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Golf Handicap Calculator (Course Handicap and Handicap Index)

Choose what to calculate and enter the numbers. "Course Handicap" gives your handicap for the course you play today; "Handicap Index" works out your playing ability from a history of 3 to 20 rounds.

Course Rating and Slope Rating are printed on the scorecard and on the course's website (the values differ for each set of tees). For a Handicap Index, enter 18-hole scores for at least 3 rounds (a 9-hole score cannot be used as is; in the official system, it is first converted to an 18-hole equivalent). A blank PCC counts as 0, and leave every field blank for rounds you do not use.
Result and graph
Enter your Handicap Index and the course information (or your score history) in the fields on the left and press "Calculate". The result will appear here.

What you can do on this page

  • Enter your Handicap Index and the course information (Course Rating, Slope Rating and par), and you see your Course Handicap for that course on the spot
  • Switch the mode, and it calculates your Handicap Index, the official measure of your playing ability, from a history of 3 to 20 rounds, using the method of the World Handicap System (WHS)
  • A bar graph shows at a glance which rounds were used for your index (darker bars = rounds that count)
  • It also supports the PCC (Playing Conditions Calculation), which adjusts scores on days with bad weather and similar conditions
  • A plain-language explanation of the formulas, the WHS table of how many differentials count, and copy-and-paste formulas for Excel, Google Sheets and Python are all on this page
The formulas on this page follow the World Handicap System, which the USGA runs in the United States. An official Handicap Index is issued through a golf club after you post your scores (in the US, through the USGA's GHIN system), so use this page to understand how it works or to set handicaps for a casual match with friends.

What is this calculation used for?

Playing fair in club events and matches with friends (net score)

The main job of a handicap is to make a match fair between players of different skill. Players are ranked by "net score = gross score − Course Handicap".
For example, a player with an index of 18.4 playing from tees with a Course Rating of 73.5, a Slope Rating of 135 and a par of 71 has a Course Handicap of 24. If they shoot a gross 96, their net score is \(96 - 24 = 72\), so they can compete on equal terms with a low-handicap player. This is why golf is not a game that only the best players can win.

Setting a realistic target score on a new course

Your Course Handicap is also "how many strokes over par you can take on that course". On a par-72 course with a Course Handicap of 12, \(72 + 12 = 84\) is your own "par".
Even on a course you have never played, you can set a realistic goal like "84 today, 42 on each nine". That helps you avoid risky shots that lead to big numbers, and it helps you plan how to play the course.

Tracking your progress over time

Your Handicap Index averages only your best rounds, so it is not pulled around by an occasional bad round, and real improvement shows up clearly in the number. Like "my index was 20 six months ago and is 15 now", you can follow it as a steadier yardstick of your ability than your average score.
If you record your differential after every round, you can also see which rounds are in your best 8, which is good motivation to practice.

Comparing how hard courses and tees are

The standard Slope Rating is 113, and the higher the number, the tougher the course is for an average golfer. For example, you can expect bigger numbers on a course with a Slope Rating of 135 than on one with 121.
Course Rating and Slope Rating are printed on the scorecard and on the course's website, and they differ for each set of tees (back, middle and forward) even on the same course. They are a handy yardstick when choosing a course on a trip or the tees that suit you.

Checking whether you can enter a competition

Club championships and other events sometimes limit entry, such as "Handicap Index of 15.0 or lower". If you know how your index is calculated, you can work out what scores you need to post to qualify.
Note that an official index is issued under the USGA Rules of Handicapping (or the rules of your national golf association) after you post scores through a golf club. Use the results on this page as a guide based on the same formulas.

