Course Ratings & Slope

[Timmy-9holes]

Could someone please explain what the Course Rating and Slope numbers on the scorecard mean?  Why would the slope number change depending on what tee box you are using?  Thanks.

[RandallT]

I only have a quick sec, but here's a great resource:

http://www.popeofslope.com/courserating/system.html

[iacas]

They're measurements that express the difficulty of the course to a scratch and bogey golfer, and they help determine the handicap indexes and the number of handicap strokes granted.

[Timmy-9holes]

Thank you for the responses.  

[dennyjones]

@Timmy-9holes, 

What is the slope and rating of the course you play the most?

[Timmy-9holes]

It is a 9-hole Par 29.  The course rating is 27.1.  I am not sure about the slope rating.  The greens are pretty much flat is that helps.  The other course my cousin is trying to get me play more for nine holes is a Par 36 with a 30.5 rating and 117 slope rating from the tee I play.

[Hacker James]

1 hour ago, Timmy-9holes said:

It is a 9-hole Par 29.  The course rating is 27.1.  I am not sure about the slope rating.  The greens are pretty much flat is that helps.  The other course my cousin is trying to get me play more for nine holes is a Par 36 with a 30.5 rating and 117 slope rating from the tee I play.

You may get inundated with a lot of technical jive on this, but to keep it simple, the slope has absolutely nothing to do with topography. It is simply a measure of course difficulty and is one of the factors used in a method of  adjusting scores to allow you to compete with players of all levels in that your handicap index determines how many strokes a more skilled player would have to give you on a particular course.  Think of it as "grading on the curve". 

It is an "equalizer" so to speak.

You can google Golf Handicap Calculator for detailed information.

Edited September 10, 2017 by Hacker James

[Buckeyebowman]

All I know is, the higher the numbers the harder the course!

[DaveP043]

The higher the course rating, the harder it is for a scratch golfer.  A higher slope rating means that the difference in difficulty between a scratch and bogey golfer is greater.

[Buckeyebowman]

OK. So I'm guessing that if you have a track with a course rating of 78.5 and a slope rating of 152, a bogey golfer might as well shoot himself in the head! I've played such a course and can fully understand that!