Golf Handicap Calculator
Calculate your World Handicap System index: best 8 of 20 differentials × 0.96.
Inputs
Enter up to 20 scores. Format per line: adjusted gross score, Course Rating, Slope Rating.
Handicap Index
8.8
World Handicap System index, rounded to 1 decimal.
Rounds Entered
8
Differentials Used
2
The WHS uses the best N differentials based on how many rounds you've entered.
Best (Lowest) Differential
8.81
Average Differential
11.95
Step by step
Scores entered
= 8 rounds
Compute each differential: (113 / Slope) × (Score − Course Rating)
= Range: 8.81 to 14
Best 2 of 8 differentials (WHS rule)
= 8.81, 9.49
Average of best differentials
(8.81 + 9.49) ÷ 2
= 9.1511
Apply WHS 0.96 factor
9.1511 × 0.96
= Handicap Index = 8.8
Score differentials
| Score | Course Rating | Slope | Differential |
|---|---|---|---|
| 85 | 72.0 | 113 | 13.00 |
| 82 | 71.5 | 125 | 9.49 |
| 88 | 73.2 | 130 | 12.86 |
| 80 | 70.8 | 118 | 8.81 |
| 84 | 72.0 | 113 | 12.00 |
| 87 | 72.5 | 120 | 13.65 |
| 83 | 71.0 | 115 | 11.79 |
| 86 | 72.0 | 113 | 14.00 |
How it works
The World Handicap System (WHS), adopted globally in 2020, produces a portable handicap index that works on any course in the world. For each round you enter your adjusted gross score, the course rating, and the slope rating — both printed on the scorecard. The differential measures how well you played relative to the difficulty of that specific course. The system averages your best 8 of your most recent 20 differentials, then multiplies by 0.96. That 4% reduction exists because the WHS is designed to reflect scoring potential (a player's realistic best) rather than average performance.
Formulas
Handicap Differential
Differential = (113 / Slope Rating) × (Adjusted Gross Score − Course Rating)
- 113
- Standard slope rating (neutral difficulty)
- D
- Handicap differential for one round
- Slope
- Course slope rating (55–155, standard = 113)
- Score
- Adjusted gross score for the round
- Course Rating
- Expected score for a scratch golfer
Handicap Index
Handicap Index = 0.96 × average of the best 8 (lowest) differentials of the most recent 20
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Course Rating and Slope Rating?
Course Rating is the expected number of strokes a scratch golfer (handicap 0) would take on a course under normal conditions. Slope Rating measures the additional difficulty of the course for a bogey golfer relative to a scratch golfer. Slope ranges from 55 (very easy) to 155 (very hard); the standard is 113. Both values are on the scorecard.
Why does WHS use only the best 8 of 20 differentials?
Using only the best differentials anchors the index to a player's 'potential' rather than their average. This makes the system fairer in stroke-play competitions: a player who consistently plays to their best has an advantage over someone who only occasionally has a great round.
What is an adjusted gross score?
In the WHS, an adjusted gross score caps each individual hole score at Net Double Bogey (par + 2 + any handicap strokes received on that hole). Holes you don't complete are recorded as Net Double Bogey. This adjustment prevents one very bad hole from distorting the handicap.
What does the 0.96 factor represent?
The 0.96 multiplier (sometimes called the 'playing conditions calculation' factor) reduces the average by 4%, keeping the index aligned with scoring potential under tournament conditions rather than casual play. It is a fixed part of the WHS formula.