I used a free handicap index calculator that I found through Google and from the 5 rounds I posted, it calculated my index at 7.6. I only put in 5 rounds, since I don't recall the 5 prior, but on average, I shoot between 82-88 on courses that are par 71 or 72. I know that Course Rating and Slope play into these calculations, but I just don't understand how the heck my handicap index can be that low. I usually tell people I play to a good 13 or 14. Is this correct or should I inflate my ego a bit (give out strokes to my friends).
The rounds were 82, 88, 85, 88, 86

What are the course and slope ratings of the courses you play? If you play difficult courses with those scores, your HCP will be low.

A rule of thumb that I've seen is your course handicap will usually be 3 to 4 strokes more than your index. So at about 11-12. But, as noted above, you need to figure out your course handicap.

Kern River Golf Course 6,458 yds, Par 70, CR-70.7, S-120 (85)
Links At Riverlakes Ranch 6,800 yds, Par 72, CR-72.6, S-133 (82, 86)
North Kern Golf Course 6,754 yds, Par 72, CR-71.8, S-123 (86, 88)
Seven Oaks Country Club 27 holes
Seven Oaks 2 Course, Private, 9 hole, 7,119 yds, Par 72, CR-74.3, S-128 (88)
Seven Oaks 1 Course, Private, 18 hole, 7,119 yds, Par 72, CR-73.7, S-128
Buena Vista Golf Course 6710 yds, Par 72, CR-72.9, S-124 (87)

After I typed two more scores, one from 2 months ago, and one from yesterday, it jumped to 9.3.



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Those slope ratings are decently high. That's why your HCP is running low.

Formula is:

(Handicap Index X Slope Rating) / 113 = Course Handicap

So if you're at 9.3 . . .

120 Slope = 10 CH
133 = 11
123 = 10
128 = 11

The 7.6 sounds about right.

With only five scores, the program is probably using just the single best score, or 82. That's 9.4 over par. The course plays a bit hard as evidenced by the course rating which is slightly higher than the course par and the slope rating which indicates a higher than average difficult course (average difficulty is 113). You get "credit" for playing on a tough course and the the bonus for excellence; both of which serve to reduce the index.

When you added the two new scores, the program updated the index by using more scores in the calculation, all of which were higher than an 82. The index rose as a result. When you get a lot of scores put into it, the jumps in the index will stop and the index will be closer to what you were expecting. I guess it will be somewhere around a 12.

Great info. Well not that it makes me feel better to go from a 7.6 to a 12, but at least I am playing close to what I thought I was. 12-14 is not bad for me, I've only been an addict for 2 years 4 months and don't plan on cleaning up my act.

You might find this article helpful:

How Well Should You Play?

Lots of good info here & here:

USGA Handicap Education

The Pope of Slope (Dean Knuth)

Don't forget that your handicap index is 96% of your average adjusted differentials...