Course handicap vs playing handicap - what's the difference?

Course handicap is your handicap index converted for a specific tee on a specific course, using its slope and rating. It's the number of strokes you'd receive if no handicap allowance applied.

Playing handicap is your course handicap multiplied by the format's handicap allowance (e.g. 100% for stroke play, 90% for individual stableford in some setups, 50% for foursomes). It's the number of strokes you actually receive in this round.

The scorecard shows both so there's no confusion about which strokes you're getting.