How to Calculate Handicap

Use the tools below to calculate either your Handicap Differential for a specific round or your Course Handicap for your next game.

1. Calculate Score Differential

Use this to find out how well you played relative to the course difficulty.

2. Calculate Course Handicap

Use this to determine how many strokes you get on a specific course.

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How to Calculate Your Golf Handicap: A Complete Guide

A golf handicap is a numerical measure of a golfer's potential, used to enable players of different abilities to compete against one another. Since the implementation of the World Handicap System (WHS), calculating your handicap involves specific variables like Course Rating and Slope Rating.

The Handicap Differential Formula

The first step in establishing a handicap is calculating the "Differential" for every round you play. The differential represents your performance on a neutral course (one with a slope of 113). The formula is:

Differential = (Adjusted Gross Score – Course Rating) x (113 / Slope Rating)

Key Terms Explained

• Adjusted Gross Score: This is your total score after applying the "Net Double Bogey" maximum for any given hole.
• Course Rating: A number (usually between 67 and 77) that represents the expected score for a scratch golfer.
• Slope Rating: A number (ranging from 55 to 155) that indicates the relative difficulty of a course for a bogey golfer compared to a scratch golfer. 113 is considered standard difficulty.

Calculating Your Handicap Index

Your Handicap Index is the average of your best score differentials. Specifically:

• If you have 20 scores, the index is the average of your 8 best differentials.
• If you have fewer scores, a sliding scale is used (e.g., if you have 5 scores, only the lowest 1 is used).

How to Calculate Course Handicap

When you arrive at a specific golf course, you convert your Handicap Index into a Course Handicap to know how many strokes you receive. The WHS formula is:

Course Handicap = (Handicap Index x (Slope Rating / 113)) + (Course Rating – Par)

Realistic Example

Imagine you have a Handicap Index of 15.0. You are playing a course with a 72.5 Rating, a 132 Slope, and a Par of 72.

1. Multiply Index by (Slope / 113): 15.0 x (132 / 113) = 17.52
2. Add (Rating – Par): 17.52 + (72.5 – 72) = 18.02
3. Round to the nearest whole number: 18

In this scenario, your Course Handicap is 18, meaning you get 1 stroke on every hole.