What Handicap is a good golfer

I'd say the highest number would be someone who flits between 4 and 5.
Not just someone who's got down to 5, but someone who is known to likely play to it, has a record of shooting the occasional level par and would be a good shout to stand in if the scratch team were short.
 
There's good, very good, excellent and whoah in amateur golf at the better end of the scale. It all depends on where you deem good starts. I'd say 12 is the line for a good golfer. It's a completely arguable figure but that's the number in my head.

Edit: @clubchamp98 I was typing as you posted. I'm in a similar position to you. I went up to 12 simply because I've played with some people in that 10-12 category who play some very good golf. Single figures is a landmark number but I sometimes think it is harsh to exclude those just above. I think your guide is a good one though 👍
 
If mid-high teens is average, then low teens or better is good; mid to low single figures is very good; around scratch is excellent; plus a few is outstanding.
 
Well golfers that have joined a club and have a handicap are by definition at the better/serious end of the total range of people playing golf (the ful range of golfers ranging from Scheffler to someone who hacked round a course once in 200+ shots).
If you're single figures then you're in the top 25% of that more serious group. With no context at all to work with - so all golfers included, that's "good" by any sensible definition.

If you're playing almost exclusively with golfers far above that skill level (e.g. you mainly play with those around scratch) then you'd see things totally differently, but that's skewed by your own experience being very non-typical.
 
Hxck said:
Scratch or better.
Click to expand...
I agree with this. I’ve played golf for almost 5 years now and played with a lot of people. I’ve only ever seen two people I would class as good golfers. So many people who play golf are terrible at the sport.
 
As an 8.8 HI some people tell me that I am good, but I don't see it. The problem is I am too inconsistent and the band or range of scores I can return is ridiculous, from total hacker to scratch.

Now, my mate who has an index of 5.5, which is only 3 better than me, is a seriously good golfer. He makes it seem so easy, he mostly plays to his handicap and often betters it, and he is so consistent in each aspect of the game, A couple of seasons back he played for the scratch team in the league and at the end of the season took the prize for leading points scorer.

I suppose the answer for me is the point (handicap) at which a golfer achieves that level of consistency, which in my experience is at about 5.
 
Orikoru said:
Single figures decent.. maybe below 5 I'd class as 'good'. It's all relative though of course.
Click to expand...
I used to think the same. Now I'm below 5 and I'm still not a good golfer but I think of the lads that I play with who are scratch and plus as good golfers.

I guess it's just an ever moving target.
 
Golfnut1957 said:
As an 8.8 HI some people tell me that I am good, but I don't see it. The problem is I am too inconsistent and the band or range of scores I can return is ridiculous, from total hacker to scratch.

Now, my mate who has an index of 5.5, which is only 3 better than me, is a seriously good golfer. He makes it seem so easy, he mostly plays to his handicap and often betters it, and he is so consistent in each aspect of the game, A couple of seasons back he played for the scratch team in the league and at the end of the season took the prize for leading points scorer.

I suppose the answer for me is the point (handicap) at which a golfer achieves that level of consistency, which in my experience is at about 5.
Click to expand...
Agree with all this. I'm high single figures also, and I'm pish.
 
The vast majority of golfers I've played with over the years hit the ball, find it, then hit it again until it goes in the hole.

I've played with a handful of seriously good guys in my 15 years and these were between +1 and 3 (this was before WHS). You could see and hear the difference, it wasn't just hitting the ball. They had piercing trajectories, thunderous sounds, and their putting was another level. With WHS you get a number of guys who are pretty low but they wouldn't be as low under the old system.

I have a saying that, 'the lower handicappers aren't better than me, they just duff it less'. I think that stands for just about everyone until you get down to the guys that sit near scratch.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

2blue
How does your Club 'finance' their Club Teams?
2
Replies
34
Views
940
patricks148
patricks148
sjw
Do you believe you can get to scratch?
10 11 12
Replies
231
Views
8K
sjw
sjw
T
Hypermobile elbows anyone?
Replies
4
Views
276
#NotTigerWoods
N
HomerJSimpson
Roll Up Group Handicaps
25 26 27
Replies
522
Views
10K
HomerJSimpson
HomerJSimpson
B
@those who have played the JCB
Replies
7
Views
930
Sports_Fanatic
S
Top