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Course Ratings Question

thedue

thedue

Another Day in Paradise
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How often does the USGA need to update a cours rating?

One course I play often has a very low rating, 67.0/110 whites, while the other two I play are much higher, yet the low rated course seems much more difficult and my course average there is 4 strokes higher. I talked to the course manager, a buddy, who said "yeah I need to have it done again it's been quite a few years ago".

Just off hand it seems like a course should have to have this done on a regular basis if our handicap is to be correct even if that is every 5 years or so. The trees here are much higher, the rough much deeper and the reeds/bullrushes along all the creeks are killer high.
 
thedue said:
How often does the USGA need to update a cours rating?

One course I play often has a very low rating, 67.0/110 whites, while the other two I play are much higher, yet the low rated course seems much more difficult and my course average there is 4 strokes higher. I talked to the course manager, a buddy, who said "yeah I need to have it done again it's been quite a few years ago".

Just off hand it seems like a course should have to have this done on a regular basis if our handicap is to be correct even if that is every 5 years or so. The trees here are much higher, the rough much deeper and the reeds/bullrushes along all the creeks are killer high.
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I agree with you. Some courses I have played I really dont think play true to their slope rating at all.
 
I often wonder the same thing. The ratings around here make no sense imo.
 
in our area it seems like never, the original slope/rate is the one they use lol
 
Yeah, it almost sounded like he could just call them and have it done at will, that just seems odd to me. The USGA has some pretty stiff stances on equipment and the rule of the game, why not the course setup, or do they?
 
I thought about this recently too. I play on a course rated 67/110 and score about mid-high 90's and last Sat I played a new course 68/128 and scored about the same. :question:

Unless it's a ball eating course I usually score about the same.
 
I wonder what it costs the course to have the ratings done? I can't imagine a course wanting to spend money like that in this economy if it's expensive.
 
Along these same lines, how much does length factor in to the slope/ratings? I play a course that is 6700 yard from the whites but is less than 120. Seems it should be in the mid 120s.
 
TC said:
I wonder what it costs the course to have the ratings done? I can't imagine a course wanting to spend money like that in this economy if it's expensive.
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Good question
 
Very interesting thread Duey, I am very curious as to what the answers are. My home course has a slope of 116 but I find it much harder than some I have played in mid 120s and I play it all the time so it should be easier.
 
I never really gave it a lot of thought, but, you are absolutely right. I took a look at some of my scorecards, and noticed some oddities too. Very interesting question. I wish I knew the answer.
 
TC said:
I wonder what it costs the course to have the ratings done? I can't imagine a course wanting to spend money like that in this economy if it's expensive.
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And then to maybe update their website, order updated scorecards, etc.
 
found some more info, not sure how old that document is

http://www.gafgolf.org/GAF-Course-Rating-Form.pdf

Fees for Course/Slope Rating or Re-Rating: (There is No Charge for GAF Member Clubs)
Course Rating Charge for NON – GAF COURSES ------------------- $1,000.00

KPGA charges $650

search for "slope rating request form" in google
 
will_i_dream said:
found some more info, not sure how old that document is

http://www.gafgolf.org/GAF-Course-Rating-Form.pdf

Fees for Course/Slope Rating or Re-Rating: (There is No Charge for GAF Member Clubs)
Course Rating Charge for NON – GAF COURSES ------------------- $1,000.00

KPGA charges $650
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Thanks for digging that up. I would guess every state has their own setup and charge, he was pretty nonchalant about it as if the cost was nothing, or very little.
 
Hawk said:
I often wonder the same thing. The ratings around here make no sense imo.
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I'm with Hawk on this one, some of my best scores have come on the higher slope courses and my worst on what are supposed to be the easiest slope ratings. When I lived in Minnesota they seemed to have the slopes more accurate. Really makes me wonder just how well course ratings compare around the country?
 
