13-05-2021
Golf Questions: Slope vs. Course Rating. Ep. 49
In one sentence explain slope in golf terminology. Go! Were you able to do it? How fast are the greens in PGA events and how do they measure it? What is the difference between slope and course rating? We ask the golf questions that most golfers don’t know the answers to. But the key question is, does it matter? Does slope really matter in golf? Kind of… I’ve stumbled around the golf course for over 30 years and only recently did I learn what the slope rating is and why it matters.
Golf Questions: What is Slope?The method by which slope is calculated is intense - but purposeful. USGA officials traverse the course calculating a score for each hole based upon 5 factors while also analyzing obstacles that fall within 10 categories. These include trees, fairway width, bunkers, water, on and on...even a psychological factor! After all factors are weighted and considered the team assigns their scores for a course which determine a course rating and a bogey rating. The slope rating after all factors are considered and math problems are computed calculate a specific number. The average slope rating is 113. Your local average course likely has a slope close to 120. That number (slope) represents the difference between a scratch golfer and a bogey golfer on that specific golf course. The higher the slope, the more difficult the course. Does it matter? Kind of.
What is the difference between slope and course rating?If the slope rating is the value that represents a difficulty for a 20+ handicap player, the scratch rating is a value that determines difficulty for a scratch player. The course rating is a truer indicator of the difficulty of a course. The higher the number: the more difficult the course. On a course with a course rating of 69.5 means a scratch player would score an average of 69.5 That compares to other courses easily. A course with a rating of 73 would be 2.5 strokes harder to comparable scratch golfers. This rating is dependent of the factors and obstacles by a USGA team.
How fast are PGA greens? Let’s check the STIMP. STIMP is the speed of a green represented in a numerical value. The higher the number, the faster the green speed. If you are out comparing golf courses you don’t just walk in and demand a STIMP rating. But if you’re interested and believe your course does actually measure it, know that STIMP changes frequently and is largely based upon specific course days and conditions. The STIMP rating is perhaps the one value in golf that is easily and uniformly calculated. A device called a STIMPmeter is used to release a ball from a precise distance, height and angle (uniform to all courses). The distance the ball travels is the STIMP rating. A ball that travels 10 feet on the green creates a STIMP of 10. A ball that travels 14 feet on the exact same device with the same conditions is a SITMP of 14. (think of the difference on the golf course of 4 feet on a single putt!).
For reference, PGA events typically keep their greens at a STIMP of 12. Anything above that at your local course and your head greenskeeper is just a jerk. Many private golf courses maintain a STIMP of 10-11 for everyday play. A local municipal course likely doesn’t frequently measure STIMP but they are likely kept between an 8-10 depending on your local course.
Dang, do you feel like an educated golf dad now? You should. And don’t worry about all those numbers on the scorecard, what really matters is how many times you are putting and how many penalty drops you took!
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