Formulas and graphs

Course Handicap (your handicap for today's course)
Graph
Standard notation (the usual math form)
\(\mathit{CH}\) \(=\) \(\mathit{HI}\) \(\times\) \(S\) \(\div\) \(113\) \(+\) \((\) \(\mathit{CR}\) \(-\) \(P\) \()\)
In words (symbols replaced with words)
⑥ \(\mathit{CH}\): Course Handicap \(=\) ① \(\mathit{HI}\): Handicap Index \(\times\) ② \(S\): Slope Rating \(\div\) ③ standard Slope 113 \(+\) \((\) ④ \(\mathit{CR}\): Course Rating \(-\) ⑤ \(P\): par \()\)
The formula in words
① Take your \(\mathit{HI}\): Handicap Index (the measure of your playing ability)
② multiply it by the \(S\): Slope Rating (how hard the course is)
③ divide by the standard Slope 113
④ add the difference between the \(\mathit{CR}\): Course Rating
⑤ and the \(P\): par
⑥ and you get your \(\mathit{CH}\): Course Handicap (finally, round it to a whole number)
Quick example
For a player with an index of 10 playing from tees with a Course Rating of 70, a Slope Rating of 121 and a par of 72, the Course Handicap is
\(\mathit{CH}\): Course Handicap \(=\) index (10) \(\times\) Slope (121) \(\div\) standard Slope 113 \(+\) \((\) Course Rating (70) \(-\) par (72) \()\)
\(10 \times 121 \div 113 \approx 10.708\)
\(10.708 + (70 - 72) = 8.708\)
\(8.708 \approx 9\)
Key idea
113 is the Slope Rating that the WHS defines as "standard difficulty". On a course with a Slope Rating of exactly 113, the multiplier (\(S \div 113\)) is 1, so the Course Handicap is just "index + (Course Rating − par)". On a harder course (\(S\) greater than 113), you get more strokes; on an easier course, fewer. The job of this formula is to adjust your handicap to the course, so that the same ability gives a fair match anywhere. At the end, the value is rounded to the nearest whole number to give your Course Handicap. In competitions, a handicap allowance may then be applied (for example, 95% for individual stroke play) to get your Playing Handicap.
Score Differential (for one round)
Graph
Standard notation (the usual math form)
\(D\) \(=\) \((\) \(113\) \(\div\) \(S\) \()\) \(\times\) \((\) \(X\) \(-\) \(\mathit{CR}\) \(-\) \(\mathit{PCC}\) \()\)
In words (symbols replaced with words)
⑥ \(D\): Score Differential \(=\) \((\) ④ standard Slope 113 \(\div\) ⑤ \(S\): Slope Rating \()\) \(\times\) \((\) ① \(X\): score \(-\) ② \(\mathit{CR}\): Course Rating \(-\) ③ \(\mathit{PCC}\): Playing Conditions Calculation \()\)
The formula in words
① From your \(X\): score (the 18-hole total for the round)
② subtract the \(\mathit{CR}\): Course Rating
③ and the PCC (the adjustment for the day's playing conditions)
④ then multiply by the standard Slope 113
⑤ divided by the \(S\): Slope Rating
⑥ and you get the \(D\): Score Differential (rounded to one decimal place)
Quick example
For a round of 85 on a course with a Course Rating of 70.3 and a Slope Rating of 126 (PCC 0), the Score Differential is
\(D\): Score Differential \(=\) \((\) standard Slope 113 \(\div\) Slope (126) \()\) \(\times\) \((\) score (85) \(-\) Course Rating (70.3) \(-\) PCC (0) \()\)
\(85 - 70.3 - 0 = 14.7\)
\(113 \div 126 \times 14.7 \approx 13.2\)
Key idea
A Score Differential shows how many strokes a round would be worth if you had played it on a course of standard difficulty (Slope Rating 113). A score made on a harder course is scaled down more by the multiplier \(113 \div S\), so scores from different courses can be compared fairly. The PCC (Playing Conditions Calculation) is an adjustment from −1 to +3 added when scores on that day were generally harder (or easier) to make, for example because of strong wind or rain. On a normal day it is 0. Note that in the official WHS, the score \(X\) is not your raw gross score but your "adjusted gross score", which caps each hole at a maximum (net double bogey). This page uses the score you enter as is, so for a round with a blow-up hole, the result may differ a little from the official value.
Handicap Index (average of the best + adjustment)
Graph
Standard notation (the usual math form)
\(\mathit{HI}\) \(=\) \(\bar{D}\) \(+\) \(A\)
In words (symbols replaced with words)
③ \(\mathit{HI}\): Handicap Index \(=\) ① \(\bar{D}\): average of the best \(+\) ② \(A\): adjustment
The formula in words
① Take the \(\bar{D}\): average of the differentials used (your best scores)
② add the \(A\): adjustment (a minus adjustment when you have few rounds)
③ and you get your \(\mathit{HI}\): Handicap Index (rounded to one decimal place)
Quick example
If your differentials for 6 rounds are 13.2, 15.0, 14.1, 16.3, 13.8 and 17.0 (6 valid rounds → the best 2 are used, adjustment −1.0), your Handicap Index is
\(\mathit{HI}\): Handicap Index \(=\) average of the best 2 (13.5) \(+\) adjustment (−1.0)
\((13.2 + 13.8) \div 2 = 13.5\)
\(13.5 + (-1.0) = 12.5\)
Key idea
How many differentials count and how big the adjustment is depend on the number of valid rounds (the WHS table): 3 rounds → best 1, adjustment −2.0; 4 → best 1, −1.0; 5 → best 1, no adjustment; 6 → best 2, −1.0; 7–8 → best 2; 9–11 → best 3; 12–14 → best 4; 15–16 → best 5; 17–18 → best 6; 19 → best 7; 20 → best 8 (no adjustment from 7 rounds on). Once you have more than 20 rounds, your index is always updated as "the average of the best 8 of your most recent 20 rounds". Because only your best rounds count, the index shows not your "average score" but your ability on a good day. The minus adjustment for a short history is a safety margin, so that a few rounds do not overstate your handicap (give you too many strokes).
Your Course Handicap is "index × Slope Rating ÷ 113 + (Course Rating − par)", rounded to a whole number. Your Handicap Index comes from "taking the best of your per-round Score Differentials, averaging them and adding the adjustment". Both follow the World Handicap System used by the USGA and golf associations around the world.

