What Does the Average Weekend Golfer Shoot?

[inthehole]

Instead of "weekend golfer", lets say less avid golfer.   In terms of generalities, the average less avid golfer  ... simply does not know the rules of golf & for the most part doesn't play the ball as it lies as seriously as we who do carry hcp's.     I bet if the average weekend guys played legit - not may would break 100.

[Flav]

Originally Posted by jeffr92

I think we need to redefine weekend golfer. Someone who consistently goes out once every weekend should be able to break 100 consistently. The average golfer who plays on the weekend likely doesn't play anywhere close to once per week. Those are the ones who I would expect to be well into the triple digits.

Once a weekend will have trouble breaking 100 consistently unless they practice during the week in between especially if they play legit golf and not what my group calls "weekend rules".

[Flav]

Originally Posted by inthehole

Instead of "weekend golfer", lets say less avid golfer.   In terms of generalities, the average less avid golfer  ... simply does not know the rules of golf & for the most part doesn't play the ball as it lies as seriously as we who do carry hcp's.     I bet if the average weekend guys played legit - not may would break 100.

Yes "weekend golfer" is a generalization and can be misleading. A weekend only player can be good but they will most likely hit the range, take lessons, etc during the week. But when one says "weekend golfer" the image that pops into ones head is what you call a less avid golfer.  Maybe Casual golfer would work better.

[jeffr92]

Originally Posted by John Friedel

Once a weekend will have trouble breaking 100 consistently unless they practice during the week in between especially if they play legit golf and not what my group calls "weekend rules".

Maybe I'm overestimating this type of golfer, but I don't buy that. Unless the motivation is something other than simply golfing (drinking beer with friends out on a golf course, for example), once/week should be enough to improve to that level even with swing flaws.

[Flav]

Originally Posted by jeffr92

Maybe I'm overestimating this type of golfer, but I don't buy that. Unless the motivation is something other than simply golfing (drinking beer with friends out on a golf course, for example), once/week should be enough to improve to that level even with swing flaws.

No I would say your not over estimating, some will but the average will have trouble. There is always exceptions and extremes  at both ends.  I can see the difference in my game when I go a week between rounds with no practice.

[sean_miller]

There are plenty of once a week golfers playin better than bogey golf. Some are good at sports in general, and others took the game seriously in the past. Sometimes both.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by John Friedel

Once a weekend will have trouble breaking 100 consistently unless they practice during the week in between especially if they play legit golf and not what my group calls "weekend rules".

Totally disagree with this, because ...

Originally Posted by jeffr92

Maybe I'm overestimating this type of golfer, but I don't buy that. Unless the motivation is something other than simply golfing (drinking beer with friends out on a golf course, for example), once/week should be enough to improve to that level even with swing flaws.

Yeah, I agree.  Speaking for myself here ... I play by all of the rules, and I could not tell you the last time I did NOT break 100.  (In fact, I rarely do not break 90)  I have played more golf in the last year than I ever have, and its been a grand total of 20 rounds.  Prior to this last year, I rarely played more than once a month on average for my life.

So I can guarantee you that it is not that hard to consistently break 100 and be only a weekend (or less than that) golfer.

[max power]

Not that hard for your, or me, but for most "weekend golfers" I'd imagine breaking 100 legitimately is a rare occurrence.  There are exceptions - in my experience they're guys who are just talented athletes.  For most people swinging a golf club properly is an alien and infrequent event, and even those who enjoy it enough to get out on a regular basis don't sniff actual bogey golf without some practice and/or focus.

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Totally disagree with this, because ...

Yeah, I agree.  Speaking for myself here ... I play by all of the rules, and I could not tell you the last time I did NOT break 100.  (In fact, I rarely do not break 90)  I have played more golf in the last year than I ever have, and its been a grand total of 20 rounds.  Prior to this last year, I rarely played more than once a month on average for my life.

So I can guarantee you that it is not that hard to consistently break 100 and be only a weekend (or less than that) golfer.

[Putridgasbag]

It really depends on what your definition of an average weekend warrior is. I know guys who play very little and shoot low, and guys who play daily and couldn't break a 100 even if they quit after 15. Who is the mythical average weekender?

[colin007]

im going to say that the average golfer, weekend or not, that i see on all of the local public courses, only breaks 100 on his best day.  accurate score keeping, as the ball lies, no gimmies, no mulligans.

[Flav]

Originally Posted by Putridgasbag

It really depends on what your definition of an average weekend warrior is. I know guys who play very little and shoot low, and guys who play daily and couldn't break a 100 even if they quit after 15. Who is the mythical average weekender?

