The most common handicap index range for men is 13.0-13.9, which consists of 5.42% or just more than 95,000 golfers. But the 13-handicappers in the U.S. are barely the most common, holding just one-hundredth of an edge over the second-most common handicap, 12.0-12.9 (5.41%).
Full Answer
How to determine your golf handicap?
Go play some golf and keep track of your scores. You should keep an accurate record of your total number of shots played during the rounds. It is a wise decision to have between 12 and 20 rounds played for accurate handicapping, but you can figure it with five rounds. Most courses require a minimum of ten rounds.
Why did Golf Digest develop the Golf Digest handicap?
We can sympathize. Sometimes it's not convenient or affordable to join a club that allows you to post scores with GHIN. That's why we developed the Golf Digest Handicap. It's free, easy to use and lets you monitor your progress, as well as compete fairly against golfers of all skill levels.
What is your handicap and why does it matter?
Your handicap is primarily designed to allow you to compete against better players and is also a great metric for measuring if you are improving. If you can play to it regularly, then you’ll get the most out of your game.
How do you break down handicap index ranges?
There are two specific breakdowns: a bar graph showcasing the most common handicap index ranges using raw numbers, and a table that breaks down each handicap index by percentile. You can check out the bar graphs here, and we’ll get into some interesting findings below.
How does your handicap go up with the new system?
It is calculated from the best 8 scores from the last 20 rounds. As a new score is submitted, a player's Handicap Index will automatically update to use the 20 most recent scores. It will update overnight after the submission of an acceptable score and should be ready before you next play.
How do golf handicaps go up and down?
How does my handicap go up? Every time you play a round the 20th round on your record drops off and is replaced so, for instance, if the round that drops off was 40 points and your latest round was 28 points, the average of your best eight will drop and your index may increase.
How good is a 15 handicap golfer?
If you are in the 10 to 15 handicap range, you are well above average and would be considered good by most standards. For the rest of the golfers near the middle and above, it is all about practice and experience. Most golfers do not become good without years of dedication and effort.
What is a respectable golf handicap?
A good golf handicap is ten or less. With a handicap index of ten or less, you will generally shoot somewhere around 82. Shooing in the low 80s is better than average but certainly not good enough to be considered a scratch player.
Do golf handicaps get rounded up or down?
When rounding calculations to integer values, standard rounding should be used – i.e. 0.5 is rounded upwards. Care should be take when calculating +handicap golfers. 0.5 is still rounded upwards – this means that -1.5 is rounded to -1 and -1.6 is rounded to -2.
Why does my golf handicap keep going up?
Your handicap will increase if you play four or five times a week. The average golfer may have a good score every six or eight games but overall the average golfer has a round four to seven shots over their handicap, so it is bound to increase.
How many golfers can break 70?
According to data collected by the United States Golf Association, only 0.92% of golfers break 70 consistently. You can get an estimate of golfers who break 70 by looking at the handicap data collected by the USGA.
How far should you hit a 9 iron?
For men, the average 9 iron distance is between 130-140 yards. A more experienced golfer who makes better contact and is longer, will usually hit it 135 yards and further. A tour pro will hit it closer to 150-160 yards on average. For women, the average will be around 90-100 yards.
How many golfers can break 80?
Only about 2 percent of all golfers ever break 80, which generally is considered the Holy Grail of scoring. To legitimately break 80 — no improved lies; no 3-foot gimmes; no free drop from out of bounds — is to breathe the rarefied air of good, if not great golf.
What is the average handicap for a 70 year old golfer?
If you shoot between 70 and 75, your handicap will be between 1 and 2. If you shoot between 76 and 80, your handicap will be between 3 and 5. If you shoot between 81 and 85, your handicap will be between 6 and 9.
What is the average golf handicap in America?
According to the USGA, the average handicap index among golfers in the United States is 16.4. Among those 2.4 million golfers with an index, approximately 40,000 of them are scratch or plus, meaning their have a handicap index of 0.0 or a plus handicap.
What is the average Amatuer golf handicap?
In determining where you stand among amateur golfers in general, it helps to know what the average handicap is for both men and women. The average male golfer has a handicap of 16.1, while the average female has a handicap of 28.9.
What is a Golf Handicap?
Ok, let’s get straight down to business. As an amateur player, a golf handicap allows you to play golf against any other player, any skill level, on any course, and have a reasonable chance of competing against each other.
Why Does the Handicap System Exist?
Ok, while a handicap is an indicator of how ‘good’ a golfer is, it wasn’t designed to be used purely as a tool to measure excellence.
How to Get a Golf Handicap
If you are brand new to the game, don’t worry about getting a golf handicap just yet. Just work on your technique and enjoy your game. There’s nothing that kills enthusiasm more than putting pressure on yourself.
