Have Handicap Index, Will Travel


If you're like most golfers, you'll need more strokes on a difficult course and fewer strokes on an easier course. But how do you make this adjust-ment?

Start with your USGA Handicap Index. Your Handicap Index is portable, which means it travels well from course to course (and even from one set of tees to the next on the same course). In other words, the number of strokes you receive varies, depending upon the set of tees you choose to use and the difficulty of the course you're playing.

How is the number of strokes you get adjusted for each course? The USGA created something called Slope. Each course is rated based upon the score a scratch golfer and a bogey golfer should shoot from a certain set of tees. The greater the difference in score between the bogey and scratch player on a certain course, the higher its Slope Rating and the more strokes you'll receive. Conversely, the easier the course, the lower its Slope Rat-ing - and the fewer strokes you'll receive.



Open Flats Golf Course
Middle Tees - Slope Rating: 75

USGA IndexCourse HDCP
11.3 TO 12.88
11.3 TO 12.812

Let's look at Uncle Snoopy, who has a USGA Handicap Index of 11.6, and Woodstock, who has a Handicap Index of 17.8. On Tuesday, they decide to play the middle tees at Open Flats, a relatively easy golf course with a low Slope Rat-ing of 75. Snoopy checks the Course Handicap Table (located at the club-house or near the first tee) for the middle tees at Open Flats, and finds he receives eight strokes on Tuesday; Woodstock, meanwhile, gets 12 strokes, which means he receives four strokes overall from Uncle Snoopy in their match (the difference between Uncle Snoopy's 8 and Woodstock's 12).



Perfect Valley Golf Course
Back Tees - Slope Rating: 113

USGA IndexCourse HDCP
11.5 TO 12.412
17.5 TO 18.418

The next day, Wednesday, they travel to Perfect Valley, a golf course of standard difficulty with a moderate Slope Rating of 113, and play the back tees. Snoopy checks the Course Handicap Table (located at the club-house or near the first tee) for the back tees and finds he gets 12 strokes, or four more strokes than he did at Open Flats because Perfect Valley is a more difficult course. Woodstock gets 18 strokes at Perfect Valley, or six more strokes than he did the previous day. Thus, he receives six strokes overall from Uncle Snoopy (the difference between Uncle Snoopy's 12 and Woodstock's 18).



Panther Mountain Golf Club
Blue Tees - Slope Rating: 144

USGA IndexCourse HDCP
11.4 TO 12.115
17.7 TO 18.423

On Thursday, our favorite golfing pair journey to Panther Mountain Golf Club and play the blue (back) tees. Panther Mountain Golf Club is a difficult course; its Slope Rating is 144. Snoopy checks the Course Handicap Table (located at the club-house or near the first tee) for the blue tees and finds he receives 15 strokes at Panther Mountain, which is three more than on Wednesday at Perfect Valley. Woodstock receives 23 strokes, or five more than at Perfect Valley. At Panther Mountain, Woodstock receives eight strokes overall from Snoopy (the dif-ference between Uncle Snoopy's 15 and Woodstock's 23).

The matches between Uncle Snoopy and Woodstock show how well your Handicap Index travels. An easier course with a lower Slope Rat-ing means fewer strokes, while a harder course with a higher Slope Rating means more strokes. Notice that Woodstock also received a greater number of strokes from Uncle Snoopy each time the course difficulty increased (4 to 6 to 8). So, regardless of where you may play or which set of tees you might use, you'll enjoy a fair match because your Handicap Index travels well. Ask Uncle Snoopy and Woodstock!