A Handicap Index travels with you from course to course. Your Course Handicap is how many strokes you get on a specific set of tees: Handicap Index × (Slope Rating ÷ 113) + (Course Rating − Par). Your Playing Handicap is the Course Handicap adjusted for the format, for example 85% for four-ball stroke play or 95% for individual stroke play, as the USGA recommends.
Most handicap arguments in a casual group aren't about honesty. They're about three numbers that sound alike and mean different things. Once your group understands the difference, net scoring stops being a source of side-eye.
1. Handicap Index: the portable number
Under the World Handicap System (WHS), which the USGA administers in the United States, a Handicap Index is calculated from the average of your best 8 score differentials out of your most recent 20 rounds. It describes your ability on a course of standard difficulty. It's the number you see in the GHIN app, and it doesn't change based on where you're playing today.
2. Course Handicap: strokes for these tees
Courses aren't equally hard, so the Index gets converted for the tees you're playing:
Course Handicap = Handicap Index × (Slope Rating ÷ 113) + (Course Rating − Par)
Both ratings are on the scorecard or the course's website. Example: a 14.2 Index playing tees with a 128 Slope, a 71.4 Course Rating and a par of 72 works out to 14.2 × 128 ÷ 113 = 16.1, minus 0.6, which is 15.5 and rounds to a Course Handicap of 15. (Round .5 up.)
3. Playing Handicap: adjusted for the format
Different formats give lower handicaps different advantages, so the WHS recommends a handicap allowance for each. Multiply the Course Handicap by the allowance:
| Format | Recommended allowance |
|---|---|
| Individual stroke play | 95% |
| Individual Stableford | 95% |
| Four-ball (best ball) stroke play | 85% |
| Individual match play | 100% |
| Four-ball match play | 90% |
| Two-person scramble | 35% of the lower + 15% of the higher |
| Four-person scramble | 25% / 20% / 15% / 10%, lowest to highest |
So our 15 Course Handicap playing four-ball stroke play gets 15 × 85% = 12.75, a Playing Handicap of 13. These allowances are recommendations, and the committee (in your group, that's you) can set its own. Just publish the numbers before the round, not after.
For scrambles, our free scramble handicap calculator does the math for 2- and 4-person teams.
Enter slope and rating once. PLYR works out course handicaps for your whole group so nobody does long division in the parking lot.
See how it works →Where the strokes go
Every scorecard has a "Handicap" or "Stroke Index" row ranking the holes 1 to 18, with 1 being the hardest. A player with a Playing Handicap of 13 gets one stroke on each of the holes ranked 1 through 13. A 22 gets one stroke on every hole plus a second stroke on holes ranked 1 through 4.
In match play, the lowest player in the match plays off zero and everyone else receives the difference. If a 6 plays a 13, the 13 gets 7 strokes, on the seven hardest holes.
What about players without a GHIN?
Every casual group has a few. You have three reasonable options:
- Encourage them to get one. An official Handicap Index comes through a golf club or authorized association, including online clubs, and it's the only number that's comparable everywhere.
- Use a group handicap. Calculate a number from the scores they post in your group. Be clear that it's a group handicap, not an official Handicap Index.
- Set a starting number and adjust. Give a new player a provisional handicap and revisit it after three rounds. Publish the rule so nobody thinks it's personal.
Keep it simple, keep it public
The single best thing you can do for handicap peace is to post everyone's playing handicap before the round. Arguments happen when numbers appear after the scores are in. If you want a cautionary tale, read the handicap argument that almost ended a 15-year friendship.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate a Course Handicap?
Course Handicap = Handicap Index × (Slope Rating ÷ 113) + (Course Rating − Par), rounded to the nearest whole number. For example, a 14.2 Index on tees with a 128 Slope, 71.4 Course Rating and par 72 gets a Course Handicap of 15.
What is the difference between a Course Handicap and a Playing Handicap?
Course Handicap is the number of strokes you receive on a specific set of tees. Playing Handicap is the Course Handicap multiplied by the handicap allowance for the format being played, such as 85% for four-ball stroke play.
What handicap allowance should we use for a scramble?
The World Handicap System recommends 35% of the lower and 15% of the higher Course Handicap for a two-person scramble, and 25%, 20%, 15% and 10% (lowest to highest) for a four-person scramble.
What handicap allowance is used for best ball?
For four-ball (best ball) stroke play the recommended allowance is 85% of each player’s Course Handicap. For four-ball match play it is 90%.
Can a golf group use handicaps if not everyone has a GHIN?
Yes. Many casual groups calculate their own group handicaps from scores played together. It works fine for friendly competition as long as the method is published in advance, but it is not an official Handicap Index.