Valley Golf Club Pine Valley, New Jersey. One of the most important golf courses in the United States is the Pine Valley Golf Club course. ...
- National Golf Links of America, Long Island, The Hamptons, New York. ...
- Cypress Point Club, Pebble Beach, California. ...
- Merion Golf Club East Course Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ...
What is the slope of an average golf course?
120The 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.
What is the Course Rating in golf?
Course Rating indicates the difficulty of a course for a “par” or scratch golfer. For example, if a course has a par of 72, the Course Rating might be 71.4. This is the score the scratch golfer is expected to shoot on the course. The number goes up with the difficulty of the course.
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.
How do you determine Course Rating and slope?
Course Ratings represent the difficulty of a golf course for the scratch player under normal conditions. Slope Ratings represent the difference in difficulty for all other players, compared to the scratch player. Course Ratings are carried out by qualified teams, and assume normal course and weather conditions.
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 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 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 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 does the slope mean in golf?
Q. What is a Slope Rating® and what does it represent? A. 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.
How are course ratings calculated?
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.
What is a good score differential in golf?
A Score Differential must be an 18-hole value or its calculated equivalent. (See Rule 5.1.) A Score Differential which is at least 7.0 strokes better than the player's Handicap Index at the time the round was played (see Rule 5.9).
What is the minimum slope rating for a 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).
What is slope 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. To put it another way: USGA Course Rating ...
What is the 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). The higher the slope, the more difficult the course is. 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. Some do, but the real-world average is higher than 113. (However, a slope of 113 is still used in certain calculations within the handicap system.)
What is USGA course rating?
USGA Course Rating is an evaluation of the difficulty of a golf course for scratch golfers. (More specifically, the number is an estimate of the average scores of the best 50-percent of rounds played by scratch golfers at the course being rated.) Course rating is very easy to understand because it is expressed in strokes.
What is the average stroke rating of a par 72?
Course rating is very easy to understand because it is expressed in strokes. A par-72 course that is easy might have a course rating of 68.9; one that is difficult might have a course rating of 74.5. That means that a scratch golfer should be expected to average 68.9 strokes in his better rounds at the easier course;
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.
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 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 affects final score in scramble tournaments?
Course and slope rating can impact final scores in scramble tournament play.
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 a Course Rating?
This scorecard shows the course rating (first number) and slope rating (second number) for each set of tees at a course.
What is the average scratch golf score?
It turns out that that statistically, no matter how easy or hard a course is, scratch golfers will almost always shoot in the high 60’s to low 70’s. While this might not seem like a big deal, having a very narrow spread of scores even on courses that are much easier or harder than average ones creates a rating that underestimates changes in course difficulties for the rest of the golfing population. However, they also realized that this phenomenon was the exact opposite for mid-high handicap golfers. While one course might only play slightly harder in the eyes of a scratch golfer, less proficient golfers might find their scores to be significantly higher on this new, harder course.
How to calculate handicap for a course?
If you’re interested in calculating your handicap for a particular course, multiply your handicap by the course rating divided by 113. This will adjust your handicap to the difficulty of the course.
Can physical change cancel out ratings?
These two factors of change, both physical change and increased experience, frequently work against each other and often times nearly cancel out most changes in ratings, however, the possibility is always there. Although many of us spend very little time considering the ratings of courses we play, looking at courses through a different lens, such as how a scratch versus bogey golfer might play a hole, is actually a great way to improve your course management skills.
Is 72 a good slope rating for scratch golf?
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. 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 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 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.
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).
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.
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 Exactly is a Golf Course Rating in Golf?
A golf course rating is a score that is established by a USGA official in order to ascertain the difficulty of a particular golf course. In America, golf courses are rated in regard to their difficulty for scratch and bogey golfers, and a slope rating is then expressed.
What is Considered a Good Golf Course Rating?
Describing a golf course rating as ‘good’ is a bit of a misnomer, as the measure is concerned with determining the difficulty of a particular course, not necessarily the quality. As such, you should treat golf course rating as a measure of how easy or difficult the course will be for you to play.
How is a Golf Course Rating Calculated?
The rating of a golf course is calculated by taking into consideration the various aspects, hazards, and layout of the course in question. Once the various factors are calculated, a numerical value is attributed to the course based on the overall difficulty of the golf course.
Is a Higher Course Rating Harder?
Yes, the higher a course is rated, the harder it is. The responsibility for rating a golf course falls with a team from the golf association within a particular area. This is important, as the team follows the stringent monitoring format expressed by the USGA.
