Course Handicap for 9 Hole Course

[humblepeasant]

If you have an odd-number course handicap, and you are playing a 9 hole course, how many handicap strokes do you get? For example, if you have a 7 course handicap, would you get 4 strokes or 3?

[Rulesman]

When an Authorized Association issues Course Ratings and Slope Ratings to golf
clubs, the 18-hole ratings should also be presented with front nine and back nine
Course Ratings and Slope Ratings.

The calculation of a 9-hole Course Handicap must use the correct Slope Rating
for the 9-hole golf course being played

[humblepeasant]

Oh ok, that makes perfect sense! Thanks!

[humblepeasant]

Actually sorry, I’m still not sure. Let me give an example...

Say I’m playing a 9 hole course. When you look up the rating/slope, it actually gives a 70.8/119 18-hole rating/slope, then 35.4/119 for the “front” and “back” 9’s.

Say I have a 7.0 (18-hole) index, which gives a 7 course handicap using the 119 slope. That’s 7 strokes for 18 holes...so how do I apply them to the 9 hole course? Do I get 4 strokes or 3 strokes?

[iacas]

9 minutes ago, humblepeasant said:

Actually sorry, I’m still not sure. Let me give an example...

Say I’m playing a 9 hole course. When you look up the rating/slope, it actually gives a 70.8/119 18-hole rating/slope, then 35.4/119 for the “front” and “back” 9’s.

Say I have a 7.0 (18-hole) index, which gives a 7 course handicap using the 119 slope. That’s 7 strokes for 18 holes...so how do I apply them to the 9 hole course? Do I get 4 strokes or 3 strokes?

Handicap strokes only really matter in match play, and rarely in net stroke play events.

Generally you get the odd numbers on the front nine, and the even numbers on the back nine. So, four shots the first time around, and then three. 1, 3, 5, 7… and then 2, 4, 6.

[Rulesman]

8 hours ago, humblepeasant said:

Actually sorry, I’m still not sure. Let me give an example...

Say I’m playing a 9 hole course. When you look up the rating/slope, it actually gives a 70.8/119 18-hole rating/slope, then 35.4/119 for the “front” and “back” 9’s.

Say I have a 7.0 (18-hole) index, which gives a 7 course handicap using the 119 slope. That’s 7 strokes for 18 holes...so how do I apply them to the 9 hole course? Do I get 4 strokes or 3 strokes?

If you are playing any nine holes the formula is:

Course Handicap = (Handicap Index / 2) * (9 hole Slope Rating / 113) - rounded 

[David in FL]

12 hours ago, humblepeasant said:

Actually sorry, I’m still not sure. Let me give an example...

Say I’m playing a 9 hole course. When you look up the rating/slope, it actually gives a 70.8/119 18-hole rating/slope, then 35.4/119 for the “front” and “back” 9’s.

Say I have a 7.0 (18-hole) index, which gives a 7 course handicap using the 119 slope. That’s 7 strokes for 18 holes...so how do I apply them to the 9 hole course? Do I get 4 strokes or 3 strokes?

Since it’s only 9 holes, you have to divide your hcp index by 2 before calculating your 9 hole course hcp...

edited to add that @Rulesman beat me to it…

Edited November 28, 2019 by David in FL