Symbols and terms

Symbols

\(\mathit{CH}\) Course Handicap, your handicap for that course and set of tees, given as a whole number.
\(\mathit{HI}\) Handicap Index, the official measure of your playing ability that does not depend on the course. It is given to one decimal place (for example, 12.5).
\(S\) Slope Rating, how hard the course is for an average golfer. It ranges from 55 to 155, and 113 is the standard.
\(113\) The Slope Rating that the WHS defines as "standard difficulty". In the formulas, it appears in the numerator or denominator to scale a course's difficulty to the standard.
\(\mathit{CR}\) Course Rating, the expected score for a scratch golfer (a skilled player with a handicap of 0) from those tees. It is given to one decimal place, such as 70.3.
\(P\) Par, the standard number of strokes for the course. A typical 18-hole course is 72.
\(D\) Score Differential, a round's result scaled to a course of standard difficulty. It is given to one decimal place.
\(X\) The 18-hole total score for the round (gross score). The official WHS uses the "adjusted gross score", which caps each hole at a maximum.
\(\mathit{PCC}\) Playing Conditions Calculation, an adjustment from −1 to +3 added on days when scores were harder to make, such as in bad weather. It is usually 0.
\(\bar{D}\) The average of the differentials used (your best scores). The bar over the letter is the usual math notation for "average" (read "D bar").
\(A\) The adjustment, a minus correction added when you have few valid rounds (3, 4 or 6 rounds). It is set by the WHS table.

