Handicaps: What to know about the index

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One of the most misunderstood things to casual golfers and newcomers to the sport is the "handicap index."

What it is: A handicap index is a measurement of a player's potential on a course of standard difficulty based on his or her past performances. (A course of standard difficulty has a USGA "slope rating" of 113. West Seattle Golf Course, for example, has a slope rating of 115 from the white tees). The handicap index is expressed as a number taken to one decimal point (such as 13.2) and is used for conversion to a "course handicap."

What it isn't: The handicap index isn't directly linked to par. A golfer who often shoots 86 on a par-72 course doesn't automatically have a 14 handicap index.

Who "grades" courses for difficulty? The Washington State Golf Association evaluates courses for their difficulty for scratch and bogey golfers. The course is assigned a slope rating and course rating (what a scratch player would shoot half the time).

What is a course handicap? It is a number expressed without a fraction that tells golfers how many strokes they "get" on a particular course. To figure your course handicap, you apply your USGA handicap index to a slope-conversion chart at each course. For example, the chart should show that a golfer with a 14.5 handicap index playing tees with a slope of 105 has a course handicap of 13. That same golfer playing tees with a slope of 120 has a course handicap of 15.

Why have a handicap index? It is required for all but the most casual tournaments; It can help you get into foursomes of similar ability; It helps in friendly wagers because it translates into the course handicap. (Example: Bill has a course handicap of 13 and Jeff has a course handicap of 11. Bill "gets a stroke" on the two holes designated on the scorecard as the holes on which a stroke is most likely needed because of difficulty. If hole No. 5 is the No. 1 handicap hole and both golfers shot six, Bill wins.

How do you get a USGA handicap index? All but a handful of public golf courses in the state, and some driving ranges, have men's and women's clubs through which you can get a USGA handicap index. Expect to pay about $50 a year. Your handicap index is calculated from the best 10 performances of your past 20 rounds. The WSGA computer will consider a 95 on a tough course a better performance than a 90 on an easy course. After a round, you "post" your score on a computer at the course. You can get a handicap index with as few as five posted scores.