What handicap do you consider to be a "good" golfer

[Shilgy]

in general i'd say single digit... but in all honesty it depends on your immediate circle/group of golf buddies. I play with guys ranging from a +3 to a 12 so consider myself (4) about an average golfer. 2 or better would be considered 'good' in my circle.

Sounds like my answer. A bit better than me is a good golfer. I'm currently at 1.7.

[Canoe Paddler]

I consider Justin Thomas good depending on the week. John Rahm is ok. Rory is a decent ball striker but wouldn't consider him "good"

 

 

 

...Am I wrx'ing right?

[gsea33]

we all suck unless ur making a living at golf. we aren't half as good as we think we are.

[rcubed3r]

I`m impressed with a 4 or an LGPA pro.

[Santiago Golf]

First off i do not like the handicap system but for the purpose of this post i will use it

 

If you are 18 or better, i consider you an above average golfer

If you are below an 8, i consider you a good golfer

If you are below a 1.8 (us open requirement) i considered you to be a great golfer.

Then there are players that are better than a +3. There isnt a word to describe them. I have played with/caddying with maybe less ten of these and its amazing how much better they are than me.

 

I currently playing at 3-5 cap but have an ability to play at scratch. I hope and would love to get to that special below +3 level but i that isnt a mahor concern of mine.

 

But compared to top 1000 players in the world, we all suck!

[Rusty1885]

A traveling scratch is a good golfer. Anyone that says a good or great golfer is a single digit needs to get their head examined.

 

Yeah it’s true. Back in the day, good golfers were the one playing on tour and setting course record when great golfers hustle them and beat them by one stroke for the pot. Titanic Thompson comes to mind.

 

That said who wants to answer I’m mediocre golfer on my best day shooting 2 over, when asked. What would make of the 80 shooters or worse 90s shooter. It’s all relative.

 

What makes a good bowler? One who breaks 200 perhaps, a great one would be one who can bowl exactly 200 yes?

[LCP]

Since I always overthink things, I'll rate a good golfer as a 4-6 index (or better).

 

The whole scale in my mind goes like this:

 

Touring Pro = +6 or better

Pro-Caliber = +5 to +3

Excellent = +2 to Scratch

Very Good = 1 to 3

Good = 4 to 6

Pretty Good = 7 to 9

Decent = 10 to 12

Semi-decent = 13 to 15

Mediocre = 16 to 20

Poor = 21 to 25

Bad = 26 to 30

Terrible = Over 30

 

But, this is with me as a decent to semi-decent golfer, and knowing many good, very good and excellent golfers (as rated above). The good and pretty good golfers I play with don't impress me one bit and I have little doubt I'll be as good or better than them with more practice and experience (likely very good and maybe even one day excellent even if it's when I'm 60 years old).

[Quasimoto]

What about leaving the score out for a moment?

 

Is a good golfer someone who will play with anybody, greatly enjoys being out on course, has respect for the game and course, contributes to the well-being of his home club (if applicable), and generally implants a desire in others to have fun and enjoy the company and day?

 

Just sayin'. And most days I shoot 78-82, so I am considered"good" by most measures here.

I have played with people who shoot under 80 regularly that are really a PIA to play with, bitching about every shot, not seeming to enjoy themselves and making others miserable, not repairing greens, leaving divots un-filled, etc, etc. Not good golfers IMO.

[dg_1983]

Touring Pro = +6 or better

Pro-Caliber = +5 to +3

Excellent = +2 to Scratch

Very Good = 1 to 3

Good = 4 to 6

Pretty Good = 7 to 9

Decent = 10 to 12

Semi-decent = 13 to 15

Mediocre = 16 to 20

Poor = 21 to 25

Bad = 26 to 30

Terrible = Over 30

 

I'd agree with this in the main

 

Though it is relative. I play a UK 1 and don't think I am very good. Poor driver, poor ball striking, poor putter. Wedges can be OK. Think I am crazy?

[SNIPERBBB]

Everything is relative but if you are playing better than bogey golf, your a good golfer. You have some bad swings that can ruin a round but generally, you a putting a decent move on the ball so your not topping, chunking, blading irons and your driver constantly. And you dont arent a waste of space in scrambles.

[Reb58]

A "good" non-pro golfer to me, in response to the question, is a 7 cap or below.

 

Expanding the question, a good golfer is one who enjoys the game, enjoys the group their playing in, plays the course down, putts to within a foot for gimme, and is humble.

