Definition: USGA Course Rating is an evaluation of the difficulty of a golf course for scratch golfers. Actually, the number is an estimate of the average scores of the best 50-percent of rounds played by scratch golfers at the course being rated.
Course rating is very easy to understand because it is expressed in strokes. A par-72 course that is easy might have a course rating of 68.9; one that is difficult might have a course rating of 74.5.
Course rating should always be included on the scorecard, and it plays a role in figuring handicap indexes.
See also: How are course rating and slope rating determined?