Terms

handicap Strokes that even out differences in skill so that players can compete fairly. In golf, you subtract these strokes from your score to compete. The word is said to come from horse racing, where stronger horses carried extra weight.
Handicap Index The official measure of playing ability in the WHS. It is the average of the best 8 Score Differentials from your recent score history (up to 20 rounds), or fewer from the WHS table while your history is short. You take it with you from course to course, and the maximum in the WHS is 54.0 for both men and women.
Course Handicap Your Handicap Index converted to the course and tees you play today. The same player gets more strokes on a hard course and fewer on an easy course.
Course Rating The expected score for a scratch golfer from those tees. Separate from par, it reflects the real difficulty of the course and is given to one decimal place (for example, a Course Rating of 70.3 on a par-72 course).
Slope Rating How hard the course is for an average golfer (a bogey golfer). It ranges from 55 to 155, and 113 is the standard. It is higher for courses that are not so hard for skilled players but where average golfers often have big numbers.
Score Differential A round's result turned into "how many strokes it would be worth on a course of standard difficulty". Your Handicap Index is the average of the best of these differentials.
PCC (Playing Conditions Calculation) An adjustment for days when scores were generally harder (or easier) to make, for example because of strong wind or rain. It is worked out automatically from all the scores posted that day on that course, and is applied as a whole number from −1 to +3 to each player's differential.
scratch golfer A golfer with a handicap of 0. The Course Rating is defined as the expected score of a scratch golfer.
bogey golfer An average golfer who plays each hole in about one over par (bogey), with a Handicap Index of about 20 for men and about 24 for women. The Slope Rating is set from the gap between the expected scores of a bogey golfer and a scratch golfer.
WHS (World Handicap System) A single worldwide handicap system that started in 2020. It unified the methods that used to differ by country and association. In the United States, the USGA runs it, and the rules were revised in 2024. The formulas on this page follow the WHS.
gross score Your actual total number of strokes. Subtract your Course Handicap from it to get your net score.
net score Gross score − Course Handicap. In handicap competitions, players are ranked by net score.
tees (teeing area) The area where you start each hole. The same course plays at different lengths from the back tees, middle tees and so on, so the Course Rating and Slope Rating are set for each set of tees.
par The standard number of strokes for a hole or a course. 72 is common for 18 holes, but some courses are 70 or 71. In the Course Handicap formula, "Course Rating − par" reflects how the course's difficulty differs from par.

Good to know before you start

Here is what helps you use the calculation on this page with real understanding, not just by pressing the button.

Rounding (Grades 4–5)
  • Being able to round to the nearest whole number (8.708 → 9)
  • Being able to round to one decimal place (13.18 → 13.2)
Multiplying and dividing decimals (Grades 5–6)
  • Being able to calculate things like \(10 \times 121 \div 113\), where the answer is a decimal, with a calculator or on paper
  • Knowing that multiplying by a number less than 1 makes a value smaller, and by a number greater than 1 makes it larger
Averages (Grade 6)
  • Knowing that adding several values and dividing by how many there are gives the average
  • Knowing that averaging only some of the values, such as "the smallest few", works the same way
Positive and negative numbers (Grade 7)
  • Being able to do a subtraction whose answer is negative, such as \(70.5 - 72 = -1.5\)
  • Knowing that adding a negative adjustment is the same as subtracting it
Golf scoring basics (background)
  • Knowing what par (the standard number of strokes) and gross score (your actual total) are
  • Knowing that one round is counted as an 18-hole total score

How to calculate it in Excel

Copy the whole table below and paste it into cell A1 in Excel. It works as is.
Table to find the Course Handicap
Handicap Index HI 10
Slope Rating S 121
Course Rating CR 70
Par P 72
Course Handicap CH =ROUND(B1*B2/113+(B3-B4),0)
Table to find the Score Differential
Course Rating CR 70.3
Slope Rating S 126
Score X (18 holes) 85
PCC (usually 0) 0
Score Differential D =ROUND((113/B2)*(B3-B1-B4),1)
Table to find the Handicap Index (example with 6 rounds)
Differential, round 1 13.2
Differential, round 2 15.0
Differential, round 3 14.1
Differential, round 4 16.3
Differential, round 5 13.8
Differential, round 6 17.0
Average of the best 2 =AVERAGE(SMALL(B1:B6,1),SMALL(B1:B6,2))
Handicap Index HI =ROUND(B7+(-1),1)
Quick table of how many count and the adjustment (WHS table)
3 valid rounds Best 1, adjustment -2.0
4 valid rounds Best 1, adjustment -1.0
5 valid rounds Best 1, no adjustment
6 valid rounds Best 2, adjustment -1.0
7–8 valid rounds Best 2, no adjustment
9–11 valid rounds Best 3, no adjustment
12–14 valid rounds Best 4, no adjustment
15–16 valid rounds Best 5, no adjustment
17–18 valid rounds Best 6, no adjustment
19 valid rounds Best 7, no adjustment
20 valid rounds Best 8, no adjustment
The first table is the Course Handicap. Enter your own numbers in B1 to B4, and B5 shows your handicap as a whole number (9 with the example values). "*" is multiplication, "/" is division and ROUND is the rounding function.
The second table is the Score Differential for one round. With the example values, B5 shows 13.2.
The third table finds the index from a 6-round history. SMALL picks the smallest and second-smallest values, which are averaged, and the 6-round adjustment of −1.0 is added (with the example values, B7 shows 13.5 and B8 shows 12.5). For a different number of rounds, change how many count and the adjustment to match the quick table in the fourth table.

