What Is Bogey Rating in Golf?
Bogey Rating: The expected score for a bogey golfer — roughly a 20-handicap (men) or 24-handicap (women).
Bogey Rating — full definition
The expected score for a bogey golfer — a player with a Handicap Index of roughly 20.0 (men) or 24.0 (women). The difference between the Bogey Rating and the Course Rating is used to calculate the Slope Rating. A larger gap means the course punishes higher-handicap players more severely.
Bogey Rating — frequently asked
Bogey Rating — how is it calculated?
- Based on the expected score for a player with ~20.0 (men) or ~24.0 (women) Handicap Index
- The gap between Bogey Rating and Course Rating determines the Slope Rating
Bogey Rating — what does a large gap mean?
- A bigger gap = the course punishes higher-handicap players more severely
- Typically caused by forced carries, heavy rough, and narrow landing areas
More on Bogey Rating
Bogey Rating is the half of the slope calculation nobody publishes on a scorecard, but its effect shows up in the rankings.
- Hardest courses by stateA wide Bogey-to-Course Rating gap is what pushes a course up these lists.
- Course Handicap calculatorSee what a high-slope course does to a 20-handicap.
Other course rating terms
Course Rating
A USGA-assigned number representing the expected score for a scratch golfer under normal conditions.
Slope Rating
A number from 55 to 155 that measures how much harder a course plays for bogey golfers versus scratch golfers.
Handicap Index
A portable measure of your playing ability that travels with you from course to course.
Course Handicap
The number of strokes you receive on a specific course from a specific set of tees.
Playing Handicap
Your Course Handicap adjusted for the specific format of play.
Score Differential
A score that measures how well you played relative to the difficulty of the course.
Equitable Stroke Control
A rule that caps the maximum score on any hole for handicap purposes, preventing blow-up holes from wrecking your index.