Calculating your golf handicap is the result of a complex set of formulas, and for most people, it is quite hard to understand.
However, Sports Ruby has built a FREE dedicated Excel sheet Handicap Calculator that you can use for free to easily calculate your golf handicap without needing to do any calculations yourself.
In this guide, we will tell you exactly how to use the Excel Golf Handicap Calculator, step-by-step.
How To Use Our Golf Handicap Calculator
Follow the steps noted below closely to ensure you calculate your handicap correctly.
1. Download the Excel Golf Handicap Calculator
The first step to using the Excel Golf Handicap Calculator is to download it.
You can click here to download the calculator: Free Excel Golf Handicap Calculator.
2. Read the instructions sheet
Down below, you can see the instructions sheet that is also the first sheet in the Excel file you just downloaded.
These instructions will ensure you get the right handicap scores calculated by the calculator. The instructions are summarized down below:
“The Sports Ruby golf handicap calculator will allow you to calculate your golf handicap and course handicap as easily as possible. The calculator applies the USGA handicap calculation procedures from the latest calculation update, in 2020.
At the end of your next round of golf, you can subtract your course handicap from your overall score to get your adjusted score, if you are playing with handicap.
Make sure you have your 3 to 20 most recent scoresheets near you so you can fill in the cells in the Excel sheet named “Golf Handicap Calculator”.
Only fill in the highlighted cells. Do not change the contents of any other cells, or the calculator might stop working properly.”
Before you can calculate your handicap index and course handicap, make sure you have your most recent 3 to 20 scoresheets with you. Before fill up the golf handicap calculator, you need to check if your scores for each hole of each round need to be adjusted.
The rule you need to follow for adjusting your scores on each hole is the following:
“If for any hole of any round of golf, you required more strokes than the par + 2 strokes (double bogey), you will only count the par + 2 strokes as your score for that hole. E.g. If you required 10 strokes for a par 4 hole, you will fill in the calculator as if you scored 4+2 = 6 strokes for that hole. This is done because this is how the golf handicap calculation works.”
If at any moment the ample instructions are not enough to help you understand how to use the handicap calculator, look at the 3rd sheet in the Excel file. There is an example sheet with the calculator prefilled so that you can understand exactly how to fill it up.
Please note that you will also need to find out the course rating and the slope rating of any golf course you played on in the 3-20 most recent scoresheets you will consider.
The course rating and slope rating can be found online on the specific golf course’s website, on the scoresheet, or you can ask the golf course staff in person for this information.
3. Input the total numbers of rounds played, pars and scores
For the next step, you will be using your most recent 3-20 scoresheets.
First, type in highlighted cell next to “Number of golf rounds played” the number of rounds you will use in your handicap calculation. The number needs to be between 3 and 20. You can see an example of the filled cells down below:
Next, in the highlighted cells next to “Total Par”, enter the total par of the golf course you played at for each round of golf considered. For every 18-hole golf course, the par number should be vaguely around 72.
If you play on 9-hole golf courses, you can either add up two 9-hole golf rounds together to make one 18-hole golf round. Alternatively, you can double your score and par numbers to count the 9-hole round as an 18-hole round.
Finally, in the highlighted cells next to “Total Score”, enter your final score you had for each round played, adjusted according to the rule mentioned in the previous step in this guide.
As a reminder, your adjusted scores for each hole should be capped at par + 2 strokes. As an example, if you shot 9 strokes on a par 3 hole, your score for that hole would be capped at par + 2 = 3 + 2 = 5 strokes, even though you shot 9 strokes. Repeat for each golf hole considered.
4. Input the Course Ratings and Slope Ratings of past golf rounds
In this step, your golf handicap index will be automatically calculated after you input the course rating and slope rating numbers for each golf round played.
The course rating and slope rating can be found online on your local golf course’s website or on the scoresheet. If not, you can ask the golf course staff in person for this information.
You can see an example of the course rating and slope rating both added to the calculator in the image down below:
On average, slope ratings are around 113, which is why the slope ratings observed hang around that number.
Your handicap index will be automatically calculated for you, without you having to do any complex calculations yourself.
5. Input the Par, Course Rating & Slope Rating of Future Golf Round
Finally, the calculator will calculate your course handicap for you. If you and your friends are of different skill levels and want to level the playing field, play with course handicap.
Your calculated course handicap is the number of strokes you can take away from your final score at the end of your next round.
To get your course handicap, you will need to input into the calculator the total par number, course rating, and slope rating of the golf course you will be next playing at.
The total par number, course rating and slope rating can be found online on your local golf course’s website or on the scoresheet. If not, you can ask the golf course staff in person for this information.
You can see an example of the aforementioned numbers inputted into the handicap calculator, down below:
After these numbers have been inputted, your course handicap will automatically be calculated for you. The course handicap is the number of strokes you can deduct from your score at the end of your next golf round.
For example, if you score 88 strokes after 18 holes of golf, you can subtract your course handicap (8 in the example image), which would result in a final score of 80.
6. Read Your Handicap Index & Course Handicap!
Here comes the fun part. All the handicaps are automatically calculated, and you can clearly read them off the golf handicap calculator.
Down below is your handicap index. This is the number you can brag about to your friends if you have the lowest. It is also a good measurement to keep track of to see your improvement over time.
You will also have your course handicap automatically calculated, as seen down below. This is the number of strokes you can remove from your score on the next 18-hole golf round you play.
The great thing about this free Excel golf handicap calculator is that you can easily update your scores and within seconds hand an updated handicap index and course handicap pumped out.
You can use this Excel sheet for the rest of your life to measure your progress and see how low you can get your handicap index.
We are sure some of you will actually turn out to become professional golfers. Good luck and please enjoy our free Excel Golf Handicap Calculator!
Conclusion
There you go! After reading this guide, you now have access to a FREE Excel Golf Handicap Calculator, and you know exactly how to use it.
With our free Excel Golf Handicap Calculator, you can easily calculate your handicap index and your course handicap, within instants. Furthermore, updating your handicaps with new scores is ridiculously quick and easy.
What is your golf handicap? Have you improved since you started playing? Let us know in the comments down below!
