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Handicap Index calculator
Estimate your golf Handicap Index from 3–20 score differentials. See which rounds count, how the average works and the adjustment for a shorter record.
Paste 3–20 differentials from your scoring record, separated by commas or new lines. These are differentials, not total scores. Use a minus sign for a negative differential.
Enter your differentials to see which scores count and how the estimate is calculated.
An estimate of the base calculation. It does not apply Low Handicap Index caps, exceptional-score reductions or committee adjustments. Your club or authorized golf association issues your official Handicap Index.
Calculated in your browser. Your entries are not uploaded or saved.
Start with your differentials
Open the scoring record provided by your club or golf association and find the Score Differential for each round. If you have more than 20, use only the most recent 20. The order you paste them here does not matter once you have chosen those rounds.
A differential accounts for the course you played; it is not simply your score minus par. Our score differential calculator explains that first step. Use the published 18-hole equivalent differential for a nine-hole submission.
How many rounds count?
A full record uses the lowest eight of the latest 20 differentials. A shorter record uses this Rule 5.2 table. The adjustment is applied after averaging.
| In your record | Lowest used | Adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 | -2.0 |
| 4 | 1 | -1.0 |
| 5 | 1 | 0.0 |
| 6 | 2 | -1.0 |
| 7–8 | 2 | 0.0 |
| 9–11 | 3 | 0.0 |
| 12–14 | 4 | 0.0 |
| 15–16 | 5 | 0.0 |
| 17–18 | 6 | 0.0 |
| 19 | 7 | 0.0 |
| 20 | 8 | 0.0 |
Is this an official handicap?
No. This tool shows the base calculation and the 54.0 maximum. An official record can also include exceptional-score reductions, caps based on your Low Handicap Index and committee adjustments. Use your club's or association's published Index for competitions.
Once you know your Index, use the Course Handicap calculator for your next set of tees. Our Handicap Index guide explains how the pieces fit together.
Source: USGA Rules of Handicapping, Rule 5.2a and USGA Handicap Index calculation FAQ. Checked 8 September 2026.
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