What is "slope" in golf?
The slope (in English slope rating) is a difficulty rating assigned to a course for each set of tees. It indicates how much more difficult the course is for an average player than for a very good player.
- It goes without 55 (easiest route) to 155 (the hardest one).
- The value 113 By definition, this corresponds to a course of standard difficulty. It is not the actual average for all courses: many have a slope rating higher than 113.
The higher the slope, the greater the score difference between a player with a handicap of 0 and a player with a handicap of about 20 to 24, and the more strokes the latter receives.
What is SSS in golf?
The SSS (Standard Scratch Score) is the name used in France for what the global system calls the race rating (CR). That's the score a player scratch, that is, with a handicap of 0, is the time a player is expected to achieve on the course under normal conditions. It is expressed to one decimal place, for example, 71.4.
The SSS is not the par. The par is the total number of pars for the holes, as set by the club. The SSS is measured by evaluators who take into account the length, hazards, fairway width, greens, and terrain. A par-72 course can have an SSS of 69.8 if it is short and open, or 74.5 if it is long and narrow.
What is the difference between slope and SSS?
| SSS (course rating) | Slope | |
|---|---|---|
| What it measures | The challenge for a player with a handicap of 0 | The added challenge for the average player |
| Unit | A number of strokes, with a decimal | A score ranging from 55 to 155, with no units |
| Where to find it | Scorecard or club leaderboard | Scorecard or club leaderboard |
| Varies depending on | Tournament starts, men or women | Tournament starts, men or women |
The slope is calculated based on the difference between two course ratings: that of a scratch player (the SSS) and that of a “bogey” player, with a handicap of approximately 20 to 24.
How do you calculate the number of hits you've taken?
Under the World Handicap System (WHS), which has been in effect in France since 2020, the number of strokes you take on the course, the playing handicap, is calculated as follows:
Runs Allowed = Handicap × Slope ÷ 113 + (SSS − Par)
The result is rounded to the nearest whole number.
An example
- Your handicap: 18.
- The course from your tees: slope 130, SSS 71.5, par 72.
- 18 × 130 ÷ 113 = 20.7; then 20.7 + (71.5 − 72) = 20.2.
- You will receive 20 shots.
On the course, with a slope of 115 and an SSS of 70 for a par 72, the same player would receive 18 × 115 ÷ 113 − 2 = 16.3, or 16 shots.
These strokes are then allocated hole by hole based on the difficulty of each hole, as indicated on the scorecard. Competition rules may apply a percentage to this result depending on the format of play. Golf clubs generally post a table that directly lists the strokes awarded for each handicap.
What are the slope and SSS used for in the index?
They also work the other way around: to convert a score into differential, the value used in calculating the handicap. The formula is 113 ÷ Slope × (adjusted gross score − SSS). A 90 on a very difficult course is therefore worth more than a 90 on an easy course, which makes it possible to compare scores played anywhere.
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Frequently Asked Questions: Slope and SSS in Golf
What makes a good slope in golf?
There is no such thing as a "good" or "bad" slope rating: it is simply a measure of difficulty. 113 corresponds to a standard course; above that, the course is more challenging for the average player, up to a maximum of 155.
How do you calculate your hits using the slope?
Multiply their handicap by the slope, divide by 113, and then add the difference between the SSS and par. The result, rounded to the nearest whole number, gives the number of strokes received.
SSS and race rating—are they the same thing?
Yes, in practice. "Course rating" is the term used in the global handicap system; in France, people still commonly refer to it as "SSS." Both terms refer to the expected score of a player with a handicap of 0.
Where can I find the slope and SSS for a course?
On the scorecard, on the club's bulletin board, or on the federation's website. They vary depending on the tees used and differ for men and women.