Arthur Wedge
Well-known member
A simple question
At what HC do you consider someone to be good at golf ?
At what HC do you consider someone to be good at golf ?
At what Handicap would you consider someone to be good
- Thread starter Arthur Wedge
- Start date
10-15 for me. That's good imo. Not great, but good. At that point you are hitting good shots and are fairly consistent.
IanM
Journeyman Pro
- Joined
- May 18, 2009
- Messages
- 14,930
- Location
- Monmouthshire, UK via Guildford!
No idea. Depends on who you're talking to!
If you can break 90, you are competent on plenty of levels, but that's chopping it round according to some! Although according to Google, that's in the top 20% of players!!
If you can break 90, you are competent on plenty of levels, but that's chopping it round according to some! Although according to Google, that's in the top 20% of players!!
nickjdavis
Head Pro
5-10 for me....anyone who can regularly knock it round in sub 80 scores is decent.
Lucifer MorningStar
Well-known member
Extremely subjective question as good is different in its context of the individual, the groups they play with etc.
10-15 is good for me, they’re achieving a good level of ball striking, have figured out how to play this annoying game and are below the average UK Handicap so that all suggest to me they’re good.
Someone off 20+ would likely think 10-15 is good, someone off 10-15 solely going to look at 5-10 as good, yet that bracket will look at scratch as good. Like I said it’s all subjective.
10-15 is good for me, they’re achieving a good level of ball striking, have figured out how to play this annoying game and are below the average UK Handicap so that all suggest to me they’re good.
Someone off 20+ would likely think 10-15 is good, someone off 10-15 solely going to look at 5-10 as good, yet that bracket will look at scratch as good. Like I said it’s all subjective.
PaulMdj
Well-known member
0-5 for me, Cat 1 in old money.
Orikoru
Tour Winner
This has been done before and I find it interesting that usually, most people vote for the handicap band that is slightly below where they currently are. 
I have gone for 0-5. It's a hard game and I don't think you're really 'good' at it unless you're able to shoot level par. Of course this doesn't necessarily mean you're off scratch, but low singles can do it.
I have gone for 0-5. It's a hard game and I don't think you're really 'good' at it unless you're able to shoot level par. Of course this doesn't necessarily mean you're off scratch, but low singles can do it.
RichA
Well-known member
I’ve always thought of the benchmark for being good at any sport as being good enough to get paid to do it, at least on a semi-pro basis. I guess for golf that would be elite-ish amateur, therefore scratch and better.
Springveldt
Well-known member
I think for me, I’m always chasing that next group down so I’ve voted + to scratch.
I still don’t consider myself good, just OK.
I still don’t consider myself good, just OK.
HampshireHog
Assistant Pro
Difficult to answer without the context of what other grades of ability everyone is applying.
I’ll say old Cat 2 is good, better than average old Cat 3.
I’ll say old Cat 2 is good, better than average old Cat 3.
Mel Smooth
Hacker
Scratch.
The Squirrel
Well-known member
Doesn’t matter what level you are at; anyone 5 shots or more better than you is going to look pretty “good” to you.
Anyone in single figures is playing a competent game getting themselves round the course, and is significantly better than the average golfer, so I’ll go for that.
Anyone in single figures is playing a competent game getting themselves round the course, and is significantly better than the average golfer, so I’ll go for that.
Swinglowandslow
Well-known member
Single figures is a very good player. Teens is a good player when you consider some people can’t even swing and hit a ball.
But for a long time now, I haven’t been bothered about my score too much, even though I compete once a week in competitions.
However, every time I play, I compete against the hole. I know I can par it, that I have parred it……so that means I can again. That it is possible. That’s why I play golf.
Especially when I “butter” my old Muirfield blades. That, more than anything is why I am stood on grass.
I love the game.
But for a long time now, I haven’t been bothered about my score too much, even though I compete once a week in competitions.
However, every time I play, I compete against the hole. I know I can par it, that I have parred it……so that means I can again. That it is possible. That’s why I play golf.
Especially when I “butter” my old Muirfield blades. That, more than anything is why I am stood on grass.
I love the game.
Slab
Occasional Tour Caddy
Before choosing 5-10 in the poll I had to assign some kind of name to all 6 categories, so I went with
Great
Very Good
Good
Fair
Ok
Keen
That made the choice easy
If there were only 3 or 4 categories it'd be a different h/cap range that're 'good'
Great
Very Good
Good
Fair
Ok
Keen
That made the choice easy
If there were only 3 or 4 categories it'd be a different h/cap range that're 'good'
What ever is better than average. I think stats say that the average h’cap is 14, ergo 10-15.
Burnsey
Well-known member
First, you need to decide what is 'good', as to me will be different to you.
Based on score, finishing position in a comp, general course management etc?
If just on HC, I say 12 and under.
Based on score, finishing position in a comp, general course management etc?
If just on HC, I say 12 and under.
Mel Smooth
Hacker
I guess you have to factor in age, or more importantly physical ability. There are blind golfers that would beat me off the stick end for example.
I think the best golfer I've played alongside is one of the juniors at Huddersfield. He's off 8.5 but only 12 years old, but he is so unbelievably accurate - very rarely misses the target and if he does it's not by much, and his short game will pretty much always rescue the hole. I'd be amazed if he isn't well into the plus handicap numbers by the time he's stopped growing.
I think the best golfer I've played alongside is one of the juniors at Huddersfield. He's off 8.5 but only 12 years old, but he is so unbelievably accurate - very rarely misses the target and if he does it's not by much, and his short game will pretty much always rescue the hole. I'd be amazed if he isn't well into the plus handicap numbers by the time he's stopped growing.
Voyager EMH
Slipper Wearing Plucker of Pheasants
I voted 10-15.
I observe others based on my own experience.
I remember coming down from 18 to 10 in one year/summer. (1976)
I felt this was my biggest breakthrough - getting to a "good" standard.
I had a few less-than-9-over rounds - which I felt were very good.
Made more progress the following year - down to 5.
I observe others based on my own experience.
I remember coming down from 18 to 10 in one year/summer. (1976)
I felt this was my biggest breakthrough - getting to a "good" standard.
I had a few less-than-9-over rounds - which I felt were very good.
Made more progress the following year - down to 5.
D-S
Well-known member
I seem to recall that the last time I heard this quoted from EG (last year?) it was 18.1 for men and 27.1 for women.
clubchamp98
Journeyman Pro
You’re getting good when you no longer need a shot on stroke index 18 imo.
It’s a tough game and one man’s good is another’s average so
12 to 17
It’s a tough game and one man’s good is another’s average so
12 to 17
