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What is a golf handicap

Whether you're a novice just starting out in the game or a seasoned expert who is just short of being pro (professional PGA players don't use golf handicaps), you'll find the online golf handicap calculator at Golfzing to be an invaluable tool in figuring this aspect of your game.

A golf handicap is something that virtually every golfer figures out early on but for the benefit of the uninitiated, here's an explanation. It can be a little intimidating in the beginning -- especially if math isn't your strong suit - but don't worry, because our online golf handicap calculator will do much of that for you and it's free. Golf handicaps aren't difficult to figure once you are familiar with a few basic concepts.

The first terms you need to be familiar with are: scratch golfer bogey golfer.

These are two ends of the spectrum: the "scratch" golfer gets a golf handicap of zero, while the "bogey" gets a handicap of eighteen.

The next term you should know is something from algebra: variable. There are two variables in the game that are affected by whether a golfer is a "scratch" or a "bogey." These are: course rating slope rating.

You'll find these terms on your scorecard. The former is a number that is usually somewhere between 67 and 77, which approximates a "scratch" score. The latter tells a golfer how difficult it will be for a "bogey" compared to his/her "scratch" counterpart.

Next, you determine your Equitable Stroke Control, or ESC; this is an estimate of the number of strokes (shots) you must count when playing a difficult hole, the maximum being ten. The sum of these for each hole equals your "Adjusted Gross Score."

Is your head spinning, yet? If so, you're definitely going to want to take a serious look at our online tools, including our golf handicap tracker, which brings us to the next part.

Putting It All Together

Now that you have all your figures, you'll need to figure your handicap differential. Given: x = adjusted gross score y = course rating z = slope rating <="" p=""> [(x -- y) × 113] ÷ z = Handicap Differential

Hmmm...it might just be easier to log on to Golfzing and use our free online golf handicap tracker and other web-based tools.

It's Fast -- It's Easy

Instead of dealing with a lot of math, you can use our online golf handicap calculator by plugging in the numbers and get your results in under five minutes. These tools also help you in keeping track of your golf handicap index as your skills improve. The Golfzing golf handicap calculator is designed to be used by novices and experienced players alike, automatically making adjustments for USGA regulations and taking into consideration scores for tournaments, nine-hole courses and off-season play.

Our members find that our golf handicap tracker is an excellent evaluation tool that helps them to determine their strengths as a player as well as areas in need of improvement.

It's FREE

Members can take a "test drive" by using our free golf handicap online tools for thirty days. After that, if you decide to continue using Golfzing's Golf Handicap Tracking, you pay only $7.95 a year -- just a little over two cents a day!

Susan Slobac is a consultant in the golf industry. Susan writes about trends in golf handicap & golf handicap calculator.

Practice is the best way of lowering your golf handicap. Even the world's best golfers know that. That's why they spend hours and hours working on their games. With professionals, making a living is a driving force for practicing. All stand to make millions from tournaments and promotions, so it's in their best interests to perfect their games. With gofers, pride is more of a motivating force.

But no matter what motivates you, practice is boring. Even the pressure of making a living doesn't make it interesting. Still, if you want to lower your golf handicap, you have to practice. You have to hit ball after ball after ball until you've mastered whatever it is you're working on. It's one challenge all golfers face--regardless of what their golf handicap is or how many golf lessons they've taken.

One way of reducing practice boredom is by turning it into a game we can play with someone else. Turning practice into a game not only ingrains key fundamentals, it also makes the effort interesting and fun. Anytime we do something interesting and fun, we find ourselves doing it again and again. Repetition sharpens our capabilities. Below are descriptions of two tried-and true games that improve your short game.

Pitching For Dollars This one-on-one, closest-to-the-pin contest improves your accuracy and increases your aggressiveness. Here's how to play it:

1. Get a bucket of balls and a friend 2. Pick a grassy spot about 20 yards off the green 3. Divide the balls between the two of you 4. Taking turns, pitch the balls to the hole one at a time 5. Keep track of whose ball stops closer to the hole after each shot 6. The person closest to the hole gets a point 7. Keep the game going until you pitch all the balls 8. The player with most points wins

Some golfers play this game for money, putting a dollar on each win. They then total the score at the end and the loser pays. But you don't have to play for money. You can substitute a drink, a hot dog, or whatever you want for the prize. Use anything that keeps you competitive and drives you to win.

Horse This game improves your ability to sink putts under pressure. It's reminiscent of a game for basketball players, also called Horse. You can shorten "Horse" to "Pig" if you're short on time.

1. You and an opponent take one ball each and go to a practice green 2. One player picks a spot on the green and attempts to sink a putt from there 3. If player one sinks the putt, player two must do the same 4. If player two misses the putt, she gets a letter, "H 5. If player two sinks it, player one tries another shot. 6. If player one misses, player two chooses a putt. 7. The players keep playing until someone gets all five letters.

At first, you may be tempted to try wild, long downhill putts or difficult sidehill putts with big breaks. These putts are great, if you sink them. But making your opponent sink straight five-footers also gets the job done. Plus, it increases your consistency on these shots. As I've said in my golf tips and golf lessons, sinking five footers consistently reduces your golf handicap.

Pitching For Dollars and Horse are just two of the dozens of golf games that make practice fun and interesting. Scan the newest golf magazines and read the latest golf books for others. If you want to cut that golf handicap to single digits, turning practice into a game is a great way to do it.

Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros. He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately. Free weekly newsletter available with the latest golf tips, lessons and instructions.

What is a golf handicap

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What is a golf handicap