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What is a course handicap and how do I calculate it?

This is the number of strokes needed to play to the level of a par golfer on a particular course/set of tees.

A player’s course handicap refers to the number of strokes they receive based on their Handicap Index on a specific set of tees at a specific course. You can calculate your course handicap by:

For a detailed breakdown, including a step-by-step example that makes it easy to follow, explore our guide on how your Handicap Index is calculated: https://blog.ncga.org/how-to-calculate-golf-handicap#coursehandicap. This resource walks through each calculation stage, so you can better understand how your Handicap Index translates to your course handicap and ultimately supports fair play across different courses and tee sets.

Have other Handicapping questions? Check out our Handicap 101 page.