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Course Rating

The Course Rating™ and Slope Rating™ is the evaluation of the playing difficulty of the course for the scratch player and the bogey player under normal playing conditions. VSGA course rating teams, consisting of trained staff and volunteers, conduct the on-course rating of all golf courses in Virginia.

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Course Rating System™ Overview

The Course Rating System is designed to ensure that the rating of a course is in proper relation to the ratings of other courses. If this is not achieved, players at courses rated too low will be over-handicapped, and players at courses rated too high will be under-handicapped.

Frequency of Ratings

Course Ratings must be reviewed periodically and revised and reissued as necessary. New golf courses can change frequently during the first years after construction and are re-rated within five years of the initial rating date. Thereafter, VSGA member clubs are re-rated at least once every eight years. Course Ratings are valid for 10 years.

If a club is making either temporary or permanent changes to its golf course, they should notify the VSGA so we can determine what impact they may have on the course's ratings.

  • Frequency of Ratings

    Course Ratings must be reviewed periodically and revised and reissued as necessary. New golf courses can change frequently during the first years after construction and are re-rated within five years of the initial rating date. Thereafter, VSGA member clubs are re-rated at least once every eight years. Course Ratings are valid for 10 years.

    If a club is making either temporary or permanent changes to its golf course, they should notify the VSGA so we can determine what impact they may have on the course's ratings.

Key Terms

Scratch Player

A player with a Handicap Index® of 0.0. 

Bogey Player

A player with a Handicap Index of approximately 20.0 for men and 24.0 for women.

Course Rating™

An indication of the difficulty of a golf course for the scratch player under normal course and weather conditions. Example: 68.5

Bogey Rating™

An indication of the difficulty of a golf course for the bogey player under normal course and weather conditions. Example: 96.3

Slope Rating™

An indication of the relative difficulty of a golf course for players who are not scratch players compared to players who are scratch players. The lowest Slope Rating is 55 and the highest is 155. Example: 125

Course Rating and Slope Database™

Search the USGA database of all rated courses in the United States and around the world.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Click on a topic to learn more about course rating. If you can't find what you're looking for, please don't hesitate to reach out to our team. 

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