How to Calculate a USGA Handicap Index
A minimum of five scores and a maximum of 20 is required to get started. For each score, the USGA Course Rating and Slope Rating for the courses played are also required. Using those figures, calculate your handicap with the formula below.
Differential Calculation: (Score - Course Rating) x 113 / Slope Rating
Use this table to determine how many rounds are used in the calculation.
Final Handicap Index Calculation:
Then, we take your average differential of your best rounds and multiply it by .96 to get your Handicap Index.
For more information on the USGA handicap system, go to http://www.usga.org.
Less than 5 rounds, a handicap cannot be computed.
5 - 6 rounds, your best round is used as the differential.
7 - 8 rounds, best 2 rounds.
9 - 10 rounds, best 3 rounds.
11 - 12 rounds, best 4 rounds.
13 - 14 rounds, best 5 rounds.
15 - 16 rounds, best 6 rounds.
17 rounds, best 7 rounds.
18 rounds, best 8 rounds.
19 rounds, best 9 rounds.
20 rounds in the last year, use the best 10 rounds.
5 - 6 rounds, your best round is used as the differential.
7 - 8 rounds, best 2 rounds.
9 - 10 rounds, best 3 rounds.
11 - 12 rounds, best 4 rounds.
13 - 14 rounds, best 5 rounds.
15 - 16 rounds, best 6 rounds.
17 rounds, best 7 rounds.
18 rounds, best 8 rounds.
19 rounds, best 9 rounds.
20 rounds in the last year, use the best 10 rounds.
Final Handicap Index Calculation:
Then, we take your average differential of your best rounds and multiply it by .96 to get your Handicap Index.
For more information on the USGA handicap system, go to http://www.usga.org.
