What is Slope Rating and How to Use It
Demystify the term "Slope Rating" and learn how it affects your Course Handicap and overall strategy.
By Team on 15 July 2025
If you've looked at a scorecard, you've probably seen the terms 'Course Rating' and 'Slope Rating'. While Course Rating indicates the difficulty of a course for a scratch golfer, Slope Rating indicates the relative difficulty for a bogey golfer. It's a key component of the World Handicap System (WHS).
Understanding Slope Rating
Slope Ratings can range from 55 to 155. A course of standard playing difficulty has a Slope Rating of 113. The higher the number, the more challenging the course is for a bogey golfer relative to a scratch golfer.
A higher slope rating means a higher handicap player will receive more strokes than they would on a lower-rated course. This is designed to make the game more equitable across courses of varying difficulty.
How it Affects Your Handicap
Your Course Handicap is calculated using your Handicap Index and the Slope Rating of the course you are playing. The formula is:
Course Handicap = Handicap Index * (Slope Rating / 113)
A higher slope will give you more strokes, while a lower slope will give you fewer. Always check the Slope Rating to know your correct handicap for the day. Our golf slope calculator does this for you.