WHAT IS COURSE RATING?

Course rating is one of a number of core services that is provided by DCLGA to all golf clubs affiliated to England Golf.

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The course rating process determines the playing difficulty of a golf course for a scratch golfer under normal course and weather conditions. The course rating is expressed as a course rating and a slope rating which is provided for all sets of tees from which qualifying competitions are played from.

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Course Rating is also the cornerstone of the World Handicap System used to determine all golfers’ handicaps.

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A Course Rating represents the expected score for a scratch player (Handicap Index of 0.0) under normal playing conditions, while a Bogey Rating represents the expected score for a bogey player (Handicap Index 20.0 to 24.0). These two figures work together to calculate a Slope Rating, which is a measure of the relative difficulty of a golf course between the scratch player and all other players. In other words, the higher the Slope Rating of a golf course, the more strokes a higher-handicapped player will need to play that course on an equal basis to the scratch player.