Course slope rating in golf…what are the "obstacle factors" used?

 

Ever wonder how the slope rating of a course is determined? Remember that the course slope rating in golf is an indication of the relative difficulty of a course as compared to others. The USGA uses what it calls "obstacle factors" to differentiate courses. The organization defines obstacle factors as...

"hazards, natural features, vegetation, and playing conditions found on the golf course that make play harder or easier than a standard course with the same effective playing length."

The USGA uses 10 of these obstacle factors. Quoting from the Handicap Manual these ten factors are:

1. Topography: the difficulty of stance in the fairway landing areas and any elevation change from the landing areas to the green;
2. Fairway: the effective width of the landing area, which can be reduced by a dogleg, trees, or fairway tilt;
3. Green Target: the size, firmness, shape, and slope of a green in relation to the length of the approach shot;
4. Recoverability and Rough: the existence of rough and other penalizing factors in the proximity of the landing area and around the green;
5. Bunkers: the existence of bunkers in the proximity of the landing areas and around the green;
6. Out of Bounds/Extreme Rough: the existence of out of bounds in the proximity of the landing areas and around the green, or the existence of extreme unmown rough that is similar in effect to out of bounds
7. Water Hazards: the existence of water hazards, particularly in the proximity of the landing areas and around the green
8. Trees: the strategic location, size, height, and density of trees - along with the probability of recovering from the trees;
9. Green Surface: the contour and normal speed of the putting surface;
10. Psychological: the mental effect on play created by the presence of a combination of difficult obstacles.

A rating team evaluates the effect each of these ten factors will have on both a scratch golfer and bogey golfer for every hole on a golf course. A number between 0 and 10 - inclusive - is assigned to each factor for all holes on the course. These numbers are totaled and massaged several different ways to derive the final slope rating.

The course slope rating in golf then becomes part of the formula to calculate an Index and Course Handicap. Where do you find the slope rating for a course? The scorecard should have it on there. If it doesn't, ask in the club house. You can also look it up at the USGA.org website. Our Handicap System do these calculations for you.