Calculate your golf handicap the World Handicap System way
This golf handicap calculator follows the World Handicap System (WHS) Rules of Handicapping, 2024 edition. Paste or type your recent rounds, one per line, and it turns each into a score differential, then averages the best 8 of your last 20 to give a Handicap Index. A second section converts that index into a Course Handicap and Playing Handicap for any set of tees.
It also handles 9-hole rounds the way the 2024 rules do: the 9-hole differential is combined with an expected differential for the other nine based on your current index, so a single 9-hole score can count. The official expected values are not published as a simple formula, so the tool approximates them (and lets you type the value your association gives you). Everything runs in your browser. The result is an unofficial estimate; your club or national association issues the official index.
How to use the Golf Handicap Calculator
- Type or paste your adjusted gross scores, one per line: score, course rating, slope rating, and optionally the PCC adjustment and 9 or 18 holes.
- Read your Handicap Index and the table showing each differential, with the ones that count marked.
- For 9-hole rounds, type your current Handicap Index in the box below the scores.
- In the Course Handicap section, enter par, course rating and slope rating of the tees you will play.
- Set the handicap allowance your competition uses to see the Playing Handicap.
Golf Handicap Calculator features
Best 8 of 20
Uses your last 20 scores and the official table when you have fewer, from 3 scores upwards.
9-hole rounds
Adds an expected differential for the other 9 holes: approximated as 0.52 × index + 1.2, or the value you type.
PCC supported
Per-round Playing Conditions Calculation adjustment from −1 to +3.
Course and Playing Handicap
Index × slope ÷ 113 + (rating − par), then your allowance.
Plus handicaps
Negative indexes display with a plus sign, like club systems do.
The formulas
Each score becomes a Score Differential = (113 ÷ Slope Rating) × (Adjusted Gross Score − Course Rating − PCC), rounded to one decimal. 113 is the slope of a course of standard difficulty. The Handicap Index is the average of the lowest 8 differentials from your latest 20, rounded to one decimal. The Course Handicap is Index × (Slope ÷ 113) + (Course Rating − Par), rounded to a whole number.
Worked example: 92 on a course rated 71.2 with slope 128 gives 113 ÷ 128 × (92 − 71.2) = 18.4. The tool’s 20 sample rounds produce a lowest-8 average of 14.2; on a par-72, 71.2 / 128 course that is 14.2 × 128 ÷ 113 − 0.8 = 15.3, a Course Handicap of 15.
What if I have fewer than 20 scores?
The Rules of Handicapping (Rule 5.2a) use fewer differentials, with an adjustment for the smallest records.
| Scores | Differentials used | Adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Lowest 1 | −2.0 |
| 4 | Lowest 1 | −1.0 |
| 5 | Lowest 1 | 0 |
| 6 | Average of lowest 2 | −1.0 |
| 7–8 | Average of lowest 2 | 0 |
| 9–11 | Average of lowest 3 | 0 |
| 12–14 | Average of lowest 4 | 0 |
| 15–16 | Average of lowest 5 | 0 |
| 17–18 | Average of lowest 6 | 0 |
| 19 | Average of lowest 7 | 0 |
| 20 | Average of lowest 8 | 0 |
What this calculator does not do
- It does not apply net double bogey to each hole: enter your adjusted gross score (maximum of par + 2 + strokes received on each hole).
- It does not apply exceptional score reductions, the soft cap or hard cap, or Committee adjustments.
- The 9-hole expected differential is an approximation. It caps the index at 54.0 but does not check that your scores were played in an acceptable format.
Where to find your numbers
Course rating and slope rating are printed on the scorecard for each set of tees, and your association’s course database lists them. PCC is applied automatically in official systems after the round; if you do not know it, use 0. For a general average of anything else, try the average calculator.
Golf Handicap Calculator FAQ
How is a golf handicap calculated?
Each round becomes a score differential, (113 ÷ slope) × (adjusted gross − course rating − PCC). Your Handicap Index is the average of the lowest 8 of your last 20 differentials.
How do I calculate a handicap for 9 holes?
Under the 2024 WHS rules, a 9-hole differential is added to an expected differential for the other 9 holes, based on your current index, to give an 18-hole differential. This tool approximates the expected value as 0.52 × index + 1.2, which matches the USGA’s worked example, but it is not an official table; you can type your own.
How many scores do I need for a handicap?
Three 18-hole scores (54 holes) are the minimum. The official table in the Rules of Handicapping decides how many differentials count between 3 and 20 scores.
What is a Course Handicap?
The number of strokes you receive on a specific set of tees. It equals Index × slope ÷ 113 plus the difference between course rating and par.
Is this my official handicap?
No. Official indexes are issued by your club or national association using their scoring record. This tool is for estimates.
Why is my index different from my app?
Apps apply net double bogey, PCC, exceptional score reductions and caps automatically, and use official course data.