What Is Course Rating in Golf?
Course Rating: A USGA-assigned number representing the expected score for a scratch golfer under normal conditions.
Course Rating — full definition
A numerical value assigned by the USGA that represents the expected score for a scratch golfer (zero handicap) playing under normal conditions. Course Rating™ is expressed to one decimal place (e.g., 72.3) and accounts for the effective playing length and obstacle factors of a course.
Course Rating — frequently asked
How is Course Rating expressed?
- Shown to one decimal place (e.g., 72.3)
- Accounts for effective playing length and obstacle factors
- Calculated separately for each set of tees
Course Rating — why does it matter?
- Used alongside Slope Rating to calculate your Course Handicap
- Lets you compare the difficulty of different courses on equal footing
- A Course Rating higher than par means the course plays harder than its par suggests
More on Course Rating
Course Rating is not an abstraction on Stymie — it is a column on every scorecard we hold, and the input behind the ranking pages.
- Golf course directory20,000+ US listings, with per-tee rating and slope wherever the club publishes a scorecard.
- State course rankingsCourses sorted by the difficulty numbers this term describes.
- Course Handicap calculatorDrop a Course Rating in and watch it move your stroke allocation.
Other course rating terms
Slope Rating
A number from 55 to 155 that measures how much harder a course plays for bogey golfers versus scratch golfers.
Bogey Rating
The expected score for a bogey golfer — roughly a 20-handicap (men) or 24-handicap (women).
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.