It has been a commercially acceptable practice to review hotels and restaurants and give them a star rating. We at RYC don't see the problem in doing golf course reviews as long as the person doing the rating is unbiased and gives the course a fair golf course rating. 

With this in mind RYC has developed a unique Review System that can either be completed online or via the Post using our Rate and Review Postcards. The reviews for the Golf Courses are based on a set of 25 criteria which are scored out of 10 by our Patrons based on their experience of the course, with 10 being the highest score. All Reviews are verified by our staff before they are posted onto the relevant internet website as we stick to a stringent vetting procedure . 

The following criteria are used for a Golf Course Review:

• Ease of Booking the Round
• Accessibility of Course
• Welcome Experienced on Arrival
• Getting Around on Arrival
• Availability of Buggies/Carts/Caddies
• Changing Rooms
• Pro Shop
• Practice Range
• Putting Green
• Scenery and Environment
• Atmosphere around the Course
• Timely Tee off
• Tees
• Fairways
• Greens
• Course Bunkering
• Course Yardage Marking
• Cleanliness and Manicuring of the Course
• Speed of Play during the Round
• Layout and Design of the Course
• Challenge presented by the Course
• 19th Hole
• Value for Money
• Enjoyment of course

Our Patrons are encouraged  to give honest and positive golf course reviews and not to base these reviews on how well they have played but the merits and facilities of the course itself.

In the UK, South Africa and Republic of Ireland, a "scratch score" system was previously in place in order to rate golf courses and be fair to golfers of varying ability, and to make allowances that golf courses may play "easier" or "harder" than par, overall, to the amateur field.

The slope rating is the USGA mark that indicates the measurement of the relative difficulty for a bogey golfer compared to the golf course rating. Slope rating is computed from the difference between the bogey rating and the golf course rating.

The course rating (SSS) and the slope rating are used to calculate the handicap differential which is used to adjust a player's score in relation to par according to the slope and rating of the golf course.

Handicap differential = ( players score -golf course rating) × 113 / (slope rating)  then rounded to the nearest tenth.

The bogey rating is the USGA evaluation of the playing difficulty of a golf course for the bogey golfer. It is based on yardage, effective playing length and other obstacles to the extent that affect the scoring ability of the bogey golfer.