Low-Mid, Mid-High

[m10johnson]

Looking at new clubs and they always refer to low-mid handicappers and mid-high handicappers.

I have no idea what ranges of handicap each falls into. I play off of 17, generally due to stupid risks I take when playing and feel I have a good enough swing and technique to get down to 10 by this time next year. So what sort of range am I in, mid-high or mid?

 

[MadAdey]

I think that is about being honest with yourself. Normally low handicap players refer to people in cat 1, mid handicappers are cat 2 & 3 with high handicappers being cat 4. Not a strict rule of thumb though. I know people who hit the ball a lot better than their handicap suggests they should. ie an 18 handicapper with a great swing but struggling to get his score down due to wasting shots on the course so he may strike the ball well just does not score very well.

Do you strike the ball well with all of your irons?

 

[Oddsocks]

ok lets break it down in the most simplest form.

if a male HC can be a maximum of 28, then surely

low-mid has to be 0-14
mid to high has to be 15-28

or around them numbers.

 

[Alex1975]

ok lets break it down in the most simplest form.

if a male HC can be a maximum of 28, then surely

low-mid has to be 0-14
mid to high has to be 15-28

or around them numbers.

I agree

 

[HotDogAssassin]

I agree

I agree.

Or to put it MadAdey's way:

Cat 1 - 0-7
Cat 2 - 8-14
Cat 3 - 15-21
Cat 4 - 22-28

 

[Tiger]

ok lets break it down in the most simplest form.

if a male HC can be a maximum of 28, then surely

low-mid has to be 0-14
mid to high has to be 15-28

or around them numbers.

But that thinking is fundamentally flawed as it assumes that all elements of an individuals game are equal. For example you could be a fantastic iron player but poor driver, so-so short game and poor putter. I think it's all down to the individual and an objective assessment of someone's game.

 

[MadAdey]

But that thinking is fundamentally flawed as it assumes that all elements of an individuals game are equal. For example you could be a fantastic iron player but poor driver, so-so short game and poor putter. I think it's all down to the individual and an objective assessment of someone's game.

That is what I was saying. I have seen players of 13 and 14 handicaps that can hit the ball as well as any cat 1 player in the club but are in cat 3. Difference being the cat 1 player does not throw shots away. It is all down to the individual.

On the sites like American golf they are just trying to give you an idea on the type of player the club is aimed at. ie a set of the new TM TP blades is aimed for the low handicap player as you need to strike the ball crisp and you do not get away with a bad shot. The TM Burner Superlaunch are aimed at hte higher handicap player as they are easier to hit, get the ball up quicker and lets you get away with a bad shot more than the blades will.

 

[Oddsocks]

I agree.

Or to put it MadAdey's way:

Cat 1 - 0-7
Cat 2 - 8-14
Cat 3 - 15-21
Cat 4 - 22-28

well thats not inline with congu's HC categories.

 

[ash01]

Looking at new clubs and they always refer to low-mid handicappers and mid-high handicappers.

I have no idea what ranges of handicap each falls into. I play off of 17, generally due to stupid risks I take when playing and feel I have a good enough swing and technique to get down to 10 by this time next year. So what sort of range am I in, mid-high or mid?

As people have said, you may strike the ball well and have a nice swing, although it makes no difference when its crunch time and you have to course manage your way around and continuously play sensible shots.

A perfect example is my mate who has a real easy swing and without trying hits it a decent distance and looks like he would be able to keep up with me. Come the end of the round he's played a few too many shots he shouldn't/couldn't play and the difference is staggering.

Dont worry about your category or your technique too much, that will fall into place.

Get the course management going.

3 bogeys and 15 pars is far better than 1 birdie and 16 bogeys if ya get my drift.

Ash!!

 

[MadAdey]

well thats not inline with congu's HC categories.

I did not put it that way did I? I think this is correct for handicap cats
cat 1 5 and below
cat 2 6- 12
cat 3 13 - 20
cat 4 21 and above

 

[wull]

I agree.

Or to put it MadAdey's way:

Cat 1 - 0-7
Cat 2 - 8-14
Cat 3 - 15-21
Cat 4 - 22-28

i don't think thats right.

 

[ash01]

As people have said, you may strike the ball well and have a nice swing, although it makes no difference when its crunch time and you have to course manage your way around and continuously play sensible shots.

A perfect example is my mate who has a real easy swing and without trying hits it a decent distance and looks like he would be able to keep up with me. Come the end of the round he's played a few too many shots he shouldn't/couldn't play and the difference is staggering.

Dont worry about your category or your technique too much, that will fall into place.

Get the course management going.

3 bogeys and 15 pars is far better than 1 birdie and 16 bogeys if ya get my drift.

Ash!!

Apologies for my post, it appears to be way off topic.

Tired after having my head in my disertation all day and concentration not going well right now.

17 to me is a high handicapper.

Ash!!

 

[m10johnson]

Thanks for the input guys really helpful stuff here.

Do you strike the ball well with all of your irons?

I strike all my irons well except my 4 and 5. Pretty good with anything lower than a 6, sometimes hit my wedges right, but this has been fixed lately after a video I found on YouTube.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think the terms are generally there to give some sort of help to customers looking to buy clubs rather than any sort of definitve reflection on a golfers ability. Clearly if you are a mid-high handicapper, a set of pure blades isn't going to be a sensible move for the vast majority and conversely a Cat 1 player wouldn't want to hit a high flying SGI club he couldn't shape or control the flight of

 

[Mr_T]

This is where custom fitting comes into its own