I have also recorded some of my better scores on higher rated courses and I have come up with a theroy as to why. Tell me what you think

The higher rated courses are usually in MUCH BETTER condition as in better lies in the fairway, better greens that roll true and actually hold shots and better sand in the bunkers. To me, that equals better scores, I mean there are a couple of lower rated courses around here that you do good to get a semi-decent lie in the middle of the fairway, the greens are bumpy and patchy and the sand is hard as concrete....so if you hit the fairway its easy to thin a shot or chunk a shot, you miss alot of makeable putts and take extra strokes around the greens.

On the higher rated courses, if you do hit the fairways you have a good clean lie that you can take a divot and make good shots from, the greens roll true and you can actually play from the sand....all that equals better scores than on the lower rated course.

That's my theroy....what do you think?
 
Anyone heard of a 6,622 yard course with a slope of 119(that's from the tips)

Yeah that's my home course...sounds way off
 
After reading some of the info sent today, they actually send a team of people with varying hc's to play the course and base a lot off of that. Distance seems to be a big factor.

Tap,Tap,Tap
 
TripleBogieTim said:
I have also recorded some of my better scores on higher rated courses and I have come up with a theroy as to why. Tell me what you think

The higher rated courses are usually in MUCH BETTER condition as in better lies in the fairway, better greens that roll true and actually hold shots and better sand in the bunkers. To me, that equals better scores, I mean there are a couple of lower rated courses around here that you do good to get a semi-decent lie in the middle of the fairway, the greens are bumpy and patchy and the sand is hard as concrete....so if you hit the fairway its easy to thin a shot or chunk a shot, you miss alot of makeable putts and take extra strokes around the greens.

On the higher rated courses, if you do hit the fairways you have a good clean lie that you can take a divot and make good shots from, the greens roll true and you can actually play from the sand....all that equals better scores than on the lower rated course.

That's my theroy....what do you think?
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I have to agree with a lot of this but have played some courses that are rated low that are short but very penal if you stray off the fairway.

I joined a semiprivate one year that played much harder than the rating would indicate, the talk was they toughened up the course so that members handicaps traveled better. When the tourney season wound down I was amazed how easy the course played when they let the fairways dry out a little and shortened the rough, some of the greens were so fast in season it was very difficult to hit and stay on one when approaching anywhere but from the front edge. Playing the course the morning after a tourney it was crazy how hard they set the pins, if you weren't a member there was no way you stood a chance at putting.
 
My home course is Fieldstone in Auburn hills Mi. the slopes are pretty high.

white tees 133 slope
Gold which I play is 141
Black is 147
and let me tell you, some of the tees from those black are really long. it is a tough course.
 
MarcW said:
Along these same lines, how much does length factor in to the slope/ratings? I play a course that is 6700 yard from the whites but is less than 120. Seems it should be in the mid 120s.
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Thechosen1 said:
Anyone heard of a 6,622 yard course with a slope of 119(that's from the tips)

Yeah that's my home course...sounds way off
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Yardage is a factor but not the only factor. If a course is 6700 yards with tight tree lined fairways or lots of water and bunkers or anything that gives high handicappers problems, then the slope will be higher than a 6700 yard course which is wide open without much trouble. Slope represents how much more difficult a course is for high handicapper than it is for a scratch golfer. So, the more trouble the higher the slope.
 
Lefty78 said:
Yardage is a factor but not the only factor. If a course is 6700 yards with tight tree lined fairways or lots of water and bunkers or anything that gives high handicappers problems, then the slope will be higher than a 6700 yard course which is wide open without much trouble. Slope represents how much more difficult a course is for high handicapper than it is for a scratch golfer. So, the more trouble the higher the slope.
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Good answer Lefty, that makes sense to me. Duey this is a great thread and something I had not given much thought to, very interesting comments and facts posted in this thread. Good stuff.
 
A course I play a few times a year is 6824 yards from the middle tees (over 7000 from the back) and is rated at 70.9/114. There are trees, sand, and water on the course so it's not wide open without trouble. I believe it should be rated higher just because of the length but it is what it is.
 
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