How to Calculate Your Golf Handicap
A basic description of the golf handicap calculation. Easy enough for a beginner to understand, includes some of the details that a more advanced golfer would want to know. Brought to you by the folks at MyScorecard.com
The USGA Golf Handicap Calculation
The Basics
A golf handicap is a way for you to measure yourself against other golfers. Using handicaps, you can figure out the number of strokes to give each other to create an even match, making your rounds more interesting and fun. As well, you can use your handicap to track your performance over time, and gauge your improvement on the course.
We will describe the basic calculation using five scores below. We'll then talk about the more advanced parts of the handicap calculation, in particular how it changes when you have more than 5 scores.
There are two basic steps in the calculation:
1) Adjust the scores for differences in difficulty of the courses you played (because if you shot a 90 on an easy course and on a hard course, those really aren't the same scores). To do so, we use two measures of course difficulty, called the course rating and slope (explanations on how those are calcuated are in a different lens).
Take each score, subtract out the rating, and multiply by 113 / slope. This adjusted number is called the "Differential". For example, if you shot a 100 on a course with rating of 70 and slope of 120, your differential would be (100 - 70) * 113/120, or 28.2
2) Find the lowest of the 5 differentials, and multiply by 0.96. In the case of our example above, if 28.2 was your differential, then your handicap would be 27.1.
It's easy! Try it for yourself and calculate your handicap from your last five scores.
We will describe the basic calculation using five scores below. We'll then talk about the more advanced parts of the handicap calculation, in particular how it changes when you have more than 5 scores.
There are two basic steps in the calculation:
1) Adjust the scores for differences in difficulty of the courses you played (because if you shot a 90 on an easy course and on a hard course, those really aren't the same scores). To do so, we use two measures of course difficulty, called the course rating and slope (explanations on how those are calcuated are in a different lens).
Take each score, subtract out the rating, and multiply by 113 / slope. This adjusted number is called the "Differential". For example, if you shot a 100 on a course with rating of 70 and slope of 120, your differential would be (100 - 70) * 113/120, or 28.2
2) Find the lowest of the 5 differentials, and multiply by 0.96. In the case of our example above, if 28.2 was your differential, then your handicap would be 27.1.
It's easy! Try it for yourself and calculate your handicap from your last five scores.
The USGA Handicap Formula
The Advanced Version
Well, it's not quite so easy. The above gets you into the right ballpark, but the actual formula is a bit more complicated. At MyScorecard, we take care of these calculations and adjustments for you, which is just one of the ways we provide value to our members:
1) You use more scores. The most accurate formula uses your best 10 differentials out of your last 20. That is, it uses the 50% best scores. When you have 5 scores, you only use the best 20%, which means that you tend to underestimate your handicap with fewer scores.
2) You adjust for tournaments scores. Because you have more incentive to play to your real ability in tournaments (as opposed to sandbagging), the handicap places special emphasis on tournament scores. If your tournament scores are too low relative to your other games, a special adjustment is made to reduce your handicap
3) You need to combine 9-hole rounds. If you play 9-hole rounds, you need to combine them into 18-hole rounds, as long as they were both in your last 20 games played
4) You need to re-adjust your handicap when you play a round at a course. The number calculated above is called your handicap index, and is course-independent. When you actually play a round, you need to adjust the number for the difficulty of the course.
To be accurate and useful you need to ensure that all the above adjustments are made. Beware of handicap calculators that don't do the above, not only do they not conform to the USGA formula, they may give your opponent an undeserved advantage when playing against you!
1) You use more scores. The most accurate formula uses your best 10 differentials out of your last 20. That is, it uses the 50% best scores. When you have 5 scores, you only use the best 20%, which means that you tend to underestimate your handicap with fewer scores.
2) You adjust for tournaments scores. Because you have more incentive to play to your real ability in tournaments (as opposed to sandbagging), the handicap places special emphasis on tournament scores. If your tournament scores are too low relative to your other games, a special adjustment is made to reduce your handicap
3) You need to combine 9-hole rounds. If you play 9-hole rounds, you need to combine them into 18-hole rounds, as long as they were both in your last 20 games played
4) You need to re-adjust your handicap when you play a round at a course. The number calculated above is called your handicap index, and is course-independent. When you actually play a round, you need to adjust the number for the difficulty of the course.
To be accurate and useful you need to ensure that all the above adjustments are made. Beware of handicap calculators that don't do the above, not only do they not conform to the USGA formula, they may give your opponent an undeserved advantage when playing against you!
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