Prior to the Indiana Course opening in April 2001, the Real Federación Española de Golf (the RFEG) were invited to Desert Springs to evaluate the golf course and assign a Slope Rating. The ‘Slope’ is a measurement of the difficulty of a golf course relative to the Course Rating (which represents the difficulty for scratch golfers). The ‘Slope Rating’ is a value between 55 and 155 with 113 considered average. On a course considered above average difficulty e.g. Slope 130, a players ‘handicap of play’ will be higher than their exact handicap, giving them the extra shots required to be competitive. On a course considered below average difficulty e.g. Slope 95, a players ‘handicap of play’ will be lower than their exact handicap giving them less strokes.
During the years that have elapsed since the initial evaluation, the Indiana Course has undergone natural maturity along with continual modifications made to improve the already exceptional aesthetics, quality and challenge of the course. This has included, by way of examples, the introduction of the lake on hole 15 and both the introduction and on occasion, relocation, of planted areas. Considering this evolution and the scores recorded in Club Tournaments it was apparent that the difficulty of the golf course was no longer reflected in the original slope ratings; in May the RFEG were invited back to Desert Springs to re-evaluate the Indiana Course. Following their two-day evaluation they have now assigned the course with new ratings, which take immediate affect and shall reflect the true difficulty of the Indiana Course. These new ratings, with the previous ratings in brackets, are as follows:
Orange Tees 132 (129) Gold Tees 130 (130) Green Tees 131 (128).
To illustrate how this increase in slope rating affects stroke allowances please see the examples below.
| Orange Tees | ||||
| Exact Handicap: | 6.0 | 18.0 | 24.0 | 36.0 |
| Previous handicap of play: | 8 | 22 | 28 | 42 |
| New handicap of play: | 8 | 22 | 29 | 43 |
| Gold Tees | ||||
| Exact Handicap: | 6.0 | 18.0 | 24.0 | 36.0 |
| Previous handicap of play: | 6 | 20 | 27 | 40 |
| New handicap of play: | 6 | 20 | 27 | 41 |
| Green Tees | ||||
| Exact Handicap: | 6.0 | 18.0 | 24.0 | 36.0 |
| Previous handicap of play: | 8 | 21 | 28 | 42 |
| New handicap of play: | 8 | 22 | 29 | 43 |
A list showing the new Slope Rating along with ‘Exact Handicaps’ and the corresponding ‘Handicap of Play’ is now on display in both the Men’s and Ladies changing rooms.
We hope these new ratings come as good news for those who will benefit from receiving that all-important extra stroke!
For further information contact: José Ignacio Olea
Tel: +34 670 613 900
Email: jioz@almanzora.com
