The Greenskeeper rating system was created from discussions with public golfers in Southern California and tested over an 18-month period. It produces a rating that reflects the physical playing conditions of a golf course and is based on a 0-10 scoring system with 10 being best.  A golf course rating is generated from the scores of the Greens, Fairways, Rough, Tee Boxes, and Sand Traps.  These scores are combined to form the Overall Playing Condition Rating.

Sources Of Information:

1. Greenskeeper.Org Survey
A Greenskeeper.Org surveyor will play a golf course and fill out a playing condition survey form.

2. Online Survey Results
Greenskeeper.Org members who have recently played a golf course are invited to fill out an online playing condition survey form.

The two sources are weighted equally and use the same scoring system to produce their results. If one source of information is not available then the other source will make up the difference. For example: If Online Survey Results are not available then the Greenskeeper.Org Survey will account for 100% of the rating.

Scoring:

Sand Factor
Because Sand Traps come into play more on some golf courses then others, Greenskeeper.Org created a measure called the Sand Factor. The higher the Sand Factor for a particular golf course, the more weight the playing conditions of the Sand Traps receive as opposed to the Rough and Fairways.  In theory, landscape that is occupied by Sand Traps would normally be occupied by Rough or Fairway.

Greens
Greens account for 40% of the overall playing condition rating.

Characteristics:
1. Smoothness - How smooth the ball rolls on the putting surface.
2. Speed - How fast the ball rolls on the putting surface.
3. Softness - How soft the putting surface is.

Damage:
1. Bare Spots - The amount of areas barren of grass on the greens.
2. Severe Ball Mark Damage - The amount of areas severely damaged by ball marks on the greens.

Fairways
Fairways account for 32 to 28% of the overall playing condition rating depending on the Sand Factor.  

Characteristics:
1. Lushness - The amount of grass padding in between the ball and ground determined by the abundance and density of the turf in the fairways.

Damage:
1. Bare Spots - The amount of areas barren of grass in the fairways.
2. Severe Divot Damage - The amount of areas severely damaged by divots in the fairways.

Rough (Primary/Intermediate)
Primary/Intermediate Rough accounts for 17 to 13% of the overall playing condition rating depending on the Sand Factor. Secondary rough is not factored into the scoring of the Rough because the amount of it can vary dramatically from golf course to golf course. Many public golf courses do not even grow secondary rough.

Characteristics:
1. Lushness - The amount of grass padding in between the ball and ground determined by the abundance and density of the turf in the primary/intermediate rough.
2. Length - The average length of the primary rough throughout the golf course.

Damage:
1. Bare Spots - The amount of areas barren of grass in the primary/intermediate rough.

Sand Traps
Sand Traps account for 11.5 to 3.5% of the overall playing condition rating depending on the Sand Factor.

Characteristics:
1. Sand Quality - The quality of sand contained in all bunkers.

Tee Boxes
Tee Boxes account for 7.5% of the overall playing condition rating.

Characteristics:
1.  Lushness - The amount of grass padding in between the ball and ground determined by the abundance and density of the turf on the tee boxes.

Damage:
1. Severely Not Level - The number of severely not level tee boxes.
2. Bare Spots - The amount of areas barren of grass on the tee boxes.
3. Severe Divot Damage - The amount of areas severely damaged by divots on the tee boxes.

Pace of Play
Pace of Play is measured in terms of the length of time it takes to complete a round of 18 holes. Greenskeeper.Org urges golfers to indicate the pace of play because it contributes to the overall enjoyment of a round of golf. However, pace of play is not factored into the overall playing condition rating because Greenskeeper.Org only rates the physical playing conditions of golf courses.