 

I've played with many "5's", who constantly improve position (beyond improving lie), take "gimme's" inside 6', no OB or water strokes, and brag after every hole about the "birdie" they just made. I just smile and enjoy my round.

 

I'm 59 and play to a tournament 12. I'm just ok in my own book

[hybrid25]

I'm a 18 handicapper, and I'm better than a lot of people I get paired up with.

Strange, I find the same. At 17 I often beat the lower handicap golfers. I've got to assume that their handicaps are not exactly what they should be.

[mattj]

What about leaving the score out for a moment?

 

Is a good golfer someone who will play with anybody, greatly enjoys being out on course, has respect for the game and course, contributes to the well-being of his home club (if applicable), and generally implants a desire in others to have fun and enjoy the company and day?

 

Just sayin'. And most days I shoot 78-82, so I am considered"good" by most measures here.

I have played with people who shoot under 80 regularly that are really a PIA to play with, bitching about every shot, not seeming to enjoy themselves and making others miserable, not repairing greens, leaving divots un-filled, etc, etc. Not good golfers IMO.

 

Brilliant.

[Under2hours]

I play with hacks...... A 4.7, 10 & 12........ All I consider good golfers as all off the tee and on and around the green in reg......

 

Played with really good players and also played a few rounds with tour level players and that is a sight to behold.

 

Really good players will hit a # of greens in reg. Tour level, won't just hit the green, they'll hit to inside 20' almost every time and the putt will always have a chance or look as if it will fall (vs. really good who'll putt it close).

 

Now last Men's night played nine with a pure athlete (6'5" mid 30's). Legitimate 300 off the tee with a swing to match. Irons hit higher then I've ever seen (stuck it to 18" on only par 3 on front 9). Touch around the green and the 530 ninth, driver/6 Iron to 30' for the birdie. I claim it was his birdie that won us Men's League as we were one of the last on the course to finish our 9 as the sun set and won by 1 stroke.......

[Moonlightgrm]

I suppose that I am so self absorbed that I have never given this topic much thought. I would think a good golfer needs to be making more pars than bogeys in any given round. Throw in a birdie here and there and you'd be looking at a single-digit handicapper. My ceiling would be 6. A good golfer needs to break 80 the vast majority of the time.

[CallawayLefty]

I consider a good golfer to be someone who shoots under 80 the vast majority of the time they play, including any time they travel to a course that is not their home course. Oh and can defend the same scores in tournaments. So on the handicap range, it would be a very low singe digit or better. Most people I know that can do what I listed are scratch or better.

[Jasonic]

Anyone better than me

[Your-away!]

Depends on your definition of a good golfer, i have met 7 or 8 cappers who have amazing short games, but tee to green are very "average", then i have met 12 cappers who are really good tee to green but cant putt/chip for sh!t.

 

In my eyes the 12 capper who cant putt is a better player, but the 7 or 8 capper is a better golfer, if that makes sense?

[Hawkeye77]

Bogey golfers are pretty darn good golfers considering all those who play (and when using those USGA stats remember most don't keep handicaps and those not keeping them are mostly not "better" players).

 

All definitional/contextual as to what "good" means to any person so impossible to get consensus, but standard being set here so far is pretty high, IMHO.

 

Maybe our collective golf angst at any level of play prevents us from calling ourselves "good" and skews the answers.

[spineshank]

I would say a 5 or better.

[Loki]

A traveling scratch is a good golfer. Anyone that says a good or great golfer is a single digit needs to get their head examined.

 

It's all a matter of opinion. There is no definitive number. The golf gods didn't decree from on high that "in order to be considered a good golfer, you must be a scratch!"

 

Chill a little dude. To a guy struggling to break 100, and nine handicapper looks like a world beater. It's all relative.

 

Ever since I was a kid it was considered that scratch was good, anything above that isn't good. It is relative that a 30 thinks a nine is good. Doesn't mean the nine is actually a good golfer.

[deadsolid...shank]

A traveling scratch is a good golfer. Anyone that says a good or great golfer is a single digit needs to get their head examined.

 

It's all a matter of opinion. There is no definitive number. The golf gods didn't decree from on high that "in order to be considered a good golfer, you must be a scratch!"

 

Chill a little dude. To a guy struggling to break 100, and nine handicapper looks like a world beater. It's all relative.

