So, what exactly is Slope?
Slope merely tells you how "proportionately" more
difficult that particular set of tees plays for the
higher handicapped golfers as opposed to lower
handicapped golfers. The more difficult the tees play
proportionately for the higher handicappers, the greater
the Slope rating that will be issued.
That's it! Slope doesn't tell you how the course
proportionately plays from any other set of tees, let
alone tell you how it compares with other courses. This
proportionate difficulty is measured via a Course Rating
process that evaluates each hole and each shot through
the eyes of both a Scratch golfer and Bogey golfer. This
process is so thorough that an actual rating for the
Bogey golfer is computed and it is the gap between the
Scratch and Bogey rating that determines the Slope.
For example, a set of tees may be issued a Course or
Scratch rating of 70.5 and a Bogey rating of 94.3. What
this means is that if a Scratch golfer were to complete
20 rounds from this set of tees, we expect his 10 best
scores to average around 70.5. If a golfer with a
Handicap Index of 20.0 were to complete 20 rounds, we
would expect his ten best scores to average around 94.3.
Based upon this gap of 23.8 strokes between the two
ratings (94.3 - 70.5 = 23.8), a Men's Slope Rating of
128 would be issued (gap times 5.381 for men).
The Scratch and Bogey ratings are both somewhat volatile
and when a series of factors or obstacles on a course
tend to gang up on only one of the two golfers, curious
things can happen to the Slope.
For example, if a set of tees has a high number of holes
in which the Bogey golfer can reach the green in
"regulation," an upward pressure on the Slope will be
exerted. Think about it ... on most of these holes the
Bogey golfer is approaching the green with a long iron
or fairway wood, while the Scratch golfer has a wedge or
less in his/her hands. Clearly, the Bogey golfer is much
more susceptible to any of the greenside trouble present
on the holes (bunkers, difficult chips, etc.). . . the
kind of trouble that can cause his/her scores to soar.
Such a scenario will force the Bogey rating higher,
widen the gap between the two ratings, and result in a
higher Slope.
Now consider a set of tees, even on the same course,
where most of the holes are unreachable in regulation
for the Bogey golfer. Now it is the Scratch golfer who
has the longer approach shots, perhaps with mid to long
irons, while the Bogey golfer may merely be
chipping/pitching to the green in one over regulation.
To a certain degree, the tide of proportionate
difficulty has turned. Though both ratings will be
increasing due to the added length of these tees, the
gap between the Scratch and Bogey rating may be staying
relatively constant or may widen at a very slow rate.
These upward and downward pressures help explain why a
Slope rating may increase sharply at a course from the
Gold tees to the White tees (Bogey rating rising much
faster than Scratch rating as the approach shots become
longer), yet hardly change from White to Blue (gap
increasing slowly due to shorter approach shots of Bogey
golfer). It also explains how a shorter course can be
issued a Slope rating that may "feel" a little high, or
how a longer course may be issued a Slope rating that
may "feel" a little low.
Another factor that can greatly impact the Slope is
forced lay-ups. If the Scratch golfer is forced to lay
up on a hole due to any one of a number of obstacles
(water hazard, severe dogleg, etc.), this will increase
the Scratch rating. That's because of the extra yardage
of the approach shot. It will leave the Bogey rating
untouched. This higher Scratch rating narrows the gap
with the Bogey rating and decreases the Slope.
Conversely, if the forced lay-ups only impact the higher
handicapper, the Bogey rating and Slope will increase.
As you can see, there is much, much more that goes into
the development of a Slope than meets the eye and
besides, the Slope rating may not be nearly as important
as you thought it was. |
