Audience: All UDisc Pro subscribers | Level: Beginner to Advanced
Quick Answer
Round ratings are scores (on a scale of 1-300+) that measure how well you played a specific round compared to how other players typically perform on that same course layout. To receive a round rating, you need an active UDisc Pro subscription and must play at least 6 holes on a Smart Layout that has a difficulty classification.
What is a round rating?
A round rating is a number that represents how well you played a specific round of disc golf. Think of it like a golf handicap, but for individual rounds rather than your overall ability.
How to interpret round ratings:
Below 100: Beginner level performance
100-200: Intermediate to advanced recreational play
200-250: Advanced to expert level
250-300: Elite amateur to professional level
300+: Legendary performances
Your round rating changes with each round you play, reflecting your performance on that specific day and course.
How are round ratings calculated?
UDisc uses millions of rounds from players worldwide to predict how any player would score on any hole. Here's how it works in simple terms:
Step 1: UDisc analyzes scoring patterns Our data science team built a system that learns from scoring data across millions of rounds to understand how difficult each hole is.
Step 2: A random sample of players is created For your round, UDisc generates a virtual group of random players. Players who play more frequently (40 rounds per year vs. 5 rounds per year) are more likely to be included in this sample, which helps ensure the comparison reflects active disc golfers.
Step 3: Your score is compared to the sample UDisc predicts how this random sample of players would score on the layout you played, then compares your actual score to that prediction. The better your score compared to the sample, the higher your rating.
Why didn't I get a round rating?
If you completed a round but didn't receive a rating, check these requirements:
✅ Requirements for round ratings
1. UDisc Pro subscription You must have an active UDisc Pro subscription. Free accounts do not receive round ratings.
2. Smart Layout with difficulty classification The course layout must be:
A Smart Layout (not a Classic Layout)
Already have a difficulty classification assigned
If the layout shows "Difficulty pending," it needs more scoring data before ratings become available. Learn more about course and layout difficulty.
3. Minimum 6 holes scored You must score at least 6 holes in your round to receive a rating.
Important: Layouts with fewer than 6 holes cannot generate round ratings at all. Additionally, if you play a partial round (like playing only 9 holes of an 18-hole layout), you need to play enough holes so that three-fourths still equals 6 or more holes.
4. Sufficient data confidence UDisc's system must have high confidence in the scoring patterns for at least three-fourths of the holes you played, and that three-fourths must equal at least 6 holes.
What does "high confidence" mean? UDisc needs enough scoring data from unique players (players with UDisc accounts, not guest players) to accurately determine how difficult each hole is.
Low confidence can occur when:
A hole is newly mapped and hasn't been played enough yet
A tee pad or basket was recently relocated
The fairway path was significantly changed (like a modified dogleg)
Custom distances differ greatly from GPS-calculated distances (rare)
Example: If you play 18 holes, at least 12 holes need to have high confidence for your round to receive a rating.
🔧 Troubleshooting: No rating received
If you met all requirements above but still didn't get a rating:
Check your internet connection
Poor signal when finishing your round can prevent the rating from loading
Close and reopen the app once you have better connection
Try re-saving your scorecard
Edit your scorecard (tap the 3-line menu in upper right)
Change one score, tap Done updating
Edit again, change the score back to the correct value, tap Done updating
This can sometimes prompt the rating to generate
Verify the layout has a difficulty classification
Open the course in UDisc
Check if the layout shows a difficulty level or "Difficulty pending"
If pending, ratings aren't available yet for this layout
Standard troubleshooting
Log out of UDisc and log back in
Confirm your UDisc Pro subscription is active
Confirm you're on a Smart Layout
Classic Layouts do not generate round ratings
Course Ambassadors can convert Classic Layouts to Smart Layouts
Understanding the rating scale
UDisc round ratings use a scale of 1-300+, designed to provide meaningful milestones for players at every skill level.
Rating milestones
100 - Your first major achievement Reaching 100 is a significant accomplishment for beginner and early-intermediate players. It's challenging but achievable with practice and improvement.
200 - Advanced player territory Consistently scoring rounds above 200 indicates strong performance. Many experienced disc golfers aim to regularly break 200.
300 - Elite performance Ratings in the 250-300 range represent elite-level play. Scores above 300 are exceptional performances that few players achieve.
Understanding your rating in context
Each layout has a "par rating" - this is the rating you'd receive if you shot exactly par on that layout. You can see the par rating when viewing a layout's details in UDisc.
Since par varies from course to course (and can be set differently by course ambassadors), par ratings also vary significantly:
Some challenging courses might have par ratings of 200+
Some easier courses might have par ratings below 100
The par rating adjusts over time as more rounds are played
Your rating reflects your performance on that specific layout. A 150 rating on one course might represent very different scoring than a 150 on another course. Focus on your improvement over time rather than comparing individual ratings across different layouts.
Round ratings vs. player ratings
Round rating: Measures a single round's performance
Changes with every round you play
Specific to one course and one day
Reflects how you played compared to other players on that layout
Player rating: Measures your overall skill level
Based on your best 8 round ratings from your last 20 rated rounds
More stable than individual round ratings
Represents your typical ability
Learn more about player ratings and how they're calculated.
