Course Handicap Calculator
Enter your handicap index and course information to calculate your course handicap
Understanding the Golf Handicap System
The golf handicap system allows players of different skill levels to compete fairly against each other. Whether you're a scratch golfer or just starting out, understanding how handicaps work is essential for fair competition and tracking your improvement.
The USGA Handicap Formula
- Handicap Index: Your portable handicap number (0-54)
- Slope Rating: Course difficulty for bogey golfers (55-155, standard is 113)
- Course Rating: Expected score for a scratch golfer
- Par: The standard score for the course (usually 70-72)
How Strokes Are Allocated
Once you know your course handicap, strokes are distributed across holes based on the hole handicap rating printed on every scorecard. Holes rated 1-18 from hardest to easiest:
Example: 10 Handicap
You get 1 stroke on holes with handicap rating 1-10 (the 10 hardest holes)
Example: 22 Handicap
You get 1 stroke on all 18 holes, plus an extra stroke on holes rated 1-4 (the 4 hardest)
Net Score vs Gross Score
Your gross score is the actual number of strokes you took. Your net score is your gross score minus the handicap strokes you received. Net scoring is what makes handicap-based competitions fair.
Example Net Score Calculation
Hole 3 (Par 4, Hole Handicap 5): You score 6 (gross) and have a course handicap of 10.
Since hole handicap 5 ≤ your course handicap 10, you get 1 stroke.
Net Score = 6 - 1 = 5