With retirement, you have some much-deserved time to enjoy your favorite hobbies and golf is no exception. That means more time for calculating and improving your golf handicap. For golfers looking for a convenient way to play their best game on the course, you can actually download an app to precisely calculate and track your handicap, making this part of golfing easier than ever before. Whether you go the app route or stick with the tried-and-true manual calculation, you can easily figure out and track your handicap.

What is a Golf Handicap?

According to BBC Sport, “A [golf] handicap is a certain number of strokes which a player is allowed to remove from his total score for a round. The better the player, the lower the handicap. Only highly skilled players reach zero, also known as "scratch."”

With golf handicaps in the game, a real sense of pride and accomplishment can be earned. It's possible for you to compete at your own skill level and still have a chance of beating someone who is more experienced. A handicap system levels the playing field for participants, and golfers have been using this tool for almost 100 years.

How to Calculate Your Golf Handicap by Hand

If apps aren’t your style, there’s nothing wrong with sticking with the basics and tracking your handicap with some simple math (and a calculator).

1. Gather your scores.

Get ready to crunch the numbers! You need your most recent five to 20 rounds of golfing scores, plus any per-hole limits. These numbers will provide an adjusted gross score calculation.

2. Get the course rating and the slope rating from the golf course.

With each course, it's important to be aware of how challenging the terrain is. Take a few minutes to mark and label every difficulty rating per slope, so you can easily recall your scores later. The standard is usually 113 points.

3. Calculate your handicap.

Calculate your golf handicap with an easy four-step equation. 

1. Subtract the course rating from your score.

2. Multiply that by 113.

3. Divide the result by the slope rating.

4. Round off the final number.

Use Golfing Apps to Calculate Your Golf Handicap

If you’re not a math whiz, or you prefer the ease of apps, then this section is for you. With an app, the perfect golf round is just a few taps away.

Popular Golfing Apps

Finding the perfect app for tracking and improving your handicap has never been easier. We've rounded up some of the most highly-rated apps available on both IOS and Android devices so that you can find exactly what'll work best for you–just get ready to hit a hole-in-one!

• GHIN Mobile | This is the official mobile app of the Golf Handicap Information Network, a service offered by the USGA to golf associations worldwide. With a 4.7+ rating on both IOS and Android app stores as of 2023, you can’t go wrong.

• Simple Handicap | This was made for the common golfer that wants to learn and track their handicap index. It also calculates course handicaps and enables you to enter your favorite courses and add rounds as you go.

• The Grint | The free version of this handicap tracker produces an approximate player handicap and access to basic leaderboard functionalities. As of 2023, it has over 4.5 stars on both IOS and Android app stores.

Great Places for Active Adults to Golf

For the ultimate golfer-friendly living experience, consider one of our favorite 55+ communities in South Carolina, Florida, Texas, or Arizona. From sunrise to sunset, these vibrant retirement havens offer plenty of opportunities to practice and perfect your putt.

• Challenge your golfing skills at Hidden Cypress near Del Webb community Sun City Hilton Head. This stunning course was designed by 10-time PGA Tour winner Mark McCumber and features sloping greens with imaginative bunkers, waiting to test even the most experienced player. Just 10 minutes from some of Del Webb’s Hilton Head active adult communities makes this an easy choice.

• Experience championship golf at Legacy Hills near Del Webb’s Sun City Texas retirement community. An Austin gem, this Billy Casper Signature Course offers 120 rolling acres of tight, tree-lined fairways and an average of five tees per hole–ideal for a perfect day on the greens. At less than 10 minutes from Austin active adult communities, premier central Texas golfing will be just outside your doorstep.

• Get your golf game on at Poston Butte, a unique 18-hole course less than five minutes from Sun City Anthem active adult community in Arizona. Designed by Gary Panks, this par 71 offers wide fairways for teeing off as well as high-faced bunkers to challenge even the low-handicap players. You won’t regret testing your skills on this course.

• Take a swing and tee off at Copper Canyon, the golf course designed by Lee Schmidt and Brian Curley. Experience an unforgettable 18-hole playground five minutes from Del Webb’s Sun City Festival near Phoenix with perfect playing conditions all year. No matter your skill level, you’ll have a memorable round on this amazing course.

• Del Webb Stone Creek in Ocala, Florida, features an incredible Terry-Doss-designed private golf course amenity that is a hole-in-one for enthusiasts. Conveniently located, this championship course boasts 11 water obstacles–perfect for thrill seekers with putting prowess.

Dreaming of retiring in an active adult community centered around golf? Explore Del Webb-featured golf courses to find the perfect new home.

If you’re looking for more active adult lifestyle articles or scouting a retirement community spot, browse Del Webb’s blog today.