If you have ever examined a scorecard or posted a score for handicap purposes, you have probably seen the terms Course Rating™ and Slope Rating®. While most golfers know they pertain to course ...

The golf courses in the Puget Sound region have an average slope rating of 125.24. The hardest golf courses in the Puget Sound region include more than 42 courses with slope ratings greater than 130.

Some things in golf puzzle even the most avid, seasoned golfers. How course ratings and slopes—aka the difficulty of a course—are calculated would be up there. We’re not talking about the course ...

This content was first published in Golf Journal, a quarterly print publication exclusively for USGA Members. To be among the first to receive Golf Journal and to learn how you can ensure a strong ...

Information on The List was obtained from the United States Golf Association's Course Rating and Slope Database. Data was compiled as of August 28, 2025. In case of ties, the toughest golf courses are ...

For a score to be acceptable for handicap purposes, it must be played on a set of tees on a golf course with a valid Course Rating and Slope Rating. All tees up to 6,000 yards on an 18-hole course ...