One event · more than one set of tees
Different Tees, Fair Handicap Strokes
Start with each player’s own tee ratings and the event’s handicap allowance. Then check par: some formats need an additional adjustment for different pars; Stableford and par/bogey do not.
Competitive Play · Updated October 24, 2026
The short version
- Use the ratings for each player and tee set, then the event’s handicap allowance. A Handicap Index alone is not the number of competition strokes.
- When a stroke or match format compares gross or net stroke totals, higher-par tees receive the par difference as additional strokes.
- No extra par-difference adjustment applies when par is the same, or when results are compared relative to par, in Stableford or in par/bogey.
Follow one complete mixed-tee scorecard
Different tees.
One comparable net result.
This example deliberately uses a 100% handicap allowance. It is an arithmetic demonstration, not the allowance prescribed for every event.
| Step | Player A | Player B |
|---|---|---|
| Handicap Index | 10.0 | 10.0 |
| Slope Rating | 113 | 113 |
| Course Rating | 72.0 | 69.0 |
| Par | 72 | 70 |
| Course Handicap | 10 | 9 |
| Playing Handicap before par adjustment | 10 | 9 |
| Additional strokes for higher par | +2 | +0 |
| Final Playing Handicap | 12 | 9 |
| Gross score | 82 | 79 |
| Net score | 70 | 70 |
Check the arithmetic: A: 82 − 12 = 70. B: 79 − 9 = 70. For results compared relative to par, Stableford or par/bogey, do not add these extra par-difference strokes.
Read the event conditions before doing the arithmetic
Get the scoring format, permitted tee sets, each player’s Handicap Index, the relevant Course Rating and Slope Rating, par, and the handicap allowance. Use the ratings applicable to that player; a tee color by itself is not a complete specification.
The Course Handicap calculation accounts for the tee’s difficulty, including Course Rating minus par. The Playing Handicap applies the format’s allowance. Do not start from two Indexes and simply award the difference, or add a second Course Rating adjustment copied from an old pre-2020 instruction sheet.
The example keeps rounding out of the way: both players have Index 10.0 and Slope 113. Player A’s Rating minus par is 0, giving Course Handicap 10. Player B’s is −1, giving Course Handicap 9. With the explicitly assumed 100% allowance, those remain 10 and 9 before the separate par adjustment.
Ask whether the format compares scores or points
Same par
The USGA says no additional Playing Handicap adjustment is needed solely because players use different tees, or men and women use the same tees with the same par.
Different par when comparing gross or net stroke totals
The higher-par tee receives the par difference as additional strokes. This branch applies when the format compares actual gross or net stroke totals; a result recorded relative to par uses a different branch. In the example, 72 − 70 adds two strokes to Player A.
Results recorded relative to par
Rule 6.2b(ii) does not add extra par-difference strokes when results are compared relative to par. Keep that format separate from the fictional net-stroke-total card above. Read the format-specific USGA rule and the event conditions.
Stableford or par/bogey
Do not add the same extra par-difference adjustment. Those formats compare points or results relative to the relevant targets. Carrying the ordinary net-score adjustment into them would misapply the procedure.
An event total still needs the correct hole allocation
Before starting, have the Committee confirm the Playing Handicaps, the applicable stroke-index allocation and how any match-play difference is applied. The whole-round arithmetic above is not a substitute for a correctly marked match card.
A hole can have different pars for different players. In ordinary formats comparing scores, a gross 4 is still lower than a gross 5; both players saying “I made par” does not by itself settle a match. Apply the relevant handicap strokes before comparing net results.
If the printed card and scoring system disagree, resolve it before play. Keep the final event numbers with the tee information so the scorer can reconstruct the calculation.
The five things to confirm at registration
- Which tee set and ratings apply to each player?
- What scoring format and handicap allowance are in force?
- Is par the same or different?
- Does this format require the additional par adjustment?
- How are the final strokes allocated on the scorecard?
For a different handicap question, see why an Index is not your expected score every round. If the Index itself no longer reflects demonstrated ability, that is a committee review request, not a tee adjustment.
Your next move
Check the USGA procedure
Confirm how different tees and par interact with the event format.
Check the USGA procedure(Official source), opens in a new tabFrequently asked questions
- Do different tees always require extra handicap strokes?
- No. First calculate each player’s handicap using the applicable tee ratings and event allowance. The additional mixed-tee par adjustment depends on whether par differs and on the format. Same par requires no extra par adjustment.
- Should Stableford players add strokes for different pars?
- USGA guidance says no additional adjustment is needed for the par difference in Stableford or par/bogey. Do not copy the extra adjustment from an ordinary individual stroke-play example.
Keep reading
Sources and review
- What it covers
- USGA 18-hole competition guidance. Rule 6.2b’s format distinction was checked against the official indexed text on October 24, 2026; the two earlier source retrieval dates remain below. The example is fictional and uses a 100% allowance.
- Checked
Primary sources
What this page cannot tell you
- The example uses a fictional 18-hole event with a 100% allowance. Confirm the competition terms, correct ratings and applicable allowance for a real event.