GolfingNewbies.com -> Handicap

Understanding Your Golf Handicap
Until we are pro, we all have a golf handicap...what is that?

Is it actually possible to reduce your golf handicap to zero without becoming a golf pro? Yes,
it�s possible in theory, but unlikely unless you are either a golf prodigy or you are bent on
joining the pro tour. Here we�ll give you some facts about just what a golf handicap consists
of and how using it can keep your spirits up as you play against golfers better than yourself.In
the United States, the United States Golf Association (USGA) began using what was called a
�handicap� system in the early 1900�s. From its inception, the reason for the golf handicap
system has been to �level the playing field� for golfers whose playing abilities are different,
thus allowing them to compete equally. To see why this was done, imagine the unfair
situation of a golfer with an average score of 91 trying to compete with another golfer with an
average score of 71. It�s just not fair to the golfer who is �handicapped� by a higher average
score to constantly compare their play to the par golfer. In order to make competition fair, an
adjustment factoring system was introduced, known as the golf handicap.

How does a golf handicap work? In a round of golf, when a handicap is being used, the
weaker player may be allowed to deduct a stroke from their score on a particular hole. When
the round of golf is finished, their gross score minus the handicap strokes taken will yield a
net score that can compare favorably with the other players, letting the player who �really�
won get the proper credit for it.

What are the factors that go into computing a golf handicap? When the golf handicap was
first instituted, each golf course was given a course rating, which rated the difficulty of that
course. Simply stated, the course rating is the expected number of strokes, on average, for a
certain set of tees (such as blue, white, red, gold) by the upper-half of scratch golfers. A
scratch golfer is one whose score on a golf course is par or better, or one who plays to the
standard of the qualifiers for the United States Amateur Championship. The USGA rating team
determines, by evaluating a golf course, the effective playing length and the obstacle stroke
value. These are looked at for both scratch and bogey golfers, and for both males and
females. Once the evaluation is completed, the course rating and slope rating are posted at
the golf course. The course rating of a golf course is usually between 67 and 77, which is to
represent the average �good score� by a scratch golfer. In the early 1980�s, another rating
system was introduced which joins the course rating in determining the difficulty of a golf
course. This is called the slope rating. Following is a narrative of the actual calculation
process.

The slope rating is a number stating the relative difficulty of a course for bogey golfers as
compared to the course rating.� A bogey golfer is one whose golf handicap index is between
17.5 and 22.4 for males and between 21.5 and 26.4 for females.� When a golf course is given a
�bogey rating�, this is the average number of strokes a bogey golfer will take to play the
course.� To calculate the slope rating, the USGA course rating is deducted from the bogey
rating for the course and the result is multiplied by 5.381 for males or 4.24 for females.� The
slope rating might range from a low of 55 to a high of 155.� Generally, a slope rating of 113 is
set for a golf course with average difficulty.

To figure your golf handicap differential, subtract the course rating that is posted for the golf
course from your gross score for the round.� Multiply that difference by 113 (the slope rating
for a golf course of average difficulty) divided by the slope rating for the course.� Then, to
calculate your golf handicap index, use the average of the best 10 handicap differentials of
your past 20 rounds of golf, times the value of 0.96, with the result truncated at one decimal
place.� How do these handicap values help you figure your golf handicap for your round of
golf?� Just figure the course handicap by multiplying your golf handicap index by the posted
slope rating for the course, divided by 113.� The resulting figure, after rounding to the nearest
whole number, is your round�s golf handicap.� Deduct this number of strokes from your gross
score to get your adjusted gross score, your �real� score for the round, the one you want to
use for comparison with the adjusted gross scores of other players in your round of golf.� This
will determine the �real� winner of the round, which is not necessarily the one with the
lowest gross score.

Now that we know how a golf handicap is computed, what can be done to reduce it? As we
can see from the explanation above of how the golf handicap system works, we should all
work towards becoming a scratch golfer, who is an amateur with a handicap of zero,
meaning that they always play par golf or under-par golf. See the golf swing page and the
golf tutoring page, as well as the golf courses page for more information on how to get that
golf handicap down towards zero. After all, don�t we all want to become scratch golfers? I
know I do