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Rating And Slope Defined
Course Rating
The course rating is used to handle the relative difficulties of golf course in USGA handicapping. A course rating is representative of what a scratch golfer would shoot from a specific set of tees. The course rating displays with a decimal and as there are more than 460 factors that go into determining a courses rating including the distance of the course, carry distances, the number of hazards and how open the course is. Each set of tees is given a separate rating by the USGA. Example: A par 72 course with a rating of 71.4 should play easier for a scratch golfer than a Par 72 course with a rating of 74.2. Click here or more info from the USGA- http://www.usga.org/Content.aspx?id=25369 Course Slope The course slope is a number applied to specific set of tees for a golf course and is used in the USGA handicapping process. The course slope is based on a complex formula comprising of hundreds of factors and is representative of a course’s playability by a bogey golfer. Unlike a course rating or SSS it is not an “expected score” of a bogey golfer, but rather a formula created and licensed by the USGA to be used in its handicapping. Despite not being as straight forward as a course rating you can still derive some knowledge about a course from its Slope. The average slope of all golf courses is 113 so any slope over 113 is more difficult than the statistical average. On a full length “Championship Course” it is not uncommon to see slopes applied to tees ranging anywhere from 115 to 140. While you cannot know specifically why a course has a higher slope number than another, it is fair to guess a higher number means the course has some combination of difficulties that make it harder. It is not uncommon to see two courses with the same rating but very different slopes. What this means is a scratch golfer who is expected to hit longer and straighter shots would perform the same on both courses, but a bogey golfer who doesn’t hit as far or as straight would have more trouble on the course with the higher slope, maybe due to tighter fairways, long tee shot carries or more bunkers. Click here or more info from the USGA- http://www.usga.org/Content.aspx?id=25369 |
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