Golf handicap chart
A course handicap is your Handicap Index multiplied by the slope rating divided by 113, plus the course rating minus par, rounded to the nearest whole number. A 14.2 index on a course rated 72.8 with a slope of 131 plays off 17; on a slope of 113 with the rating at par it plays off 14.
The chart by slope
The slope rating scales your index up on a hard course and down on an easy one, with 113 as the neutral value. This chart holds the course rating at par so the slope effect stands alone; the second chart below adds the rating.
Course handicap by index and slope
Course rating equal to par. Read across for your slope.
| Index | Slope 105 | Slope 113 | Slope 120 | Slope 128 | Slope 135 | Slope 145 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4.0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| 8.0 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 |
| 12.0 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 |
| 16.0 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 21 |
| 20.0 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 26 |
| 24.0 | 22 | 24 | 25 | 27 | 29 | 31 |
| 28.0 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 33 | 36 |
| 32.0 | 30 | 32 | 34 | 36 | 38 | 41 |
| 36.0 | 33 | 36 | 38 | 41 | 43 | 46 |
The chart by tee
A longer tee carries both a higher slope and a higher rating, so the same index is worth more strokes there. These are typical values; the card at the course carries the real ones.
Course handicap by tee for three indexes
| Tee | Slope | Rating | Index 10.0 | Index 18.0 | Index 26.0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Championship | 138 | 74.2 | 14 | 24 | 34 |
| Back | 132 | 72.4 | 12 | 21 | 31 |
| Middle | 125 | 70.6 | 10 | 19 | 27 |
| Forward | 118 | 68.4 | 7 | 15 | 24 |
The formula, worked
Index 14.2, slope 131, course rating 72.8, par 72: 14.2 × 131 ÷ 113 = 16.46, plus 72.8 − 72 = 0.8, gives 17.26, which rounds to 17. The playing handicap then applies the format allowance: 100 percent in singles stroke play, 85 percent in four ball stroke play, 50 percent in foursomes.
The index itself is the average of your lowest eight Score Differentials from your last twenty rounds, and a differential is (score − course rating) × 113 ÷ slope. The system issues indexes up to 54.0, so a beginner can hold a real handicap from their first three cards.
In PinFlag
A handicap says how many strokes you get; it cannot say where you lose them. PinFlag measures the shots: every one you log is priced in strokes gained against the published baselines, and the benchmark lenses reprice the same shots against a handicap level table so a 14 reads gains and losses on a 14’s scale. Score Killers then names the mistake that decided the card.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert my Handicap Index to a course handicap?
What is a course handicap for a 20 index on a 130 slope?
What does a slope rating of 113 mean?
What is the highest handicap index?
Which golf app does this on the course?
Related
Sources
- World Handicap System, Wikipedia
- Handicap (golf), Wikipedia
- Mark Broadie, Columbia Business School (Wikidata entity)
- How PinFlag calculates strokes gained
Every figure on this page is computed from the published baselines, the same ones PinFlag prices your shots with. The scope of the figures: The chart applies the published World Handicap System formula; the tee rows use typical slope and rating values, and the card at the course carries the real ones.
Get PinFlag for iPhone
PinFlag shows you this number on the course, for the shot in front of you, before you swing: any target priced with your own dispersion and the lie read from the course map, your real shots drawn on the hole, and two taps to log. Golfer is $14.99 a month or $99.99 a year, with a 14-day trial on the annual plan through the App Store.