How to calculate it in Google Sheets

Copy the whole table below and paste it into cell A1 in Google Sheets. It works as is.
Table to find the Course Handicap
Handicap Index HI 10
Slope Rating S 121
Course Rating CR 70
Par P 72
Course Handicap CH =ROUND(B1*B2/113+(B3-B4),0)
Table to find the Score Differential
Course Rating CR 70.3
Slope Rating S 126
Score X (18 holes) 85
PCC (usually 0) 0
Score Differential D =ROUND((113/B2)*(B3-B1-B4),1)
Table to find the Handicap Index (example with 6 rounds)
Differential, round 1 13.2
Differential, round 2 15.0
Differential, round 3 14.1
Differential, round 4 16.3
Differential, round 5 13.8
Differential, round 6 17.0
Average of the best 2 =AVERAGE(SMALL(B1:B6,1),SMALL(B1:B6,2))
Handicap Index HI =ROUND(B7+(-1),1)
The same formulas as in Excel (ROUND, SMALL and AVERAGE) work as is. Copy the whole table, paste it into cell A1, and replace the numbers in column B with your own.
How many differentials count and the adjustment change with the number of rounds (see the quick table on the Excel tab).

How to calculate it in Python

import math

def round_half_up(value, digits):
    # Round half up (0.5 always goes up). Python's built-in round() rounds 0.5 to even, so it is not used
    factor = 10 ** digits
    return math.floor(value * factor + 0.5) / factor

# --- Course Handicap: CH = HI x S / 113 + (CR - P) ---
handicap_index = 10     # Handicap Index HI
slope_rating = 121      # Slope Rating S
course_rating = 70      # Course Rating CR
par = 72                # par P

course_handicap = round_half_up(handicap_index * slope_rating / 113 + (course_rating - par), 0)
print(f"Course Handicap: {int(course_handicap)}")

# --- Handicap Index (WHS method) ---
# Each round is (Course Rating, Slope Rating, score, PCC)
rounds = [
    (70.3, 126, 85, 0),
    (66.8, 120, 82, 0),
    (65.9, 118, 85, 0),
    (74.3, 137, 88, 0),
    (71.1, 126, 90, 0),
    (70.0, 113, 84, 0),
]

# Number of valid rounds -> (how many count, adjustment): the WHS table
adoption_table = {3: (1, -2.0), 4: (1, -1.0), 5: (1, 0.0), 6: (2, -1.0),
                  7: (2, 0.0), 8: (2, 0.0), 9: (3, 0.0), 10: (3, 0.0),
                  11: (3, 0.0), 12: (4, 0.0), 13: (4, 0.0), 14: (4, 0.0),
                  15: (5, 0.0), 16: (5, 0.0), 17: (6, 0.0), 18: (6, 0.0),
                  19: (7, 0.0), 20: (8, 0.0)}

differentials = []
for course_rating, slope_rating, score, pcc in rounds:
    d = (113 / slope_rating) * (score - course_rating - pcc)
    differentials.append(round_half_up(d, 1))  # round to one decimal place

use_count, adjustment = adoption_table[len(rounds)]
best = sorted(differentials)[:use_count]  # use the best (smallest) values
handicap_index = round_half_up(sum(best) / use_count + adjustment, 1)

print(f"Differential for each round: {differentials}")
print(f"Best {use_count} used: {best}")
print(f"Handicap Index: {handicap_index}")
Runs with the standard library only. The first half is the Course Handicap, and the second half is the Handicap Index from a score history. Replace the contents of rounds (Course Rating, Slope Rating, score and PCC) with your own history and run it.

