Gross, handicap, and net score
Gross is the player's final 18-hole total. The handicap is the adjustment calculated from hidden holes, and net score is gross minus the applied handicap.
Enter final hole scores including penalties. Adding a penalty again after entering the final score would count it twice.
- Gross = final 18-hole strokes
- Handicap = adjustment derived from hidden holes
- Net = gross - applied handicap
Hidden holes and the core formula
A common example selects 12 hidden holes totaling par 48 on a par-72 course. The hidden score is scaled to the full course, course par is removed, and the result is multiplied by 0.8.
Formula: (hidden score × course par ÷ hidden par - course par) × 0.8. Replace both par values when the event uses a different setup.
Worked example: par 72 and hidden par 48
With a capped hidden-hole total of 58, 58 × 72 ÷ 48 equals 87. Subtract 72 and multiply by 0.8 for a calculated handicap of 12.0.
A gross 90 becomes net 78. If the event caps handicaps at 10, the applied handicap is 10 and the net becomes 80.
- Scaled score: 87
- Calculated handicap: 12.0
- Net from gross 90: 78
Rules to confirm before final standings
Confirm whether hole scores are capped at double par, the maximum handicap, treatment of negative values, and rounding method.
Tie-breaks may use back count, designated holes, or lower handicap. Use the calculator as an aid and apply the organizer's published rules to official standings.