How to Calculate Golf Handicap (as of 2020 onwards)
As of 2020, the rules and formula regarding how handicaps were calculated changed slightly along with the introduction of the World Handicap System (WHS). The good news is that this system has already been adopted by the USGA!
Golf Handicap FAQ
A ‘playing handicap’ is a variable total number of strokes you are allowed on a specific course on a specific day, say for a competition or in match play. The playing handicap is based on a percentage of your course handicap. It is devised by multiplying your course handicap by an ‘allowance’.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to golf handicaps, there is quite a lot to think about. The rules have changed recently to make them much more standard across the world.
What is a good golf handicap?
A good golf handicap is usually below 10. This would mean that a player with a handicap of 10 typically shoots around 82 for 18-holes. The average golf handicap for men and women golfers is around 15. This would mean that this golfer shoots around 90.
How many rounds of golf are required to get a handicap?
The USGA Handicap System. The USGA dictates that in order to find the most accurate handicap of a golfer is to have a minimum of 12 established rounds of golf. The best and worst rounds are typically discarded to find the most adequate representation of your skills.
How many rounds are required to calculate handicap?
This allows you to consistently measure your handicap year-to-year with no more than 20 rounds being used to compute the formula.
How to find a not-so-reliable handicap?
The more general way to find a not-so-reliable handicap is by simply counting the number of strokes you are over par on a course. If you shot a 100 on a course that was a par of 72, your handicap would be 28.
What is the magic number for golf?
If this is the first time to establish your handicap, the magic number is 10. That means that for every shot you take over ten, you subtract from your final score.
Does a golf scorecard have slope rating?
Most golf scorecards will have the course slope rating listed on them. If there isn’t one on the card, you should ask the person at the pro shop for the information to keep your information legit.
Can you calculate your handicap on a daily basis?
The great thing about the system is that you can calculate a handicap no matter which golf course you play on a daily basis. It is important to note that the most accurate handicaps will come from playing the same course.
What is a handicap in golf and how does it work?
In golf, a handicap is the number of strokes a player needs to give up in order to keep things fair. It’s based on the player’s skill level and average score. The worse you play, the more strokes before the hole you need to give up.
How to calculate your handicap number?
You calculate your handicap number by taking the total score you had and dividing it by the par score of the hole. For example, if your total score was 68 and a par for that hole is 69, then your handicap number would be 0.93690.
Why do you need to take care golf handicap system?
If you play golf with friends and want to make it fair, take care of the golf handicap system. The way it works is that players take a test and their score is translated into their handicap number, which they use to determine the difference in strokes for every hole.
Missed Greens Percentage
Makes sense, right? The farther out we are, the unlikelier we are to hit the dance floor.
Greens in Regulation
This stat bedevils high handicappers, whose GIR numbers plunge below 25 percent.
Sand Saves
How often we successfully recover from the beach (from near and not so near).
Just Like the Pros
Arccos data often shows that we have the same tendencies as the pros. We’re just nowhere near as good! Here’s one example among many.
Why don't golfers have to worry about handicap?
Most average golfers will not have to worry about handicap because they don’t play enough to determine the number. For those interested in determining a handicap, the initial task is to begin to keep score of every round. A friend or associate must keep score for the golfer, and sign the card after the round is over.
How are handicaps calculated?
Handicaps are calculated in collaboration with national and regional golf associations. Handicaps very slightly from one country to another — for example, the handicap system used in Britain is different from that used in other nations.
How many rounds do you need to play to get a handicap?
To figure out the handicap, a golfer needs to play a minimum of 10 rounds. Many golfers find their handicap drops precipitously at the beginning of the time they start tracking the numbers. However, it soon level outs, and an accurate handicap number begins to emerge.
Why is the USGA called the average best?
Golfers with better handicaps will generally play closer to their handicap on an average basis because they are more consistent than golfers with less talent.
How are golf courses rated?
Golf courses are rated two ways: slope rating and course rating. – Slope rating is a number that falls between 55 and 155. It is used to get a snapshot idea of the difficulty of the course for a bogey golfer relative to a golfer who plays to scratch. – A course rating is a number that usually is between 67 and 77.
Why was peer review important in golf?
An essential part of the system was Peer Review. They wanted to avoid problems arising from individual golfers maintaining their own handicap. To establish faith in the credibility of the system, they created a policy of only letting golf associations and clubs that were authorized by the USGA issue handicaps.
Which golf course has the highest slope rating?
Other tough courses with extremely challenging ratings include The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island. Designed by legendary golf architect Pete Dye, it has the highest combined course rating and slope rating in the country.