What does handicap mean in golf?

The plain-English version: what the number is, how it’s used in a game, and the words that come with it.

Handicap, in one sentence

A golf handicap is a number that shows how good you are, so golfers of any level can play a fair match. Better golfers have lower handicaps. A 10 handicap is a better player than a 20.

How it works in a game

Say you're a 20 and your friend is a 10. Your friend gets no strokes, and you get 10 strokes over 18 holes, one each on the 10 hardest holes (the ones with stroke index 1 to 10 on the scorecard). Take those strokes off your score and compare. If you both play your usual game, it's close.

The words you'll hear

Handicap index: your official number, like 14.2. It's worked out from your best recent scores. Calculate yours.
Course handicap: your strokes for one course and tee, like 17. Work it out.
Scratch golfer: a 0 handicap.
Plus handicap: better than scratch, written like +2.
Gross score: what you actually shot. Net score: gross minus your strokes.
Stroke index: the line on the scorecard ranking the holes from hardest (1) to easiest (18). It tells you where your strokes go.
Course rating and slope: how hard the course is for good and for average golfers. Explained here.

Is a handicap your average score over par?

Not quite. It's built from your best 8 of your last 20 rounds, so it shows what you shoot on a good day. A 15 handicap usually shoots around 90 on a par 72, about 3 more than 72 + 15.

Do you need one?

Not to play. You need an official one for most club events and tournaments. For a casual round, an estimate from the calculator works fine. To get an official one, see how to get a handicap.

More handicap tools

Course handicap calculatorHow many strokes you get on a given course and tee.How to calculate a handicapThe formula, step by step, with a worked example.Score differential calculatorTurn one round into the number your index is built from.Course rating and slopeWhat the two numbers mean, plus a lookup for 10,000+ courses.Playing handicapAllowances for scrambles, four-ball, match play and more.Net double bogeyThe most you can post on each hole, worked out for your course.

Common questions

Is a lower handicap better in golf?

Yes. A lower handicap means a better golfer. Scratch is 0; plus handicaps are better still.

What does 18 handicap mean?

An 18 handicap gets about one stroke per hole on an average course, so a bogey on every hole is roughly a net par round.

What does a 0 handicap mean?

A scratch golfer, who is expected to shoot about the course rating, close to par.

Updated November 2026