Why is the adoption of the USGA Course Rating System so attractive to the game’s top administrators? Golf Queensland's Scott Wagstaff explains the methods and definitions that will be used in the USGA course rating process.

A recent USGA training seminar in Toowoomba

So why is the adoption of the USGA Course Rating System so attractive to the game’s top administrators? In the following paragraphs I’ll attempt to explain the methods and definitions that will be used in the USGA course rating process.

Course rating is the measure of difficulty of courses for a scratch golfer under normal course and weather conditions. A male scratch golfer is defined as a player who hits his tee shots an average of 225 metres and can reach a 430-metre hole in 2 shots. A female scratch golfer can hit her tee shots an average of 190 metres and can reach a 365-metre hole in two shots.

Accuracy and consistency are the keys to effective course rating. The measured length must be corrected to the effective playing length – an error of 18-20 metres in overall length can change the course rating by 0.1 strokes. The same process is followed through all sets of tees on the course.

The main formula component of the effective playing length of the course is derived from the course’s measured length and applying the following five factors, which gives a more accurate reflection of the true playing length of the course: 

1. Roll
2. [Changes in] Elevation
3. Dogleg/Forced Lay-up
4. Prevailing Wind
5. Altitude

The measured length and the effective playing length adjustments are used to determine the ‘Yardage’ Rating.(NB. The USGA system differs from our current system in as much as the Australian system uses measured length only to determine a Length Rating.)

A further analysis of each hole is undertaken in order to assess the 10 obstacle factors which affect playing difficulty as follows: 

1. Topography: The impact of the terrain on play. 
2. Fairway: The difficulty of keeping the ball on the fairway. 
3. Green Target: The size and difficulty of hitting the green. 
4. Recoverability & Rough: Covers the difficulty of a shot when the fairway or green has been missed. 
5. Bunkers: How they come into play and the difficulty of recovery. 
6. OOB / Extreme Rough: The proximity of these factors and how they come into play. 
7. Water Hazards : The proximity of these factors and how they come into play. 
8. Trees: Based on the density, proximity, and difficulty of recovery. 
9. Green Surface: Assesses the difficulty of the green, and includes speed and contouring of each green. 
10. Psychological: Evaluation of the cumulative effect the other 9 obstacles will have on a player’s score.

The values allocated to the above obstacles are multiplied by various weighting factors giving a final number, which may be an addition or reduction to the Scratch Yardage Rating. The result is the Course Rating.

It’s interesting to note that the ‘Psychological’ impact of the USGA Course Rating system. Few golfers would argue that a tight water-lined course is a far more difficult proposition to play than a course that is long, but very forgiving of wayward shots.

As in all other states, Golf Queensland is systematically training volunteer personnel as accredited Course Raters throughout the state. Following the training phase, the massive task of re-rating of all Queensland’s 250 courses will begin, a process which is expected to be completed by the end of 2011, with most of the metropolitan course due to be completed by the end of 2010.