Golf Handicap Differential

A golf handicap differential converts a raw score into a number that can be compared across different courses and tee sets. The score is first measured relative to the course rating, which represents what a scratch golfer is expected to shoot, and then adjusted by the slope rating so that harder courses for bogey golfers do not unfairly inflate the result. The constant 113 is the standard slope baseline, so dividing by SR and multiplying by 113 rescales every round onto the same reference difficulty.

Use this when calculating a player’s handicap-related performance from a single round, especially if the round was played on a course with nonstandard difficulty. It is also useful when comparing rounds from different venues or tee boxes on a common scale.

• Using the unadjusted gross score instead of the adjusted gross score
• Swapping course rating and slope rating in the formula
• Forgetting that a higher slope rating reduces the multiplier because 113 is divided by SR