Course Rating Explained
Learn what Course Rating means and how it combines with Slope Rating to define a golf course's difficulty.
By Team on 2 July 2025
Alongside Slope Rating, the Course Rating is a number you will find on every scorecard. It is a critical component of the World Handicap System (WHS) and tells you how difficult a course is for a specific group of golfers.
Defining Course Rating
The Course Rating is the USGA's evaluation of the playing difficulty of a course for a scratch golfer (a player with a 0 handicap). It is expressed as a number of strokes. For example, a Course Rating of 72.5 means a scratch golfer is expected to shoot an average score of 72.5 in normal playing conditions.
This figure is calculated based on various factors, including the length of the course and the number of obstacles (like bunkers, water hazards, and trees) that can affect scoring.
How It's Used in Handicap Calculations
The Course Rating is a baseline for calculating your Score Differential for a round. The formula is:
Score Differential = (113 / Slope Rating) * (Adjusted Gross Score - Course Rating - PCC)
A higher Course Rating means the course is more difficult, which will result in a lower Score Differential for a given gross score. This is why shooting 90 on a course with a rating of 74 is a better performance than shooting 90 on a course rated 69.
Our Handicap Index Calculator uses Course Rating to estimate your handicap based on your scores.