What is the difference between Handicap Index and Course Handicap?

Your Handicap Index is a single portable number that reflects your demonstrated ability, the same wherever you go. The Course Handicap converts that index for a specific set of tees, adjusting for how hard those tees play, and tells you how many strokes you actually receive that round.

What formula does the World Handicap System use?

Course Handicap equals Handicap Index times slope rating divided by 113, plus course rating minus par. The 113 is the slope of a course of standard difficulty, and the course-rating-minus-par term adjusts for tees that are easier or harder than par implies.

Why include course rating minus par?

Slope alone scales for relative difficulty to a bogey golfer, but course rating reflects difficulty for a scratch golfer versus par. Adding course rating minus par makes the Course Handicap accurate across tees where the rating differs from par, which the 2020 WHS update standardised.

What is a slope rating and what range is normal?

Slope rating measures how much harder a course plays for a bogey golfer than for a scratch golfer. It ranges from 55 to 155, with 113 being a course of standard difficulty. Higher slope means you receive more strokes relative to your index.

Do I round the Course Handicap?

Yes. Under the World Handicap System the Course Handicap is rounded to the nearest whole number, with 0.5 rounding up. This tool shows both the exact unrounded value and the official rounded figure you play to.

Golf Course Handicap Calculator

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Your Handicap Index is portable, but the number of strokes you actually receive depends on the tees you play. This tool applies the official World Handicap System formula to convert your Index into a Course Handicap for any set of tees, so you know exactly how many strokes you get before the round.

How it works

The World Handicap System Course Handicap formula is:

Course Handicap = Handicap Index × (Slope Rating / 113) + (Course Rating − Par)

The slope-over-113 term scales your index for how much harder the tees play for a bogey golfer, where 113 is a course of standard difficulty. The course-rating-minus-par term adjusts for tees whose scratch difficulty differs from par. The result is rounded to the nearest whole number, with 0.5 rounding up.

Example and tips

A golfer with a Handicap Index of 14.2 playing tees with a slope of 128, a course rating of 71.3, and a par of 72 gets:

14.2 × (128 / 113) + (71.3 − 72) = 16.08 − 0.70 = 15.38 → 15 strokes

Always read the slope, course rating, and par off the specific tee you are playing — they change markedly between forward and back tees. If your competition uses a handicap allowance, such as 95 percent for individual stroke play, apply that to the Course Handicap afterward to get your Playing Handicap.