Course handicap calculator
How many strokes you get today. Pick the course and tee and we do the math with its real rating and slope.
Course handicap calculator
Enter your handicap index, then pick the course and tee. We fill in the rating, slope and par.
The course handicap formula
Round the result to the nearest whole number. That's how many strokes you get from that set of tees, and it's the number you use for net double bogey and for net scores.
- Slope ÷ 113 scales your index. 113 is average. On a slope-140 course you get about 24% more strokes than your index; on a slope-100 course, about 12% fewer.
- Course rating − par covers tees that play harder or easier than their par. From tees rated 74.1 on a par 72 everyone gets 2 extra strokes. From tees rated 69.5 on a par 71, everyone gives one back.
Examples
| Index | Rating | Slope | Par | Course handicap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.0 | 72.0 | 113 | 72 | 5 |
| 10.0 | 71.2 | 125 | 72 | 10 |
| 15.0 | 72.8 | 132 | 72 | 18 |
| 20.0 | 74.1 | 140 | 72 | 27 |
| 25.0 | 69.5 | 118 | 71 | 25 |
Course handicap chart
A quick reference for tees where the rating equals par. If your tees are rated above par, add the difference; if below, take it off.
| Index | Slope 100 | Slope 113 | Slope 120 | Slope 125 | Slope 130 | Slope 135 | Slope 140 | Slope 145 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 |
| 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 10 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 |
| 12 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 |
| 14 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 18 |
| 16 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 18 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 23 |
| 20 | 18 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 22 | 19 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| 24 | 21 | 24 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| 26 | 23 | 26 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 |
| 28 | 25 | 28 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 35 | 36 |
| 30 | 27 | 30 | 32 | 33 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 |
| 36 | 32 | 36 | 38 | 40 | 41 | 43 | 45 | 46 |
Course handicap vs. handicap index vs. playing handicap
- Handicap index (like 14.2) travels with you. It's worked out from your scores and doesn't depend on where you're playing.
- Course handicap (like 17) is strokes for one course and one set of tees.
- Playing handicap is your course handicap after a format's allowance, like 95% in a stroke-play event or 85% in four-ball. See playing handicap.
Plus handicaps
If your index is better than scratch, it's written with a plus sign, like +2.1. In the formula, treat it as a negative number. A +2.1 on a slope-130 course rated at par is −2.1 × 130 ÷ 113 = −2.4, so a course handicap of +2. You give strokes back to the course instead of getting them.
More handicap tools
Common questions
How do you calculate a course handicap?
Multiply your handicap index by the slope rating, divide by 113, then add the course rating minus par. Round to the nearest whole number.
Why is my course handicap higher than my index?
Most courses have a slope above 113, so the index gets scaled up. Tees rated above par also add strokes.
Is course handicap different for each set of tees?
Yes. Each tee has its own rating and slope, so your course handicap changes with the tee. Men’s and women’s ratings from the same tee are different too.
What if I play tees with a different par?
The (course rating − par) part takes care of it, as long as you use the par for the tees you're playing.
What is the course handicap for a 9-hole round?
Use half your index with the 9-hole rating, slope and par. The 9-hole handicap calculator does it.
Updated November 2026