what does handicap mean?

[New2TheGame]

I think I know but I'm not sure. Would 15 handicap mean that you start out at 15 under par?

[mdvaldosta]

Yea, but it's a bit more complicated than that. The slope and rating of the course/tees you're playing from are factored in also. A 15 handicap might translate into just 10 strokes, for example, from the blue tees of an easy course. Or you might get 20 strokes from the championship tees on a difficult course.

[CarlSpackler]

Are you referring to course handicap, or handicap index? Handicap index needs to be adjusted to a course handicap using tables or formula (HCI * Course Slope / 113 - Then round to next whole number) to see how many strokes the course is giving you. At 14.9 with a Slope of 121, I am getting 16 strokes from the course on the 16 hardest (lowest handicap holes).

[New2TheGame]

wow that sounds confusing

[mtsalmela80]

Yes there are formulas, but it really basically is your average strokes over par. So if you play a course five times, and average 15 over par, your handicap would be 15. Purists will flame me alive for this but really that is the jist of it.

[David in FL]

Here you go.

Section 1 will answer your question.

http://www.usga.org/bookrule.aspx?id=14367

[CG031]

Yes there are formulas, but it really basically is your average strokes over par. So if you play a course five times, and average 15 over par, your handicap would be 15. Purists will flame me alive for this but really that is the jist of it.

No, you're somewhat right - it's a good way to explain it to someone who is confused because it can lead them on the right path...like you said that is the jist of it.

[CarlSpackler]

wow that sounds confusing

It can be, but most courses have charts to where you can just look it up based on your HCI. For me, I just need to remember the number 113. I have a nice calculator on my blackberry that does the computational part for me.

[tjy355]

I think I know but I'm not sure. Would 15 handicap mean that you start out at 15 under par?

How a handicap is used is easy to describe:

For a stroke play event, if you had a 15 handicap and your gross score for the round was 90, you would subtract 15 from 90 and have a "net" score of 75. For match play, a little more complicated, your 15 strokes are distributed hole by hole. How the handicap is calculated - a mathematical formula - but I'm not sure that is what you were asking about?

[wannabe]

I've always had it simply explained to me as the amount of total combined strokes over par that you typically (ie on average) shoot on a given 18-hole round of golf.

[albatross]

I've always had it simply explained to me as the amount of total combined strokes over par that you typically (ie on average) shoot on a given 18-hole round of golf.

The handicap index is not meant to reflect your average score, it's meant to reflect your best potential.

[Jax]

How do you find your handicap?

[RocketSauce]

How do you find your handicap?

there are free sites you can use like

www.oobgolf.com . its not an official handicap, but it will give you the idea....

[Jax]

there are free sites you can use like

k thanks i will be playing my first 18 holes in like 6 years Tuesday :)

[RemyM]

I've always had it simply explained to me as the amount of total combined strokes over par that you typically (ie on average) shoot on a given 18-hole round of golf.

Par is never used in the calculation of your handicap.

[Slim 11]

I've always had it simply explained to me as the amount of total combined strokes over par that you typically (ie on average) shoot on a given 18-hole round of golf.

Handicap is not an average, it is the best of your most recent rounds (I am not going to get into the formula, it's easy to find and others have provided links). This "best of" is actually calculated in the formula to a slightly lower number by multiplying by .96. The handicap is meant to give you an idea of what you can potentially shoot during a good round. It is certainly possible to play better than you handicap but, on average, you will only play to your handicap something like 1 out of 4 rounds (more than that and your handicap will be dropping).

[tjy355]

How do you find your handicap?

See the link in post #6 of this thread.