Golf Handicap Calculator

How the Handicap Index works

For each round the World Handicap System calculates a score differential: (113 ÷ slope rating) × (adjusted gross score − course rating − playing conditions calculation). Your Handicap Index is the average of the lowest 8 differentials from your most recent 20 scores. Enter one round per line – score, course rating and slope – and the rounds that count are highlighted.

Fewer than 20 rounds

With 3 to 19 scores fewer differentials are used: the lowest 1 for 3–5 scores (minus 2.0 with 3 and minus 1.0 with 4), the lowest 2 for 6–8 (minus 1.0 with 6), then 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. With the eight example rounds the two lowest differentials, 14.9 and 15.7, give a Handicap Index of 15.3.

Course and playing handicap

The course handicap converts your index to strokes on a particular course: index × slope ÷ 113 + (course rating − par). An 18.4 index on tees rated 71.8 with slope 131 and par 72 gives a course handicap of 21; in individual stroke play the 95% allowance makes the playing handicap 20.

What the official index adds

Your national association also applies soft and hard caps that limit how fast the index can rise above your lowest index of the past year, and an extra reduction after an exceptional round. The maximum index is 54.0.

Frequently asked questions