Free golf handicap calculator (WHS-style)
This free calculator helps you estimate your Handicap Index and Course Handicap using the same basic math you’ll see in the World Handicap System (WHS). Enter your recent scores, course ratings, and slopes, and we’ll do the number crunching.
There’s no login, no email capture, and nothing fancy behind the scenes—just a simple tool to get you in the right handicap ballpark before you head to the course or join a league.
Reminder: This is unofficial. Your official Handicap Index must come from your golf association or club, but this is close enough for friendly matches and planning.
Step 1: Estimate your Handicap Index from recent scores
WHS bases your handicap on your best differentials from your most recent scores—typically the best 8 of your last 20 rounds. To keep things simple, we’ll:
- Let you enter up to your last 20 rounds.
- Calculate a score differential for each round.
- Average the right number of lowest differentials based on how many scores you enter.
Enter your recent rounds
Use your adjusted gross score (18 holes), and the Course Rating and Slope Rating from the scorecard for the tees you played.
Your estimated Handicap Index
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How we calculated this:
- Computed a score differential for each round:
113 / Slope × (Score − Course Rating) - Sorted those differentials from lowest (your best) to highest.
- Averaged the appropriate number of lows based on how many scores you entered.
- Applied a small adjustment for very low score counts.
Step 2: Convert to Course Handicap for your tees
Once you have a Handicap Index, you convert it to a Course Handicap for the tees you’re actually playing. That number tells you how many strokes you get for that specific course and tee set.
The WHS-style formula looks like this:
Course Handicap = Handicap Index × (Slope ÷ 113) + (Course Rating − Par)
Course Handicap calculator
Your Course Handicap
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That’s how many strokes you’d typically receive on this course from that set of tees. Use the stroke index on the scorecard to see where those strokes fall on each hole.
What is a golf handicap, really?
A golf handicap isn’t your average score—it's a measure of your potential when you play well. The World Handicap System uses your better rounds (not your disasters) to level the playing field so golfers of different abilities can compete fairly.
How many scores do I need?
The calculator on this page will work with as few as 3 rounds and up to your most recent 20:
- 3–4 scores: We use your single best differential with a small adjustment.
- 5–8 scores: We average a small number of your best differentials.
- 9–20 scores: We gradually ramp up to averaging your best 8 of the last 20.
As you post more scores, your estimated Handicap Index should settle into a number that feels right for how you play most of the time.