If you are thinking of starting or have just started to play this beautiful game of Golf, then I am sure that you have so many questions that you want answers too. I will at least help to answer a couple of those questions for you on this page: ‘What is a Golf Handicap?’ and ‘What does a Golf Handicap Mean?’

I understand that for most beginners the Golf Handicap can seem quite complex and confusing to start with, but once you get the basics, it is really quite simple and makes complete sense, as I will explain below! It can start to get a bit trickier when you look at Calculating Golf Handicaps or Golf Handicap Adjustment though!

Firstly let me explain that Golf is a game that is played over 18 holes and within those 18 holes there are 3 different types of holes. Par 3’s, which are short holes and can generally be reached with just one shot, Par 4’s, which are longer and generally can be reached with two shots and Par 5’s, which are longer again and can generally be reached in 3 shots.

Most Golf courses will be made up of mainly Par 4 golf holes with 2 or 3 Par 3’s and 2 or 3 Par 5’s, so the average Par for 18 holes will normally be 72.

Golf Handicap Explained!! the Simple Answers to ‘What is a Golf Handicap?’ and ‘What does a Golf Handicap Mean?’ In simple terms a Handicap is a numerical measurement of an Amateurs playing ability and is used to create a Net Score from the number of strokes actually played, or put another way, it is the number of Strokes that a Golfer receives and is able to remove from his overall Gross Score at the end of the round, i.e. the higher your handicap is, the more strokes you can remove from your overall Gross Score at the end of the round.

This makes it a great system that allows Golfers of all skill to compete on a level playing field, so therefore, it doesn’t matter whether you have just started the game or have been playing for years, you will be able to enjoy healthy competition with whomever you are playing with.

The better the Golfer is, the lower the Handicap they will have. It is generally accepted that the Maximum Golf Handicap allowed for men is 28 and for women 36. So when you first start to play Golf, you will more than likely start off with a Handicap of 28 (men) or 36 (women), which means if you are playing against someone more experienced and who is playing off of a 10 handicap for example, you will be allowed 18 more shots (men) or 26 more shots (women) than them, per round.

So if the 10 Handicap Golfer takes 82 strokes to complete a round of Golf on a Course that is Par 72 and you take 100 (men) or 108 (women) then you have (in the eyes of the Handicapping system) both played to your Handicaps and have had an equally good round of Golf!

Sure, Tiger Woods is physically gifted and has practiced golf for years. But that’s not what Makes Tiger so great. It’s his mental makeup, intestinal fortitude, heart of a champion, or what ever you want to call it that makes him stand above the others. But enough about Tiger, what about you? How can you get to that point, where you just know you are going to hit a great golf shot every time you step up to the ball. Let me share with you a few mental muscle building techniques that I think will really help you out. If you are already a decent golfer and have the proper swing techniques down then this is the part of your game you are really going to want to focus on to take you game to the next level. If you’re a beginner and are still struggling to find that proper swing technique, then I will explain some things you can work on as well. But let’s start with the mental aspect of the game first.

Have you ever noticed that the real good looking, successful, confident guys are typically the best golfers in your group. If you haven’t, think back with some of your buddies or relative who you’ve played with and see if I am right. The reason being is because success translates to all areas of your life. Confidence breeds confidence. Being a lousy golfer is usually due to a bad self image or lack of self esteem. If this is an area in life where you struggle and you want to get better in (trust me your golf game will improve as your self image improves) I would suggest begin a reading program. I’m not going to recommend any particular books, but you can Google the subject and see what comes up. Try to read at least one book a month and see how much your self confidence grows in a 12 month span (it won’t happen over night).

Now for some more golf specific mental help… If you don’t envision every shot before you swing, you’re missing out on a huge aspect of what makes the great ones great. Not just in golf but every sport. You have to see that drive going down the middle of the fairway, you have to actually see in your mind that 7 iron dropping the ball right next to the pin. You have to see that putt dropping in the bottom of the cup. Start visualizing EVERY shot and watch your handicap get lower and lower.

Another mental edge you can get is by getting into the zone for each shot. I’m going to steal this from a Kevin Costner in For Love of the Game where he says “Clear the mechanism”. If you really want to be great at golf, you have to completely eliminate all distractions around you. You shouldn’t hear other golfers talking, birds chirping, etc. You need to get in the zone and focus on nothing but hitting the great shot you just imagined in your mind.

