Golf Handicap Calculator
Calculate your golf handicap index using the World Handicap System (WHS) formula with course rating and slope rating.
Enter up to 20 rounds. Your handicap index is calculated from the best 8 of your last 20 score differentials.
Our free golf handicap calculator works out your Handicap Index using the World Handicap System (WHS). Enter your scores along with the course rating and slope rating for each round, and the calculator finds your best 8 differentials from your last 20 rounds.
How to calculate a golf handicap
Under the World Handicap System, your Handicap Index is calculated in three steps:
- Calculate the score differential for each round: (Adjusted Gross Score − Course Rating) × 113 ÷ Slope Rating
- Take your best (lowest) 8 differentials from your most recent 20 rounds.
- Average those 8 differentials and multiply by 0.96.
Handicap Index = Average of best 8 differentials × 0.96
What is a score differential?
A score differential measures how well you played relative to the difficulty of the course. It adjusts your gross score using the Course Rating (the expected score for a scratch golfer) and the Slope Rating (a measure of course difficulty for a bogey golfer). The standard slope rating is 113.
What is Course Rating and Slope Rating?
The Course Rating is the expected score for a scratch (0 handicap) golfer on that course under normal conditions — typically a number like 71.4. The Slope Rating measures how much harder the course is for a bogey golfer compared to a scratch golfer. It ranges from 55 to 155, with 113 being the standard.
How many rounds do you need?
| Rounds submitted | Differentials used |
|---|---|
| 3 | Lowest 1 |
| 4 | Lowest 1 |
| 5 | Lowest 1 |
| 6 | Lowest 2 |
| 7–8 | Lowest 2 |
| 9–11 | Lowest 3–5 |
| 12–14 | Lowest 6 |
| 15–16 | Lowest 7 |
| 17–18 | Lowest 8 |
| 19–20 | Lowest 8 |