Golf Handicap
Calculator
Calculate your golf Score Differential and estimate your Handicap Index using the World Handicap System.
Enter a round's scores and course details to see how your performance is adjusted for course difficulty. Or use your recent Score Differentials to estimate the Handicap Index that reflects your playing ability. We'll explain the calculations along the way.
Start with your scores.
Choose what you want to calculate. You can work out the Score Differential for one 18-hole round or estimate a Handicap Index from your recent differentials.
01. Course details
Use the Course Rating and Slope Rating for the exact tees played. PCC is normally 0 unless your course reports another value.
02. Your handicap status
If you have an established Handicap Index, the calculator will use your Course Handicap to allocate strokes for net-double-bogey limits. Otherwise, the initial maximum of par plus five applies to each played hole.
03. Enter your 18 holes
Enter each hole's par, your actual strokes including penalties, and its stroke index. Every hole must have a score. Stroke indexes must be unique from 1 to 18.
Score Differential
Enter your recent Score Differentials
Add the Score Differentials from your scoring record, with the newest first. Enter up to 20. If you have more than 20, use only the most recent 20.
You need at least three 18-hole-equivalent Score Differentials for an initial estimate. Use your official recorded differentials where available.
Estimated Handicap Index
From your round
to your handicap.
Find your course details
Look for the Course Rating and Slope Rating for the tees you played. These are usually available on the scorecard or through the club. The ratings help account for course difficulty.
Enter your hole-by-hole scores
Add the par, your strokes including penalties, and the stroke index for each hole. The calculator checks whether any scores need to be reduced to the maximum permitted for handicap purposes.
Calculate your Score Differential
Your adjusted gross score is compared with the Course Rating, Slope Rating and PCC. This produces a Score Differential that can be compared with scores from other courses.
Build your Handicap Index estimate
Add your recent Score Differentials to the second calculator. It selects the appropriate lowest differentials and estimates your Handicap Index using the WHS calculation table.
What the numbers
actually mean.
Score Differential
A Score Differential measures your performance relative to the difficulty of the course and tees played. It isn't simply the number of strokes you finished over par.
Handicap Index
Your Handicap Index represents your demonstrated playing ability. With 20 scores in your record, the standard starting calculation averages your lowest eight Score Differentials. Fewer scores use a different calculation table.
Course Handicap
Your Course Handicap translates your Handicap Index to the course and tees you're playing. It accounts for the Slope Rating and the difference between Course Rating and par.
Playing Handicap
Your Playing Handicap is the number of handicap strokes you receive or give in a particular format after any applicable handicap allowance. It may differ from your Course Handicap.
A Handicap Index is not your expected score over par. It is a measure of demonstrated ability that can be converted for different courses and competition formats.
Make more sense
of your scores.
Your handicap is only one part of understanding golf scoring. These guides and tools can help you use that knowledge during a round.
Golf Scorecard & Net Score Helper
See how handicap strokes are allocated and how gross scores become net scores.
Explore the tool →Stableford Points Calculator
Calculate points using your hole scores and handicap information.
Calculate your points →Handicap Stroke Index
Understand the numbers on your scorecard and how they determine handicap stroke allocation.
Understand stroke index →Golf Formats, Scoring & Rules
Explore the different ways golf is played, scored and organised, from Stableford to match play and team games.
Explore the hub →Related to this topic
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