The handicap index, basically, refers to a number which measures a golfer's potential playing capability depending on tees they might have played in past. In ensures that players having different capabilities can play together. Higher handicap index mean the player's ability to play is poor. This golf handicap calculator can be used for determining how capable a player is.
Handicap notion in golf, basically, comes from an idea to give up strokes. Stronger players can let weaker players to have a handicap, extra strokes that are to be subtracted from his/her score, so that weaker players can be more competitive. This also helps stronger players to make their game a lot more sporting, theoretically. Practically, however, it is a source of encouraging betting.
In golf, a handicap is determined simply by handing your scores in at a course where you play normally. Your specific handicap figure at an instant is 96% of average of best 10 from your last 20 scores.
The origin of handicapping term is in horse races; odds for a race were handed to a jockey in cap (hand-in-cap). However, this concept was actually in practice way before coining this particular term. Right from the start of golf as a sport, "assigning the odds" referred to allowing the strokes. The task was, basically, assumed by some administrators and the group of those administrators was referred to as "adjustor of odds".
The first few golf clubs used to bet on matches and this naturally resulted in creation of odds; and these odds and bets were entered carefully in the bet books of each of these clubs.
Professional golfers in the middle of 19th century often made a major part of what they earned by relying on golf wagering. This new concept of giving the strokes let them to setup their matches with other golfers who were not at their level.
As you play the game, the golf handicaps you have are converted to course handicap, and this allows for the difficulty of tees and course played. Now in that particular round, it represents how many strokes you'll get. In the end, it gets deducted from gross score for determining your net score.
The golf handicap calculator here requires you to enter three values for every round you play. These values include Course Rating, Course Slope and 18-hole score. You have to make sure that you enter all the three values for at least 5 rounds otherwise an error will be generated by the golf handicap calculator and no result will be calculated. You can add the data of up to 20 rounds for finding out your golf handicap index.
Once you have entered all the data you have in the respective fields, just hit the calculate button on the golf handicap calculator and it will calculate the results for you. The calculator won't just show the handicap index but will also tell you the lowest handicap index according to which your result is calculated.
So, use this golf handicap calculator before you offer extra strokes the next time while playing the game.