 

Ever since I was a kid it was considered that scratch was good, anything above that isn't good. It is relative that a 30 thinks a nine is good. Doesn't mean the nine is actually a good golfer.

 

True. Just like the nine thinks the scratch is good. Doesn't mean it's true. Everyone thinks differently about it. But it doesn't mean they need to get their "head examined".

[w6racing]

i float between a high 4 to a high 6.

 

 

I think I suck.

[juststeve]

Someone who can join my Saturday morning game, play by the rules, not hold us up, and be a good companion is a good golfer in my eyes. If he buys drinks in the 19th hole he's even better.

 

 

Steve

[KCCO]

I'd say a mid single is a pretty good consistent golfer. That being said I've seen guys that play very well, just have a few hiccups throughout round and reflects on handicap, but that's not an indicator to tell how well they actually play. Meaning they are pulling off nice shots, either they have a slight flaw in a part of their game, or play tough a tough course most of time, which doesn't help index. I guess what I'm saying I've seen good players, that I couldn't base their abilities on course off seeing their handicap as that tells a different story.

[Under2hours]

A traveling scratch is a good golfer. Anyone that says a good or great golfer is a single digit needs to get their head examined.

 

It's all a matter of opinion. There is no definitive number. The golf gods didn't decree from on high that "in order to be considered a good golfer, you must be a scratch!"

 

Chill a little dude. To a guy struggling to break 100, and nine handicapper looks like a world beater. It's all relative.

 

Ever since I was a kid it was considered that scratch was good, anything above that isn't good. It is relative that a 30 thinks a nine is good. Doesn't mean the nine is actually a good golfer.

 

True. Just like the nine thinks the scratch is good. Doesn't mean it's true. Everyone thinks differently about it. But it doesn't mean they need to get their "head examined".

 

I guess it depends how you react and feel when playing with us "Hacks".......

 

Yes reading the above probably tells me you don't like playing with us and are anal about rules, play it down and get frustrated if we are too casual playing (i.e. extra shots, too much talk, backhand putts in the hole, don't want to play for money/drinks), and don't play the game as per the respect it deserves...........

[deadsolid...shank]

A traveling scratch is a good golfer. Anyone that says a good or great golfer is a single digit needs to get their head examined.

 

It's all a matter of opinion. There is no definitive number. The golf gods didn't decree from on high that "in order to be considered a good golfer, you must be a scratch!"

 

Chill a little dude. To a guy struggling to break 100, and nine handicapper looks like a world beater. It's all relative.

 

Ever since I was a kid it was considered that scratch was good, anything above that isn't good. It is relative that a 30 thinks a nine is good. Doesn't mean the nine is actually a good golfer.

 

True. Just like the nine thinks the scratch is good. Doesn't mean it's true. Everyone thinks differently about it. But it doesn't mean they need to get their "head examined".

 

I guess it depends how you react and feel when playing with us "Hacks".......

 

Yes reading the above probably tells me you don't like playing with us and are anal about rules, play it down and get frustrated if we are too casual playing (i.e. extra shots, too much talk, backhand putts in the hole, don't want to play for money/drinks), and don't play the game as per the respect it deserves...........

 

I couldn't tell U2H, if that was for me or Loki.

 

But I play regularly with a 24 and a 26. I'll play with just about anyone.

 

Heck, my standards are so low I even played with Dave Pelz4(actually, if truth be told, he was the one who WAY lowered his standards to play with me)!!

[Hawkeye77]

DP4 a treat to play with - had the privilege twice, look forward to it again someday!

[andrue]

I think it depends on the context to an extent but where amateurs are concerned my experience is:

 

* The majority of golfers rarely score below 100. Even with gimmes and 'stroke only OOB recoveries'.

* Scoring consistently in the 90s (where I am) is surprisingly uncommon.

* Scoring consistently in the 80s is rare.

* Scoring consistently in the 70s is very rare.

 

What surprises me is how few people I meet can score below 100. To me anything above 100 is a beginner that hasn't yet developed a golf swing. I mean I score in the 90s despite my current struggles with long clubs. I'd have to have a seriously bad day at the course to be in the 100s.

 

So a good golfer to me is anyone that consistently scores in the 80s or better. Typically those with handicaps in the teens or better.

[HatsForBats]

A traveling scratch is a good golfer. Anyone that says a good or great golfer is a single digit needs to get their head examined.

 

Nah with only 1.6% being at scratch or better that is well beyond simply good. I think you need to re-examine your position or re-read the initial post.