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how do "you" define high, low, mid handicap golfers?

clearwaterms

By clearwaterms,
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clearwaterms Great Member

clearwaterms

How would you define a "good" golfer? What is your definition of an average golfer? What do you define as a high handicapper, mid handicapper, and low handicapper? How many people do you think just guess on their handicap?

In other words, in general terms, how do you rate the level of play of the golfers around you? How would you rate yourself against them? If Tiger woods is the top 1/10000 of the top 1%, where do the rest of us fall?

In my bag:

some golf clubs

a few golf balls

a bag of tee's some already broken the rest soon to be

a snickers wrapper (if you have seen me play, you would know you are not going anywhere for a while)

and an empty bottle of water

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Clambake
Clambake

I'll try a slightly different take on the answers: High Handicap - Missing most swing fundamentals, and doesn't understand much about the swing. Occasionally gets a par or a very rare birdie, but

rkim291968
rkim291968

low - serious golfer on 16 oz energy drink.  Counts all the strokes. mid - regular golfer on bottle water.  Counts most strokes. high - not-so-serious golfer on 6 packs or something better.  C

PiKapp23 Great Member

PiKapp23

As to how to define a 'good' golfer, I think that's relative to how good you are. I usually consider a 'good' golfer to be someone under a 9 handicap or so, or who shoots under 80 a good percentage of the time (on regulation courses).

As for high, low and mid handicappers, I would probably define them as below. Because most players do not really have an official handicap, I just more by the scores they are shooting:

Low: Handicaps 8 and under (typically shooting in 70's)
Mid: Handicaps 9-24 (low 80's to mid 90's)
High: Handicaps 25+ (high-90's and up)

If someone can consistently break 100 I will consider than to be a mid-handicapper or better. I would consider scores between about 90 and 105 to be an 'average' golfer. I think the USGA says the average score is something like 96 (what that's based on I have no idea).
Driver: SQ DYMO STR8-Fit
4 Wood: SQ DYMO
2H (17*), 4H (23*) & 5H (26*): Fli-Hi CLK
Irons (5-6): MX-900; (7-PW): MP-60
Wedges (51/6*): MP-T Chrome; (56/13): MP-R ChromePutter: White Hot XG 2-Ball CSPreferred Ball: e5+/e7+/B330-RXGPS Unit: NEOPush Cart: 2.0
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right handed phil mickelson Great Member

right handed phil mickelson

high handicappers- 90's+
mid handicappers- 80-90
low handicappers- 75-

anyone in the 76-80 range I consider to be in transition.

Driver: Callaway Big Bertha Diablo 9º
2 Hybrid: Callaway Big Bertha Heavenwood
Irons: Nike Slingshot OSS 6-3 iron
          Taylormade Tour Preferred PW-7 iron
Wedges: Cleveland CG14 50º, 54º
              Taylormade RAC 58º
Putter: Ping Darby 32" shaft


 

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David in FL Incredible Member

David in FL

How would you define a "good" golfer? What is your definition of an average golfer? What do you define as a high handicapper, mid handicapper, and low handicapper? How many people do you think just guess on their handicap?

By comparison, the rest of us all suck! The people that beat me are better than I am. Those that I beat are worse. That's all I really care about. For those that haven't played with one, I will offer that someone that honestly plays off a "+" handicap is just stupid good.

In David's bag....

Driver: Titleist 910 D-3;  9.5* Diamana Kai'li
3-Wood: Titleist 910F;  15* Diamana Kai'li
Hybrids: Titleist 910H 19* and 21* Diamana Kai'li
Irons: Titleist 695cb 5-Pw
Wedges: Scratch 51-11 TNC grind, Vokey SM-5's;  56-14 F grind and 60-11 K grind
Putter: Scotty Cameron Kombi S
Ball: ProV1

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elsito99 Well Established Member

elsito99

For me there are 5 groups rather than 3

Low: 60's to 76
Mid-low: 77-85
Mid-high: 86-95
High: 96-115

"Beginner": 116+

Blade Stand Bag
905R 11.5 R flex
Tight Lies 3 Wood
Ci7 Irons 4-GW R Flex
Vokey SM Wedges 54 / 58Classic Putter #1 34"ProV1 or U-Tri Tour or E5+

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misty_mountainhop Great Member

misty_mountainhop

For those that haven't played with one, I will offer that someone that honestly plays off a "+" handicap is just

I'll second that; scratch and better really is orders of magnitude better than ~5. I wonder what Mr. Woods handicap would be?

