Golf Handicap Calculator (95%, 85%, 4BBB, Texas & Florida Scramble & More)

Need to calculate your handicap for your next competition? Don’t know how to convert your world handicap index figure into shots on the course? We’ve got a simple golf handicap calculator to use.

Whether you are playing in your monthly stableford, weekly strokeplay, teeing off in a matchplay game or are entered into a Texas Scramble or Florida Scramble, the table below takes the stress away.

To use the golf handicap calculator to work out your handicap, simply:

• Input your World Handicap Index (WHI) and the Slope Rating of the course you’re playing
• Select the format your are playing in from singles to scrambles
• The calculator will display the resulting handicap below based on the selected format.

Calculator For Golf Handicap

Each of the options in the golf handicap calculator allows you to use your World Handicap Index (WHI) and the Slope Rating of the course to determine their playing handicap for various formats.

To get your course handicap, the number of shots you receive at the venue you are playing, the calculator uses the following information to work out based on your handicap index.

Course Rating

This measures the expected score of a scratch golfer (a golfer with a WHI of 0.0) on a specific course under normal conditions.

Slope Rating

This indicates the relative difficulty of a course for a bogey golfer (a golfer with a WHI around 20.0 for men and 24.0 for women) compared to a scratch golfer. The standard Slope Rating is 113, with ratings ranging from 55 to 155 and this element affects golf pace of play.

Playing Conditions Calculation (PCC)

The WHI system includes a Playing Conditions Calculation, which adjusts the daily score if course conditions, like weather, are significantly easier or harder than normal.

The formula of the course handicap is: Course handicap = Handicap Index x (Slope Rating / 113).

To then calculate your playing handicap, you take the conditions of the competition (95% handicap or Texas Scramble format) and work out your shots on the day. The tool above does that for you!

World Handicap Index – How Is It Calculated?

The World Handicap Index is a standardized system used globally to provide a consistent and equitable measure of a golfer’s skill level.

Introduced by the USGA (United States Golf Association) and The R&A, the WHI replaced previous systems like the USGA Handicap System and the CONGU Handicap System to unify golf handicap calculations across different regions.

The WHI aims to provide a fair and accurate representation of a golfer’s potential ability, allowing players of varying skill levels to compete on an equal footing. It considers the difficulty of the course and adjusts a player’s handicap accordingly.

The WHI is calculated using the average of the best 8 out of the last 20 scores a golfer has recorded. This method helps to reflect a player’s true potential rather than their average performance.

The calculation also includes adjustments based on the Course Rating and Slope Rating, which take into account the relative difficulty of the golf course.

Golf Format Types

There are wide variety of formats and competition types when playing golf with some of the following used in both casual play or formal tournaments.

Stroke Play

Stroke play, also known as medal play, is the most traditional form of golf competition. Players compete to complete the course in the fewest total strokes.

Every stroke is counted over one or more rounds and the player with the lowest Gross Stroke Play total is the winner without handicap adjustments. In Net Stroke Play, the total is adjusted with your handicap removed.

Match Play

Match play is a head-to-head competition where each hole is a separate contest and is used in the Ryder Cup, Solheim Cup and Presidents Cup among other tournaments.

Players or teams compete to win individual holes and the player or team with the most holes won at the end of the round wins the match.

Stableford

Stableford is a point-based scoring system that rewards aggressive play and minimizes the penalty for poor holes.

Points are awarded based on the number of strokes taken relative to par on each hole. A bogey earns 1 point, par earns 2, birdie earns 3, eagle earns 4 and so on.

In Modified Stableford, different point values are used and often rewarding riskier play with more points for birdies or eagles and subtracting points for double bogeys or worse.

Four-Ball (4BBB or Better Ball)

Four-ball, also known as Better Ball, involves two-player teams competing against each other.

Each player plays their own ball throughout the round and the best score of the two players on each hole counts for the team.

Foursomes

Foursomes is a team format where two players alternate shots with one ball. One player tees off on odd-numbered holes, and the other on even-numbered holes.

The team with the fewest strokes at the end of the round wins.

Scramble

A Scramble is a popular team format that emphasizes teamwork and strategy.

All players in a team (usually 2-4 players) tee off. The team selects the best shot, and all players hit their next shot from that spot with this process continuing until the ball is holed.

Texas Scramble is the most used format and requires a minimum number of drives from each player, usually three but sometimes four.

Florida Scramble is similar to Texas Scramble, but the player whose shot is selected sits out the next shot.

Greensomes

Greensomes is a variation of Foursomes, but in this version both players tee off and the team then selects the best drive. From that point, players alternate shots until the ball is holed.

Skins Game

A Skins Game is a type of match play where each hole is worth a certain amount of money or points. Players compete for each hole, with the winner earning the “skin” for that hole.

If a hole is tied, the skin carries over to the next hole and the player with the most skins at the end wins.

Par/Bogey Competitions

This is a stroke play competition where the scoring is similar to match play but against the course. Players score each hole as a win (+1), a loss (-1), or a tie (0) relative to par.