[arindiruppya]

Your handicap index is used to determine a course handicap for a particular set of tees based on the slope rating of that set of tees.

For competitions requiring a net score you simply subtract the course handicap from your gross score to obtain net score the handicap rating of each hole is meaningless.

The handicap rating of a hole is primarily used for match play. If you are in a match play competition, subtract the lower course handicap from the higher which determines how many strokes to apply for the higher handicapper. For example, if you are an 18 course handicap and I am a 10 course handicap you would get 8 shots (18-10) and those 8 shots would be applied to the 8 lowest handicap holes. So if hole five were the #1 handicap hole then you would get a stroke on 5. You make a 5 and I make a 4 then we halve the hole. We both make 4 you win the hole. You make 6 and I make 4 I win the hole. That process is applied for the eight lowest handicap holes. The other ten holes are played straight-up. I have seen the hole handicap used in team competitions where, for example, only three out of four balls count on each hole for a team.