Handicapping... How and why to do it right.

Handicapping has been around in golf for a long time but the system has taken a dramatic change over the last few years. It used to be really easy to figure out ones handicap. A golfer would just take his score for a round, subtract par for that course and presto, he would have a handicap for that round. That handicap could be averaged with other rounds to get a better idea of where he stood as a golfer. That was fine and good if a golfer planned on playing the same course for the rest of his life, but what would happen if he entered an outing on a much more difficult course than the one he always played? His handicap would not reflect how easy his course was and he would most likely lose badly on a tougher course. This is precisely why the slope rating system was invented and why a new handicapping procedure had to be found.
So we at USGolfer.net have decided to give you the golfer, the formula so you can find your authentic handicap, the handicap that is yours and yours alone. We will show you how to switch from the old handicap to the new and improved Handicap Index.

So here goes, the first thing to calculate is your Handicap Differential for each round (your course and Slope Ratings will vary from course to course):

Gross Score minus the Course Rating: 93 - 71.2 = 21.8

Take that Difference times 113(the Slope Rating of a standard difficulty course): 21.8 x 113 = 2463.4

That Result Divided by the Course’s Slope Rating: 2463.4 / 129 = 19.09612

Handicap Differential (rounded): 19.1

The next step is to take the best 10 Handicap Differentials of the most recent 20 scores to determine a Handicap Index. This is the recommended number of scores from the USGA but you can still get an official USGA handicap with as few as five scores. This calculation is based on the best 10 out of 20 however:

Total of the lowest 10 Handicap Differentials: 182.1

Average (182.1/10): 18.21

Multiply by .96 (some ratio that makes the handicaps equitable for all players): 17.4816

That number is deleted after the tenths digit: 17.4

The Handicap Index is 17.4

This is how the USGA does it and it really helps when a player is playing a tougher course. So feel free to try it. It’s not that painful. Plus you’ll liable to do better in your next league or outing. Good Luck and keep your head down!

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