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Handicap vs. average round score

robmypro

robmypro

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Hey guys, I have read enough about handicap to know it isn't the same as average score per round. It is more about potential. Having said that my question is this. If someone is a scratch golfer, does that mean they have the potential to shoot par, but they may have never actually done that yet? I know this is difficult to equate, but when I see a player with a handicap of 2, what is this really telling me relative to their last x number of rounds?
 
That is correct to an extent. In theory one could be scratch without every shooting even par. It will all relate to the courses they are playing. Courses have a slope rating because not all courses are created equally.
 
JB said:
That is correct to an extent. In theory one could be scratch without every shooting even par. It will all relate to the courses they are playing. Courses have a slope rating because not all courses are created equally.
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Okay, thanks JB. So two players both are scratch golfers. One golfer regularly shoots below par at an easier course, while the other shoots over par at a harder one, but using the slope rating of the courses they are actually equally matched on another course they play together.

In essence, it is your skill rating. And at an average slope rating course, they both could be expected to shoot near par.
 
You should be able to play to your handicap about 1 in every 5 rounds or 20% of the time.
 
I think too often people focus on a handicap as to what someone should shoot, rather than a "potential". I've been reading a good bit as of late on handicaps, slope ratings and course ratings and how the relate to golfers, specifically when you travel a bit and never play the same course on a consistent basis. Pretty interesting stuff.
 
War Eagle said:
I think too often people focus on a handicap as to what someone should shoot, rather than a "potential". I've been reading a good bit as of late on handicaps, slope ratings and course ratings and how the relate to golfers, specifically when you travel a bit and never play the same course on a consistent basis. Pretty interesting stuff.
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Sounds like a good thread idea. I'd like to hear what you've been reading. Sounds pretty interesting.
 
robmypro said:
Okay, thanks JB. So two players both are scratch golfers. One golfer regularly shoots below par at an easier course, while the other shoots over par at a harder one, but using the slope rating of the courses they are actually equally matched on another course they play together.

In essence, it is your skill rating. And at an average slope rating course, they both could be expected to shoot near par.
Click to expand...

Par is meaningless with regard to handicaps. The course rating is the score that a "scratch golfer" (0 course handicap) is expected to shoot on a particular course. The slope rating is a ratio of what a so-called "bogie golfer" is expected to shoot compared to a scratch golfer. If your course handicap is 10 on a course with course rating of 70.3, then to "shoot your handicap" you have to post an 80 or better, it doesn't matter what par is for that course.

So your scenario could be correct, a golfer could consistently be at par but not be a "scratch" golfer if for example par is 72 but the course rating is 68.9, that golfer could have a 1 or 2 handicap. And on the other hand, another golfer at a course with par of 72 but course rating of 74.1 might not shoot par often but could still be a scratch golfer.

In general, a high course rating indicates how tough a course is for a low handicap golfer and a high slope rating tells how tough a course is for a high handicap golfer.
 
Lefty78 said:
The slope rating is a ratio of what a so-called "bogie golfer" is expected to shoot compared to a scratch golfer.
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Thanks for the info. With regards to slope, I still don't understand one thing. For example, I play on a course with a course rating of 70 and a slope rating of 128. If I am a bogey golfer what would be an expected score for me?
 
The formula for your expected score is (course rating) + (your handicap index)*slope/113. That is the score you are expected to score on when you average your best 10 of 20 rounds.
 
War Eagle said:
I think too often people focus on a handicap as to what someone should shoot, rather than a "potential". I've been reading a good bit as of late on handicaps, slope ratings and course ratings and how the relate to golfers, specifically when you travel a bit and never play the same course on a consistent basis. Pretty interesting stuff.
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The usga website has a ton of info on handicapping and the method behind all of the madness.
 
captaincaution said:
The formula for your expected score is (course rating) + (your handicap index)*slope/113. That is the score you are expected to score on when you average your best 10 of 20 rounds.
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Wow, Congu seems pretty straightforward compared to USGA!
 
War Eagle said:
I think too often people focus on a handicap as to what someone should shoot, rather than a "potential". I've been reading a good bit as of late on handicaps, slope ratings and course ratings and how the relate to golfers, specifically when you travel a bit and never play the same course on a consistent basis. Pretty interesting stuff.
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Can you elaborate on some of what you have read.
 
War Eagle said:
I think too often people focus on a handicap as to what someone should shoot, rather than a "potential". I've been reading a good bit as of late on handicaps, slope ratings and course ratings and how the relate to golfers, specifically when you travel a bit and never play the same course on a consistent basis. Pretty interesting stuff.
Click to expand...

I'm curious on what you've been reading. I try to play as many different courses as possible, and I understand that HDCP is potential and have seen the calculators, but I'm very interested to see how it all effects my HDCP. This was all brought up on Twitter last night so I'm glad to see a thread about it this morning. It's the one part of the game that I'm willing to admit that I know very little about.
 
Thanks for this discussion. I've often wondered what the slope and rating on the score card was all about. Now I know! From the tips at the club in Andalusia Al where I play the rating is 69.7 and the slope is 123. Fun coruse but not very difficult.
 
So on my home course, with a slope of 129, it gives me a handicap of 21 for a 18 handicap. So 3 extra strokes to deal with the increased difficulty. This makes sense. Thanks guys.
 
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