The Golf Handicap Calculator works out your course handicap and your World Handicap System handicap index from recent rounds.
Course handicap: 9
| Course handicap | 9 |
| Unrounded | 8.71 |
Handicap index: 10.5
| Handicap index | 10.5 |
| Rounds used | 1 best of 5 |
| Score differentials | 13.2, 10.6, 14.3, 18.3, 15.3 |
A handicap lets golfers of different abilities compete fairly. Since 2020 most countries use the World Handicap System (WHS): your handicap index measures your potential ability, and a course handicap converts it to strokes for a particular course and set of tees.
Course handicap = handicap index × (slope rating ÷ 113) + (course rating − par). Slope 113 is a course of standard difficulty.
Worked example (defaults): 10 × 121/113 + (70 − 72) = 8.7, rounded to 9 strokes.
Each round gives a score differential = (113 ÷ slope) × (adjusted gross score − course rating − playing conditions adjustment). With 20 rounds, the index is the average of the best 8. With fewer rounds, fewer differentials are used, with small adjustments for 3–6 rounds.
What is an adjusted gross score? Your score with each hole capped at net double bogey.
How often is the index updated? Daily under WHS.
What is a scratch golfer? Someone with a handicap index of 0.