Miles Bennett
Golf's slope rating is a measure of how much harder a course is for non-scratch golfers. It is a key number within the World Handicap System, which is used to calculate a player's course handicap. The higher the slope rating, the more difficult the course will be for a bogey golfer. A slope of 113 is considered average, meaning the course plays the same for any golfer. If a course has a higher slope rating, it will be harder for a bogey golfer than a scratch golfer. The slope rating takes into account the expected good score for a bogey golfer (handicap in the range of 20-24) and the expected good score for a scratch golfer (zero handicap).
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To measure the relative difficulty of a golf course for a bogey golfer compared to a scratch golfer. |
| Calculation | Based on the difference between the course rating and bogey rating. |
| Course rating | The expected score for a scratch golfer (zero handicap). |
| Bogey rating | The expected score for a bogey golfer (handicap in the range of 20-24). |
| Range | From 55 to 155, with the average being 113. |
| Impact | Used by handicapping systems to equalize the field by accounting for the likelihood that higher-handicap players' scores will rise more quickly on more difficult courses. |
| Formula | Handicap Index x Slope Rating/113 + (Course Rating - Par) |
| Course selection | Slope rating can help golfers determine how hard a course is and whether it suits their skill level. |
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What You'll Learn
How is golf slope rating calculated?
Golf slope rating is a fundamental element of the World Handicap System (WHS) that helps determine a player's course handicap. It is calculated using two key numbers: the Course Rating and the Bogey Rating.
The Course Rating evaluates the playing difficulty of a golf course for a scratch player (0 handicap). It considers more than 460 variables, including the actual measured length of the course, factors affecting the playing length, and other challenges that influence the playing difficulty of each hole, known as "obstacle factors". For example, the presence of crossing obstacles that require long carries, narrow fairways with nearby trees, penalty areas, rough or bunkers.
The Bogey Rating, on the other hand, assesses the difficulty of the course for a bogey player with a handicap of 20-24. Both the Course and Bogey Ratings are calculated using the USGA Course Rating System, which takes into account various factors such as effective playing length, course altitude, firmness, and the type and difficulty of obstacles.
To calculate the Slope Rating for a specific player, the following formula can be used: Handicap Index x (Slope Rating/113) + (Course Rating - Par). In this formula, 113 is considered an average slope rating and is used as a baseline to determine how a player's handicap changes from course to course. By dividing the Slope Rating by 113, a ratio is created that represents how much harder the course is for non-scratch golfers. For example, a course with a 121 slope rating would have a ratio of 121/113, indicating that it is 7% harder for non-scratch golfers.
The Slope Rating helps golfers understand the relative difficulty of a course for their skill level. While the Course Rating measures the overall difficulty of a course, the Slope Rating focuses on the difference in difficulty between expert and less-skilled players. This information can be found on the scorecard of a course rated by the United States Golf Association.
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What is the average golf slope rating?
The average golf slope rating is 113. This number is used to determine how your handicap travels from course to course. A slope rating of 113 means the course plays the same for any golfer.
The slope rating is a key number within the World Handicap System (WHS) that is part of the calculation used for determining a player's course handicap. The higher the slope rating, the more difficult the course is for a bogey golfer relative to a scratch golfer.
The course rating is the evaluation of the playing difficulty of a golf course for a scratch player (0 handicap). The bogey rating is the evaluation of the difficulty of a course for a bogey golfer of 20-24 handicap. The course and bogey ratings are used to determine the slope rating.
The slope rating is not simply the overall difficulty of a course but the difference in difficulty between a scratch player and a less-skilled player. The course rating for players on easier courses will be closer together.
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How does slope rating differ from course rating?
The course rating and slope rating are two different metrics used in golf to indicate the difficulty of a course. The course rating measures the difficulty of a course for a "par" or "scratch" golfer, i.e., a golfer with a handicap of 0. The slope rating, on the other hand, measures the relative difficulty of a course for non-scratch golfers compared to scratch golfers.
The course rating is a fairly simple metric to understand, as it is measured in strokes. For example, if a course has a par of 72, the course rating might be 71.4, indicating that a scratch golfer is expected to shoot around 71.4 on the course. The number goes up with the difficulty of the course.
The slope rating is more complex and is calculated using two key numbers: the course rating and the bogey rating. The bogey rating is the evaluation of the difficulty of a course for a bogey player with a handicap of 20-24. The USGA Course Rating System considers more than 460 variables on a standard course rating, including the actual measured length of the course, factors affecting the playing length, and other challenges that influence the playing difficulty of each hole, such as obstacles, narrow fairways, bunkers, etc.
