Handicap of a "good" player

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

The question in the OP cannot be answered unless you give the context of the question.

For the man in the street the complexities and difficulty of golf as handicap reduces are lost - and when we get into the ranks of the serious+ handicappers and pros - meaningless to the average guy in the street - looks not a lot different to a low single figure player to him. We golfers understand that it is a non-linear equation.

In the eyes of our man in the street who has 'had a go at golf' but doesn't play it - just having a handicap will put you in the 'pretty good at golf' bracket in his eyes. So Cat 2 golfers will be viewed as 'good to very good' Cat 1 golfers as 'very good to brilliant'.

 

[patricks148]

It has to be Scratch or better, when you are getting shots you are not good.

 

[woody69]

It has to be Scratch or better, when you are getting shots you are not good.

What are you then?

 

[patricks148]

What are you then?

Rubbish, i get 6 shots, if i was good i'd be giving shots back

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Rubbish, i get 6 shots, if i was good i'd be giving shots back

...and so a pointless debate ensues about whether or not a 6 handicapper is a good golfer - when clearly in fact a 6 handicapper is pretty darned good at a very difficult game - and so to man on the street a 6 handicapper is a good to very good golfer.

 

[SaintHacker]

I still maintain someone off 25 is good, just not all of the time...

 

[One Planer]

I consider a good golfer any one with a single figure handicap.

When you start getting to 6 and below, these are very good players in my book.

Anyone of scratch or + figure is an exceptional player IMO :thup:

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I consider a good golfer any one with a single figure handicap.

When you start getting to 6 and below, these are very good players in my book.

Anyone of scratch or + figure is an exceptional player IMO :thup:

But you are a golfer playing off 14. To many out there you are very good. The only way you can make such general subjective statements on golfing ability is from a general neutral position.

 

[One Planer]

But you are a golfer playing off 14. To many out there you are very good. The only way you can make such general subjective statements on golfing ability is from a general neutral position.

I totally agree with that. It's all about circumstance and preception.

 

[Robobum]

To a man who cannot walk, I am Usain Bolt.

To a man who can walk unaided, I am pedestrian at best.

To a man who has never held a club, I am Tiger Woods.

To a man who plays, you gotta be off scratch to be classed as good.

Apply your own rankings for ego purposes if worse than that.

 

[woody69]

Rubbish, i get 6 shots, if i was good i'd be giving shots back

Well if we were to ever play a game I'm sure I wouldn't call you rubbish and would probably think you were pretty darn good. You on the other hand would think I was dog turd by all accounts.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I have no idea how to answer this, all I know is that I'm not as good as I want to be.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

To a man who plays, you gotta be off scratch to be classed as good.

I don't really think that this is the case - or the view of 99% of those who play.

 

[Robobum]

I don't really think that this is the case - or the view of 99% of those who play.

Well then the following will apply to those 99%....

Apply your own rankings for ego purposes if worse than that.

 

[woody69]

Well then the following will apply to those 99%....

I don't understand? How is it ego to say a person off 5 (as an example) is a good player?

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I don't understand? How is it ego to say a person off 5 (as an example) is a good player?

Who cares if it's ego or otherwise.

I play off 5 and I'm very proud of that, and if asked would gladly describe myself as being quite a good golfer.

 

[Robobum]

I don't understand? How is it ego to say a person off 5 (as an example) is a good player?

It's just an opinion about standards that's all. When playing your own ball and you need to be given shots to help your score - I can't see that as being classed good.

Scratch and better = good (just an opinion)

 

[Hobbit]

I play off 5 and I'm very proud of that, and if asked would gladly describe myself as being quite a good golfer.

Maybe the perfect summation is to be a Cat 1 is to be a good golfer. We can split hairs about whereabouts in the catagory a particular player is but the question of what level you'd like to play off is often answered by, "I'd love to make it to Cat 1."

 

[Twin Lakes]

My view for what it's worth is a good handicap would be scratch.
It's interesting to read that one or two posters think 5 or below is great... Seve and Nicklaus were great!!
I'm off 10 and to be honest I'm not very good at all.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Who cares if it's ego or otherwise.

I play off 5 and I'm very proud of that, and if asked would gladly describe myself as being quite a good golfer.

No - off 5 your are a good golfer.