How to write it in LaTeX and other math languages (copy and paste)

Course Handicap (your handicap for today's course)
CH = HI × S ÷ 113 + (CR − P)
\mathit{CH} = \mathit{HI} \times \dfrac{S}{113} + (\mathit{CR} - P)
<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block">
  <mrow>
    <mi>CH</mi>
    <mo>=</mo>
    <mi>HI</mi>
    <mo>&#x00D7;</mo>
    <mfrac><mi>S</mi><mn>113</mn></mfrac>
    <mo>+</mo>
    <mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>CR</mi><mo>&#x2212;</mo><mi>P</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow>
  </mrow>
</math>
"CH" = "HI" xx S/113 + ("CR" - P)
ch = hi*s/113 + (cr - p)  (* C and D are reserved in Mathematica, so all variables are in lowercase *)
ch := hi*s/113 + (cr - p);  # D (the differential operator) is reserved in Maple, so all variables are in lowercase
CH = HI*S/113 + (CR - P);
CH = HI × S ÷ 113 + (CR − P)
Score Differential (for one round)
D = (113 ÷ S) × (X − CR − PCC)
D = \dfrac{113}{S} \times (X - \mathit{CR} - \mathit{PCC})
<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block">
  <mrow>
    <mi>D</mi>
    <mo>=</mo>
    <mfrac><mn>113</mn><mi>S</mi></mfrac>
    <mo>&#x00D7;</mo>
    <mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>X</mi><mo>&#x2212;</mo><mi>CR</mi><mo>&#x2212;</mo><mi>PCC</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow>
  </mrow>
</math>
D = 113/S xx (X - "CR" - "PCC")
d = (113/s)*(x - cr - pcc)  (* All variables are in lowercase to avoid reserved names such as C and D *)
d := (113/s)*(x - cr - pcc);  # D (the differential operator) is reserved in Maple, so lowercase is used
D = (113/S)*(X - CR - PCC);
D = (113 ÷ S) × (X − CR − PCC)
Handicap Index (average of the best + adjustment)
HI = D̄ + A
\mathit{HI} = \bar{D} + A
<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block">
  <mrow>
    <mi>HI</mi>
    <mo>=</mo>
    <mover><mi>D</mi><mo>&#x00AF;</mo></mover>
    <mo>+</mo>
    <mi>A</mi>
  </mrow>
</math>
"HI" = bar D + A
hi = Mean[best] + a  (* best = the list of differentials used. Lowercase to avoid reserved names *)
hi := add(best)/nops(best) + a;  # best = the list of differentials used
HI = mean(best) + A;
HI = D̄ + A

How to have ChatGPT  do the calculation

You are a golf handicap calculation assistant. Do the following calculation by actually running Python code, and base your answer only on the numbers from the execution result (do not answer by mental math or guessing).

Use the method of the World Handicap System (WHS). When rounding, 0.5 always goes up.
1. The Course Handicap for a player with a Handicap Index of 10 playing from tees with a Course Rating of 70, a Slope Rating of 121 and a par of 72 (CH = HI × S ÷ 113 + (CR − par), rounded to a whole number)
2. The Score Differential for a round of 85 (PCC 0) on a course with a Course Rating of 70.3 and a Slope Rating of 126 (D = (113 ÷ S) × (score − CR − PCC), rounded to one decimal place)

Show the formulas you used and the numbers from the execution result.

How to Use
  1. 1
    Enter your numbers
    Type the numbers you want to calculate with into the input fields
  2. 2
    Calculate
    Press the "Calculate" button
  3. 3
    Check the result
    The result appears on the spot. The same page also explains the idea behind the calculation and the formula
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