That would be the average. People get o hung up on the I know someone who shoots 90's and I shoot 80's, then go on to say I see the golfers that couldnt break 100 on their best day. Take the two and thats average. There is always those who will shoot lower than 100 and those who shoot higher. But the average is going to be 100 plus for the weekend warrior.

[cgr1984]

you're good for 2 birdies and 5 pars a round? so you're telling me that you are usualy 2 under through 7 holes but yet your BEST round ever is a 90. You are full of shit.

[MyrtleBeachGolf]

you're good for 2 birdies and 5 pars a round? so you're telling me that you are usualy 2 under through 7 holes but yet your BEST round ever is a 90. You are full of shit.

Lmao. Yes, I read that initial post and was thinking the same thing.

[tuffluck]

Originally Posted by NM Golf

On Sundays I work as the morning starter at a local course so I get to see first hand the game of the average weekend golfer. I would speculate that less than 10% of the people I send off the first tee can break 100. Really in truly its pretty ugly. Only about half of them even get it airborn. The great thing though is 100% of them are still having fun.

obviously it depends on skill level, but i think someone who plays every weekend with moderate skill should be shooting under 95 consistently, and potentially even 80s consistently if they've been playing for many years (after all, every time you play you are practicing, so more playing is still practice and should still make you better).

though there is a significant percentage of golfers i SEE on the weekend that may not be actual weekend golfers who shoot easily 120+.  i personally believe the cheaper the course is the worse the players.  if i target $50 twilight courses, i usually get paired with people in the <95 or much better range.  local muni and you can forget about it--most of those guys don't even know that an errant lost tee shot results in a 2 stroke penalty instead of 1.

[MyrtleBeachGolf]

obviously it depends on skill level, but i think someone who plays every weekend with moderate skill should be shooting under 95 consistently, and potentially even 80s consistently if they've been playing for many years (after all, every time you play you are practicing, so more playing is still practice and should still make you better).  though there is a significant percentage of golfers i SEE on the weekend that may not be actual weekend golfers who shoot easily 120+.  i personally believe the cheaper the course is the worse the players.  if i target $50 twilight courses, i usually get paired with people in the <95 or much better range.  local muni and you can forget about it--most of those guys don't even know that an errant lost tee shot results in a 2 stroke penalty instead of 1.

A lost tee shot is not a 2 stroke penalty. It's a penalty of 1 stroke and distance. You would take 1 penalty stroke, and then hit your 3rd shot from the tee again. Most weekend warrior golfers would not break 100 if they played by the strict rules. I'd guess the average round of a weekend golfer would be 105-115.

[tuffluck]

Originally Posted by MyrtleBeachGolf

A lost tee shot is not a 2 stroke penalty. It's a penalty of 1 stroke and distance. You would take 1 penalty stroke, and then hit your 3rd shot from the tee again.

Most weekend warrior golfers would not break 100 if they played by the strict rules. I'd guess the average round of a weekend golfer would be 105-115.

that is the exact same thing, you're hitting your 4th shot from where your drive (1st or 2nd) lands.  not sure where you play, but if i drive to where i think my ball is and it's missing, i don't have the luxury of going back to the tee and kindly asking the foursome waiting on me to wait some more while i hit my tee shot again.  i take the two stroke penalty and drop where the ball went out.

[MyrtleBeachGolf]

that is the exact same thing, you're hitting your 4th shot from where your drive (1st or 2nd) lands.  not sure where you play, but if i drive to where i think my ball is and it's missing, i don't have the luxury of going back to the tee and kindly asking the foursome waiting on me to wait some more while i hit my tee shot again.  i take the two stroke penalty and drop where the ball went out.

There is absolutely no rule in any USGA rule book that allows you to take this action according to the rules. And no, it's not the exact same thing. If your ball is lost, you must take a 1 stroke penalty and re-hit from the point your last shot was taken. There is absolutely NO rule that tells you to take a 2 stroke penalty and drop a ball close to where you think your LOST ball is. That's a ruling you made up. Not having the luxury of having to return to the tee is the exact reason the "Provisional Ball" rule even exists. It takes an extra 15 seconds to hit a provisional. I'm not criticizing your choice to play by any modified rules you may want to choose to play with. But you're posting in a forum about other players not knowing the correct rules (taking a 2 stroke penalty on a LOST ball) when you indeed seem to be lacking the correct knowledge of the rules. There is no such thing as a 2 stroke penalty on a ball LOST from the tee. It's 1 stroke and distance.

[joekelly]

Where i play, every hole has a forward 'drop zone' coz the 'rough' is the jungle. Off the fairway the chance of finding your ball about 3%. So to save time the management has obligated everyone to play the drop zone. We use the drop zone and add one stroke. Breaking 100 here is no easy task and the vast majority of golfers do not.