What is the course rating?
A scratch golfer is a player with a Handicap Index of 0. The course rating is the number of strokes such a player needs on average under normal conditions. Every tee has its own course rating, separately for men and women.
How is it determined?
In the Netherlands the course is assessed by a rating team of the NGF. They look at the length of the holes and at obstacles such as water, bunkers, the width of the fairways, the rough and the difficulty of the greens.
Difference from par
Par is a round number per hole and per course. The course rating is a more precise expectation. A par 72 course can, for example, have a course rating of 70.8, or of 73.5.
What is it used for?
The course rating is needed to calculate your course handicap: Handicap Index x (slope rating / 113) + (course rating - par). It is also used to calculate your score differential.
