CR Value
The CR value (Course Rating) is the difficulty rating of a golf course for a scratch player, expressed in strokes.
The CR value answers a simple question: how many strokes does a very good golfer need on average on this course? A course rating of 71.4 means: a player with a Handicap Index of 0 plays there in around 71 strokes, no matter whether the course par is 70 or 72. The value is determined by trained raters who assess length, obstacles, greens and rough. In addition there is the slope value, which measures how much harder the course becomes for average players compared with the scratch player.
In practice the CR value appears on every scorecard, separated by tees. Your course handicap for exactly this course is calculated from it: the handicap index is converted to the facility via CR and slope. Example: your home course has a CR of 69.8 from the yellow tees, a tournament course has 73.2. With the same handicap index you get noticeably more handicap strokes on the second course, because it is objectively harder.
A common mistake is confusing it with par. Par is an ideal per hole, the CR value a measured course difficulty. A long par-72 course can have a lower CR value than a tight par-70 course with lots of water. Whoever understands this judges results more fairly: 85 strokes on a hard course can be better than 82 on an easy one. Also useful for basic orientation is the term Scratch Golfer, to which the rating refers.
FAQ
Where do I find the CR value and what do I do with it?
The value is on the scorecard of every facility, separated by the tee colours. You do not need to calculate it yourself: together with the slope it gives your course handicap for exactly this course, and today every common handicap app or the computer in the club office does that for you.
What is the difference between the CR value and par?
Par is the ideal per hole, the CR value the measured difficulty of the entire course for a scratch player. A par-72 course with lots of water can have a CR value of 74, a short par-70 course only 67. That is why 85 strokes on the hard course are the better performance than 82 on the easy one.
Why do I get more handicap strokes on some courses than at home?
Because the CR value and the slope are higher there and your handicap index is converted to the course difficulty. A harder course automatically means more handicap strokes with the same index. That is not a gift but the mathematically fair answer to the fact that even a scratch golfer needs more strokes there.