How to Figure a 9-Hole Handicap

The question of your handicap is a favorite question among golfers. It indicates both your golfing level and your potential. Many people only play nine holes when they golf, especially those who participate in evening leagues. So how do you figure a nine-hole handicap? It is not much different than figuring an 18-hole handicap, and can be done rather quickly as long as you keep your scores.

Things You'll Need

  • Golf scores on scorecards (five or more)
  • USGA index
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Instructions

    • 1

      Write down the top 50 percent of your golf scores if you have played more than 10 rounds. To qualify for a handicap, you have to play more than five rounds. For 18-hole rounds, write down your scores on the front side and on the back side as two separate scores.

    • 2

      Take out your scorecards and write down the course rating and the slope rating next to the corresponding scores.

    • 3

      Calculate your handicap for each individual round. To do this, subtract the nine-hole course rating from your total score. Then divide 113 by the course slope. Multiply those two results and you have your handicap score for that individual round. For example, if you shoot a 45 on a course with a slope of 115 and a rating of 36, your equation should look like this: (45 - 36) X (113 / 115). The handicap for that round should equal 8.84 for nine holes. The 113 represents the average course slope. The course rating for 18 holes is usually around 72; if the scorecard only lists the course rating for 18 holes, and not both the front and back side, then divide the course rating by two before performing the calculation above.

    • 4

      Add up all of your handicaps and divide by the total amount of rounds played. That is your handicap index.