A golfer’s handicap is a numerical representation that helps even the playing field for golfers of varying ability who are competing against one other. This number will be approximately how many strokes over par a player will be able to play. The handicap number allows scores to be adjusted after the round and rewards players who play more consistent or above their normal skill level. Using your golf handicap will produce a net score from the actual score (gross score). Generally, the lower your handicap, the fewer strokes you will use on a given course against a player with a higher handicap. A scratch golfer is a player with a handicap of exactly zero.

Your previous scores on a given course, along with the course slope and rating for the tees you play, are used to calculate your handicap. Once you have determined your handicap, you can subtract it from the total number of strokes from the course to give you your net score. All players competing would use their own handicap to calculate their net score and the lowest score wins.

When it comes to the official authority governing over the golf handicap system, The R&A based in St. Andrews, Scotland, is responsible in all countries around the globe with the exception of the United States and Mexico. In the United States and Mexico, the United States Golf Association fulfills this role.

To use the golf handicap calculator below, you will need to know the course slope and rating for the past five rounds of golf that you played, along with your score for each of those rounds. Since you are using the five most recent rounds of golf that you played, your golf handicap will always be changing to reflect your actual ability as your game skill increases and/or decreases over time. You should check back frequently as you progress to keep an accurate measure of your true handicap.