What is the Bogey Rating, Course Rating, and Slope Rating?

Q.  What is the Course Rating, bogey rating, and Slope Rating?

A.  Course Rating defines the USGA® mark indicating the evaluation of the playing difficulty of a course for scratch golfers under normal course and weather conditions. It is expressed as strokes taken to one decimal place, and is based on yardage and other obstacles to the extent that they affect the scoring ability of a scratch golfer. Course Rating is equivalent to the better half average of a scratch golfer’s scores under normal playing conditions.

Bogey Rating is the evaluation of the playing difficulty of a course for the bogey golfer under normal course and weather conditions. It is based on yardage, effective playing length and other obstacles to the extent that they affect the scoring ability of the bogey golfer. Bogey rating is equivalent to the better half average of a bogey golfer’s scores under normal playing conditions.

Slope Rating defines the USGA mark indicating the measurement of the relative difficulty of a course for non-scratch golfers compared to the Course Rating.

Slope Rating is computed by the following formula:
Bogey rating minus Course Rating multiplied by (5.381 men, 4.24 women) equals Slope Rating.

As per USGA rules