The WHS allows the unique challenges of each golf course to be quantified. Following this thorough evaluation by a qualified rating team, a Course Rating and Slope Rating is issued for each set of tees.

A Course Rating represents the expected score for a scratch player (Handicap Index of 0.0) under normal playing conditions, while a Bogey Rating represents the expected score for a bogey player (Handicap Index 20.0 to 24.0).

These two figures work together to calculate a Slope Rating, which is a measure of the relative difficulty of a golf course between the scratch player and all other players.

In other words, the higher the Slope Rating of a golf course, the more strokes a higher-handicapped player will need to play that course on an equal basis to the scratch player.