If you can work on those 3 things, I guarantee you will lower your handicap immensely. Golf truly is a mental game. You spend so much time on the practice range working on technique, you need to spend equal amount of time working on the mental aspect of the game. If you are a beginner, or just need help with the physical part of the game (don’t we all) I can help with that also.

The golf handicap system allows golfers of all levels to compete against one another. However, most people do not understand how golf handicaps are calculated. In this article, we will take an inside look at the golf handicap system and how your handicap gets calculated.

To understand how the golf handicap system works, we need to gain a good understanding of some terms that are used to calculate a golf handicap: course rating, slope rating, and adjusted gross score.

You have no doubt seen the terms course rating and slope rating if you currently have a golf handicap. This is because each time that you complete a round of golf you are required to enter the course rating and slope rating of that particular course.

But what do these numbers mean? Well, let’s first discuss course rating, which is easier to understand than slope rating. The course rating is easier to understand because it is expressed as a golf score. In fact, it is the exact score that a par golfer, otherwise known as a scratch golfer, would shoot on that course. Thus, if a golfer who normally shoots par golf plays a course with a rating of 69.2, and par is 72, that golfer will normally break par on that course.

The term slope rating is slightly more difficult to understand. This number, which will always be between 55 and 155, is expressed as a ratio instead of an actual golf score. This number assesses the degree of difficulty of the course for a bogey golfer as it relates to the course rating. To have a better understanding of this figure, you need to know that the average course plays at a slope rating of 113. A number higher than this means that the course will play more difficult for you. A number lower than this means that the course should play easier.

Finally, and perhaps more relevant than any term, is the notion of the adjusted gross score. Many golfers implement this incorrectly and it drastically affects their golf handicap. The adjusted gross score is simply instrumental in calculating your golf handicap. It prevents a few bad holes from adversely affecting your golf handicap.

Let’s say that you are a golfer who would normally play bogey golf. This means that on a golf course with a par of 72 you would normally shoot a score of about 90. However, you may frequently have one or two holes on which you “blow up” and have a hole on which you get a score of 10.

According to the rules of golf, you are not allowed to report this score of a 10 because you would be reporting your actual score instead of your adjusted gross score. The adjusted gross score is a system that prevents one or two bad holes from adversely affecting your handicap in golf. For instance, in the example above, this bogey golfer can report no higher than a 7 on his or her scorecard. The rules of this adjusted golf score are outlined under the heading “Equitable Stroke Control” by golf’s governing bodies.

These three terms-course rating, slope rating, and adjusted gross score-are the fundamental concepts in knowing how the golf handicap is calculated. With a solid understanding of these terms, you can come to a better understanding of your handicap in golf.

Take these tips into consideration for your next round of golf and see the marked improvements, Good Luck, and enjoy yourself!

Men, women and children alike now enjoy golf. Its growth in popularity has seen an increased uptake in the sport, with a wide range of skill levels taking to the golf course. Here you will find helpful tips to improving your game regardless of your ability level.

Practice
Stating the obvious, practice makes perfect and quality not quantity is key! As little as one hour a day for four times a week can demonstrate marked improvements in your game. An intense hour focused on your form will be much more beneficial than a half day at the driving range, catching up with your friends (although the latter may sound more fun).

Attitude
Start your round of golf with a positive attitude, and make sure you maintain this mental state the whole way around the course, stay confident and focused, don’t loose your temper when you drop a shot, move forward positively or you could cloud your judgment

and throw away your game! Concentration and composure is key!

Getting a Grip
There are a handful of different grip positions used by golfers, you should try out a few to see which you feel most comfortable with and most importantly, which one provides the best results. Your grip is the foundation of your golf swing so getting this right is essential for improving your game. Popular choices include the Vardon Overlap Grip, Interlocking Grip and the Ten Finger Grip.

The Backswing It is essential that you start correctly or the whole swing will be negatively effected, remember if you are right handed to keep the left arm straight (vice versa if you are left handed) during the backswing, and really go back as far as you can with out bending your arm, this setting you up in good stead for a powerful down swing.

Downswing
For a perfect downswing you will need to gradually increase the speed of your swing from start to finish. A solid stance, making a secure triangle with your legs and keeping a straight back and focused mind will set you up for success.

Try and put some of these tips into practice and see the marked improvements in your game.