How UDisc ratings differ from PDGA ratings
UDisc round ratings are intentionally different from PDGA ratings and use a completely separate scale.
Why we don't use the PDGA scale
1. Accessibility for all players PDGA ratings are primarily based on tournament play. UDisc ratings are available to everyone, anytime, on any rated course.
2. Different systems, different purposes The rating systems use fundamentally different calculations, so comparing them directly wouldn't be accurate or fair.
3. Clearer benchmarks for improvement UDisc's 1-300+ scale provides more intuitive milestones for recreational players compared to PDGA's 1000-point scale.
How improvement works differently
UDisc ratings are designed so that gaining 10, 20, or 30 points represents similar improvement regardless of where you are on the scale.
Example: A beginner improving from 80 to 90 represents the same relative skill gain as an advanced player improving from 220 to 230.
Common questions
Will I get a rating for doubles or team rounds?
Yes! Your team will receive one round rating based on your combined team score.
Important notes:
All players on the team receive the same rating
Team round ratings do not count toward your individual stats or player rating
This works for any team format (doubles, triples, best shot, alternating throws, etc.)
Does par affect my round rating?
No. Your round rating is based on your total score, not your score relative to par. Changing the par on your scorecard has no effect on your rating.
Do weather conditions affect my round rating?
Weather conditions are not factored into round ratings. Here's why:
Wind, rain, and temperature can vary dramatically even within a small area. The weather at your course might be completely different from the nearest weather station, making reliable weather data difficult to obtain.
This is a tradeoff we made to allow round ratings for all rounds, not just tournament rounds where conditions can be verified.
Keep this in mind: If you play in extreme weather (heavy wind, rain, heat), your rating may not fully reflect the difficulty of those conditions.
What about mulligans and practice shots?
UDisc doesn't monitor or restrict how you play casual rounds. If you use mulligans, practice shots, or otherwise adjust your scoring style, that's completely fine—just keep it in mind when evaluating your ratings.
When comparing ratings between players, remember that you're comparing Player A's performance under their playing style to Player B's performance under their playing style.
What happens to my ratings if my Pro subscription expires?
When your UDisc Pro subscription expires:
You will no longer see your round ratings
Your existing ratings are saved and will be restored when you resubscribe
Any rounds you score while your subscription is inactive will receive ratings once you resubscribe
Your ratings are never lost—they're just hidden until you have an active Pro subscription.
Why doesn't my course generate round ratings?
There are two common reasons:
1. Classic Layouts don't support ratings
Only Smart Layouts can generate round ratings. If your course uses Classic Layouts, a Course Ambassador needs to convert them to Smart Layouts.
Learn how to upgrade Classic Layouts to Smart Layouts.
2. Not enough scoring data yet
New Smart Layouts need scoring data to establish a difficulty classification before they can generate round ratings.
What's required: Each fairway (tee to basket combination) needs 10-20 rounds played by unique players with UDisc accounts. Guest players on someone's device do not count toward this threshold.
For multi-layout courses: If your course has both 9-hole and 18-hole layouts, each layout reaches the threshold independently. The 9-hole layout might receive ratings before the 18-hole layout if it gets played more frequently.
How long does this take? Once a layout reaches the required number of plays, difficulty classifications are updated twice per month (typically at the beginning and middle of the month). The exact timing varies based on play frequency at your course.
You can check if a layout has a difficulty classification by viewing the layout details in the course information.
Fixing mistakes and corrections
What if I entered a wrong score?
If you made a scoring error:
Open the finished scorecard
Tap the menu (3 lines) in the upper right
Select Edit scorecard
Correct your scores
Tap Done updating
Your round rating will automatically recalculate based on the corrected scores.
What if the pin position was wrong?
If the basket was in a different position than shown on the layout, you can correct it and your rating will recalculate:
During or after your round:
Open your scorecard
Tap the blue target icon (upper right) for the affected hole(s)
Select the correct target position
Tap Done updating
Your round rating will automatically recalculate based on the correct target positions you played.
Learn more about changing tee and target positions on Smart Layouts.
Related Resources
Understanding difficulty:
◆ FAQ: Course & Layout Difficulty - Learn how courses receive difficulty classifications (required for ratings)
🥳 Why upgrade to Smart Layouts - Benefits of Smart Layouts including round ratings
Player ratings:
📈 What is my UDisc player rating? - Learn about your overall rating based on multiple rounds
Scoring help:
🔢 How to use the scorecard - Basic scoring instructions
🎯 How to change tee and target positions - Adjust positions during your round
⏳ How to enter a round after playing - Add past rounds to UDisc
Leagues and events:
⚖️ Handicap Leagues FAQs - How ratings work in handicap leagues
Need more help? Check out the UDisc Landing Zone here for tips from fellow disc golfers or reach out to us via chat or at help@udisc.com.
Article Details
Category: Using UDisc → Playing & Keeping Score
Last updated: January 2026
Topics covered: Round ratings, rating calculation, rating scale, PDGA comparison, troubleshooting ratings, Smart Layouts, difficulty classification
Requires: UDisc Pro subscription
Related features: Player ratings, Smart Layouts, course difficulty, handicap leagues