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Course Handicap Calculator

SportsGolf, Bowling and Racquet Sports
Player

Enter a plus index as a negative number, e.g. +2.1 as -2.1.

Tees played
Course Handicap (strokes) —
As written on a card
—
Playing Handicap
—
Unrounded value
—
Course Rating minus par
—

Course Handicap is your Handicap Index multiplied by the tee's Slope Rating divided by 113, plus the Course Rating minus par, rounded to a whole number. With a 10.4 index on tees rated 71.2 with slope 132 and par 72, that is 12.15 − 0.8 = 11.35, so you receive 11 strokes.

About this tool

A Handicap Index is portable, but the strokes you actually receive depend on the tees. The World Handicap System scales the index by the Slope Rating, where 113 is a course of standard difficulty, and then adds the gap between Course Rating and par. This calculator does both steps for one set of tees, shows the unrounded figure, and applies a handicap allowance so you can read off the Playing Handicap for formats such as individual stroke play (95%) or four-ball (85% or 90%). Plus handicaps are entered as negative numbers and shown with a plus sign, the way they appear on a scorecard. One limit: committees can set maximums or extra adjustments for a competition, and those terms of the event are not applied here, so check the entry sheet for any cap.

How to use it

  1. Enter your Handicap Index

    Type the index from your handicap record, such as 14.2. A plus index goes in as a negative number.

  2. Read the tee ratings

    Copy the Slope Rating, Course Rating and par for the tees you will play from the scorecard or the club's rating board.

  3. Pick the allowance

    Choose the format from the allowance list; 100% is a general play round with no reduction.

  4. Check the working

    The Course Handicap, Playing Handicap and each arithmetic step update as you type.

Examples

Index 10.4 on slope 132 tees

Handicap Index
10.4
Handicap allowance
100% (casual round)
Slope Rating
132
Course Rating
71.2
Par
72

Result Course Handicap (strokes): 11
As written on a card: 11
Playing Handicap: 11
Unrounded value: 11.35
Course Rating minus par: -0.8

  1. Slope adjustment: 10.4 × 132 ÷ 113 = 12.15
  2. Rating minus par: 71.2 − 72 = -0.8
  3. Course Handicap (unrounded) = 12.15 + (-0.8) = 11.35, rounded to 11
  4. Playing Handicap = 11.35 × 100% = 11.35, rounded to 11

The tees play harder than average (slope above 113) but the rating is 0.8 below par, so the 10.4 index becomes 11 strokes.

Index 18.0, individual stroke play at 95%

Handicap Index
18
Handicap allowance
95% (stroke play)
Slope Rating
125
Course Rating
70.5
Par
72

Result Course Handicap (strokes): 18
As written on a card: 18
Playing Handicap: 17
Unrounded value: 18.41
Course Rating minus par: -1.5

  1. Slope adjustment: 18 × 125 ÷ 113 = 19.91
  2. Rating minus par: 70.5 − 72 = -1.5
  3. Course Handicap (unrounded) = 19.91 + (-1.5) = 18.41, rounded to 18
  4. Playing Handicap = 18.41 × 95% = 17.49, rounded to 17

18 × 125 ÷ 113 − 1.5 gives 18.41, so 18 strokes; the 95% allowance is applied to 18.41, giving 17.49 and a Playing Handicap of 17.

Plus 2.0 index from the back tees

Handicap Index
-2
Handicap allowance
100% (casual round)
Slope Rating
140
Course Rating
73.4
Par
72

Result Course Handicap (strokes): -1
As written on a card: +1
Playing Handicap: +1
Unrounded value: -1.08
Course Rating minus par: +1.4

  1. Slope adjustment: -2 × 140 ÷ 113 = -2.48
  2. Rating minus par: 73.4 − 72 = 1.4
  3. Course Handicap (unrounded) = -2.48 + (1.4) = -1.08, rounded to -1
  4. Playing Handicap = -1.08 × 100% = -1.08, rounded to -1

A +2.0 player loses 2.48 strokes to the slope but gains 1.4 from a rating above par, ending at +1: one stroke given back.

