Golf Handicap Calculator
Calculate your golf handicap index based on your recent scores. This calculator follows the USGA and R&A handicap system rules for accurate calculations. Enter your scores, course ratings, and slope ratings below to compute your handicap.
Handicap Results
Your handicap index will appear here after calculation.
About the Golf Handicap Calculator
Our golf handicap calculator computes your handicap index based on the World Handicap System (WHS) used by the USGA and R&A. The handicap index measures a golfer's potential ability and allows players of different skill levels to compete fairly against each other.
How to Use the Calculator
- Select the number of scores you want to include (minimum 5, maximum 20)
- Enter your scores along with the course rating and slope rating for each round
- Click "Calculate Handicap" to compute your handicap index
- View your results and the chart showing your score differentials
How Golf Handicap is Calculated
The handicap index calculation follows these steps:
- For each score, calculate the Score Differential using the formula:
Differential = (Score - Course Rating) × 113 / Slope Rating - Select the lowest differentials based on the number of scores entered:
- 5-6 scores: lowest 1 differential
- 7-8 scores: lowest 2 differentials
- 9-10 scores: lowest 3 differentials
- 11-12 scores: lowest 4 differentials
- 13-14 scores: lowest 5 differentials
- 15-16 scores: lowest 6 differentials
- 17-18 scores: lowest 7 differentials
- 19-20 scores: lowest 8 differentials
- Average the selected differentials
- Multiply the average by 0.96 (the "bonus for excellence" factor)
- Truncate the result to one decimal place to get the Handicap Index
Understanding Course Rating and Slope Rating
Course Rating: This number represents the expected score for a scratch golfer (handicap 0) under normal course and weather conditions. It's typically between 67 and 77.
Slope Rating: This measures the relative difficulty of a course for bogey golfers compared to scratch golfers. The slope rating ranges from 55 to 155, with 113 being the standard difficulty.
Handicap Index vs. Course Handicap
Your Handicap Index is a portable number that represents your potential ability. To determine how many strokes you get on a specific course, you need to calculate your Course Handicap:
Course Handicap = Handicap Index × (Slope Rating / 113) + (Course Rating - Par)
This calculator provides your Handicap Index. To get your Course Handicap for a specific course, you'll need to perform this additional calculation with that course's rating and slope.