Golf Handicap Calculator
Enter your round to get your handicap differential — the building block of a WHS-style handicap index.
Handicap differential
—
Differential = (113 ÷ slope) × (score − course rating).
A quick indicator, not a full index
This calculator gives you the differential for a single round. A true WHS handicap index is built from your best 8 of the last 20 differentials — it needs history, consistency and every score you play.
Sign up free with TrackPar and you get an accurate, updating handicap index, a course dropdown with official ratings already filled in, and every round stored automatically so your index is always current.
New to this? Here's where to find each number
Every UK and Ireland golf course displays its course rating and slope on the official scorecard, usually on the back or inside flap. Here's an example of what to look for.
| Tee | Par | Course rating | Slope |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 72 | 71.4 | 132 |
| Yellow | 71 | 69.8 | 128 |
| Red | 73 | 72.1 | 125 |
Use the row matching the tees you actually played from. If your card only shows one set of figures, that's the one to use.
Course rating
The score a scratch golfer is expected to shoot from those tees, e.g. 71.4. Printed on the scorecard, usually beside the tee colour.
Slope rating
A number between 55 and 155 showing how hard the course plays for a bogey golfer relative to a scratch player. 113 is average.
Adjusted gross score
Your total strokes, with any single hole capped at net double bogey(par + 2 + handicap strokes received on that hole).
Can't find the rating on your card?
- Check the club's website — most publish a "Course / Slope" or "WHS rating" page.
- England Golf, Scottish Golf and Wales Golf list every affiliated course's ratings.
- Ask in the pro shop — they'll have a master sheet for every tee, men's and ladies'.
How the calculation works
The World Handicap System uses a standard formula to convert any round on any course into a single comparable number — the differential. Once you have at least three differentials, your handicap index is calculated from the best 8 of your most recent 20 rounds.
TrackPar is an unofficial system for information only. It is not affiliated with any official handicapping body.