How it is calculated

CH = HI × (SR ÷ 113) + (CR − Par); PH = CH(unrounded) × allowance

HI
Handicap Index, to one decimal
SR
Slope Rating of the tees, 55 to 155
CR
Course Rating of the tees, the expected score of a scratch golfer
Par
Par of the same tees
CH
Course Handicap, rounded to the nearest whole stroke
PH
Playing Handicap after the format allowance

Slope 113 is the reference difficulty, so on a 113 course the index passes through unchanged. Steeper slopes increase the strokes for higher-index players more than for low-index ones. The CR − Par term adjusts for tees whose scratch score is above or below par. Under Rules of Handicapping Rule 6.2, the allowance is applied to the unrounded Course Handicap, and only the final Playing Handicap is rounded, with .5 rounding up.

When not to use it

  • Do not use it for a nine-hole round; the nine-hole index and ratings follow a separate halved calculation.
  • Do not use it where a competition sets its own maximum Playing Handicap without applying that cap yourself.
  • It does not work out strokes between players in a match, which use the difference between Playing Handicaps.

Common mistakes

  • Using the men's ratings for forward tees played by women, which carry their own Course Rating and Slope.
  • Rounding the Course Handicap before applying the 95% or 85% allowance.
  • Forgetting the Course Rating minus par term, which can move the result by two or three strokes.
  • Entering a plus index as a positive number.

Frequently asked questions

Why is 113 used in the formula?

113 is the Slope Rating of a course of standard relative difficulty. Dividing by 113 means a 113 slope leaves your index unchanged, while a slope of 135 multiplies it by about 1.19 and a slope of 100 by about 0.88.

What is the difference between Course Handicap and Playing Handicap?

Course Handicap is the number of strokes for the tees before any format adjustment. Playing Handicap applies the handicap allowance for the format, such as 95% for individual stroke play, and any committee terms. In a casual round at 100% the two are the same.

How does a plus handicap work?

A plus Handicap Index such as +2.1 means the player normally scores better than the Course Rating. The Course Handicap can come out as a negative number, which is written with a plus sign; the player adds those strokes to their gross score instead of subtracting them.

Why can two courses with the same par give different strokes?

Par is only one of three tee numbers. Two par-72 layouts might have Course Ratings of 69.8 and 74.3 and slopes of 118 and 141. For a 15.0 index those produce 13 and 21 strokes, because one course is far harder for a bogey golfer than the other.

Which allowance applies to my competition?

The WHS recommends 95% for individual stroke play and individual Stableford, 85% for four-ball stroke play, 90% for four-ball match play and 50% of the combined handicaps for foursomes. The committee can choose other values, so the competition terms always take precedence.

Where do I find the Slope Rating and Course Rating?

Most clubs print them on the scorecard beside each set of tees, or on a board near the first tee. National associations such as the USGA and England Golf also publish them in their course rating databases, often separately for men and women.

Cite this tool

Using this tool in an assignment, article or report? Copy a citation, or a link for your website.

APA

Tools Directory Editorial Team. (2026, October 10). Course Handicap Calculator. Tools Directory. Retrieved October 26, 2026, from https://tools.milunir.com/sports/golf-bowling-and-racquet-sports/course-handicap-calculator/

MLA

Tools Directory Editorial Team. “Course Handicap Calculator.” Tools Directory, 10 Oct. 2026, https://tools.milunir.com/sports/golf-bowling-and-racquet-sports/course-handicap-calculator/. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Tools Directory Editorial Team. “Course Handicap Calculator.” Tools Directory. Last modified October 10, 2026. Accessed October 26, 2026. https://tools.milunir.com/sports/golf-bowling-and-racquet-sports/course-handicap-calculator/.

Link<a href="https://tools.milunir.com/sports/golf-bowling-and-racquet-sports/course-handicap-calculator/">Course Handicap Calculator – Tools Directory</a>