Course Rating

The Nebraska Golf Association, as the governing body of amateur golf in Nebraska, is licensed by the United States Golf Association to determine course and slope ratings for all golf courses in our region.

Established golf courses are rated on an eight-year cycle and upon request if major renovations have been made to a course. New golf courses are re-rated every three years for the first nine years to ensure the ratings are accurate as a course rapidly matures.

Course ratings are conducted by NGA staff and a group of experienced volunteer course raters across the state. NGA course rating teams visit 20-25 golf courses per year. This program is vitally important to the integrity of the handicap system since the entire system revolves around accurate USGA Course and Slope ratings.

Volunteer raters usually work mid-week to avoid crowded courses, in groups of three or more. Course rating consists of quantifying the difficulty of each hole on fourteen different factors for both Scratch (0 handicap) and Bogey (18 handicap for men, 20 handicap for women) players. The team is attempting to predict the scoring of a scratch player and a bogey player. The difference between the two creates the Slope rating--the larger that difference, the higher the Slope.

If you are interested in learning more about the USGA Course Rating System™ and becoming a course rating volunteer please contact Justin Ahrens at the NGA office.

Course Rating™ Articles and Resources
A Head for Ratings
A Rating More on Course
Course Rating and Slope Database™
USGA Course Rating History
What is the Bogey Rating, Course Rating™, and Slope Rating®?

Course Rating™ Seminars
NGA Volunteer Course Rating Seminar