The slope rating creates a ratio of how much harder the course is for non-scratch golfers. For example, if a course has a slope rating of 121, it creates a ratio of 121/113, which means it is 7% harder for non-scratch golfers. So, if a 20-handicap index player plays on a course rated 72, their handicap for that course would be increased by 7% to 21, making it one stroke harder than a scratch player.
While the course rating measures the overall difficulty of a course, the slope rating focuses on the difference in difficulty between a scratch player and a less-skilled player. This is important because scratch players generally have more accuracy, carry the ball farther, and are more predictable with their misses, allowing them to perform better on more difficult courses. As a result, the course ratings for players on easier courses will be closer together.
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How does slope rating impact a player's handicap?
The slope rating of a golf course is a measure of its difficulty for a bogey golfer (handicap in the range of 20-24) compared to a scratch golfer (zero handicap). It is used by handicapping systems to equalise the field by accounting for the likelihood that, when playing on more difficult courses, higher-handicap players' scores will rise more quickly than their handicaps would otherwise predict. The term was invented by the United States Golf Association (USGA) in 1979, with the aim of developing their handicap system to account for variances in golf course difficulty for golfers of different abilities.
The Slope Rating is calculated as a multiple of the difference between the expected good score for a bogey golfer (the bogey rating) and the expected good score for a scratch golfer (the USGA Course Rating). The course and bogey ratings are determined by course raters, who measure and record more than 460 variables on a standard course rating form for each set of tees. These variables include the actual measured length of a golf course, factors that can affect the playing length of the course, and other challenges that influence the playing difficulty of each hole, known as 'obstacle factors'. For example, do any crossing obstacles demand long carries? Are the fairways particularly narrow, with trees, penalty areas, rough, or bunkers in close proximity?
Slope ratings are in the range of 55 to 155, with a course of standard playing difficulty having a rating of 113. The higher the slope rating, the more difficult the course will be for a bogey golfer compared to a scratch golfer. This means that a higher slope rating will result in a higher handicap for a bogey golfer, as their scores are expected to rise more quickly on a more difficult course.
To determine a player's course handicap, they must multiply their handicap index by the slope rating of the course, divide that number by 113, and then add the course rating. For example, if a player has a handicap index of 10.0 and is playing on a course with a slope rating of 125 and a course rating of 71.8, their course handicap would be 12.86. This calculation can also be done using the USGA's course handicap calculator or their app.
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How does slope rating account for course difficulty?
The slope rating of a golf course is a measure of its difficulty for a bogey golfer (handicap in the range of 20-24) compared to a scratch golfer (zero handicap). It is used to equalise the field by accounting for the likelihood that, when playing on more difficult courses, higher-handicap players' scores will rise more quickly than their handicaps would otherwise predict. The slope rating doesn't measure the overall difficulty of the course like the course rating does. Rather, it is a number that defines the difference between how a course plays for expert players versus less skilled players.
Slope ratings are calculated as a multiple of the difference between the expected good score for a bogey golfer (called the bogey rating) and the expected good score for a scratch golfer (called the USGA course rating). The course and bogey ratings are determined by course raters, who measure and record more than 460 variables on a standard course rating form for each set of tees. These variables include the actual measured length of a golf course, factors that can affect the playing length of the course, and other challenges that influence the playing difficulty of each hole, called "obstacle factors". For example, do any crossing obstacles demand long carries? Are the fairways particularly narrow with trees, penalty areas, rough, or bunkers in close proximity?
The higher the slope rating, the more difficult the course will be for a bogey golfer. A slope of 113 is considered average and means the course plays the same for any golfer. If a course has a slope rating higher than 113, it is relatively more difficult for a bogey golfer than a scratch golfer. For example, a course with a slope rating of 121 creates a ratio of 121/113, meaning it is 7% harder for non-scratch golfers. So, if a 20-handicap index player plays on such a course, their handicap for that course would be increased by 7% to 21, meaning they are playing one stroke harder than a scratch player.
To determine a player's course handicap, they can divide the slope rating of the course by 113 and then multiply that number by their handicap index. They can then add the course rating and subtract the par for those tees to get their course handicap.
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Frequently asked questions
A golf slope rating is a measure of how much harder a course is for a non-scratch golfer. It is a number that defines the difference in difficulty between an expert player and a less-skilled player.
A golf slope rating is calculated as a multiple of the difference between the expected good score for a bogey golfer (handicap in the range of 20 to 24) and the expected good score for a scratch golfer (zero handicap). The course and bogey ratings are determined by course raters, who measure and record several variables on a standard course rating form for each set of tees.
A standard golf slope rating is 113, which means the course plays the same for any golfer. A slope rating of over 130 will generally be difficult for the mid-handicap golfer.