Home Course: Wollaton Park GC, Nottingham, U.K.

Ping G400, 9°, Alta CB 55S | Ping G400, 14°, Alta CB 65S | Adams Pro Dhy 18°, 21°, 24°, KBS Hybrid S | Ping S55 5-PW, TT DGS300 | Vokey 252-08, DGS200 | Vokey 256-10 (bent to 58°), DGS200 | Ping Sigma G Anser, 34" | Vice Pro Plus

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tjy355 Dedicated Member

tjy355

I always considered a "good" golfer to be someone who can shoot par on a regular basis. The rest of us fall in to varying degrees of "not so good."

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GaijinGolfer Super Member

GaijinGolfer

High=20+
Mid=10-20
Low=under 10
IMO, someone is a "good" golfer if they can break 100 on a regular basis.

Whats in my :sunmountain: C-130 cart bag?

Woods: :mizuno: JPX 850 9.5*, :mizuno: JPX 850 15*, :mizuno: JPX-850 19*, :mizuno: JPX Fli-Hi #4, :mizuno: JPX 800 Pro 5-PW, :mizuno: MP T-4 50-06, 54-09 58-10, :cleveland: Smart Square Blade and :bridgestone: B330-S

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Cody Dedicated Member

Cody

high: 25+
mid: 24-11
low: 10-scratch
crazy:anything +


It really depends for a "good" golfer. The other day i was considered "good" as everyone played poorly. I would say anyone who shoots in the 80's is a "good" golfer.

In my Extreme Sport Stand Bag
Driver: 4DX D-Spec Driver 10.5* Stiff UST SR3
3W: F-60 15* Regular Fujikura E150 Fit-On
Hybrids: 4DX Ironwoods 20* 23* Regular UST SR3
Irons: 4DX CB 5-PW Stiff True Temper ST-90Wedges: Vokey 50* 56*Putter: SabertoothBall: DT Roll

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jrm1493 Well Established Member

jrm1493

There are so many variables, and so many that do not play by the rules that it is hard to say. My 19 is an honest 19 I except for the occasional (maybe once every 5 rounds) where I drop at the boundary of OB for pace of play reasons and treat it as a lateral hazard (If I know it was OB I'll Rehit but sometimes you don't know).

So many people improve lies, don't count penalties correctly, don't putt out, etc...

I would do it like this: Low breaks 80 regularly, Mid breaks 90 regularly and high is everyone else, although those that can honestly break 100 are much much better than a lot of the hacks you see, so they get some credit, maybe as a mid/high. There is so much variation, for example in the last year I have shot between an 83 and a 111. Now I did have the flu for the 111, but still, that is quite a range. Broke 90 6/29 rounds and shot over 100 13/29 rounds.

Driver: Callaway X460 Tour
3 Wood: Callaway X
Hybrid: Adams A3
Irons: X20 Tour 4-PW
Wedges: X-Forged 50, 54 & 58

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anthonykim3 Dedicated Member

anthonykim3

low 10 to scratch
mid 10 to 20
high 20+
crazy ass +0.1 and above

driver. taylormade tour burner tp ust avixcore tour green 75 x
3 wood 909 f3 13* voodo xnv8
3 hybrid adams idea pro vs proto 95x
irons 3 no 4 5-pw nike cci forged blades
gap wedge nike sv tour blacksand wedge cg14 56* 14flopadopolous vokey spin milled 64 7putter scotty cameron classics newport...

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sosinsurr Established Member

sosinsurr

Why are + handicaps considered "crazy ass"? Just curious

Sumo 5000 UST V2 S
906F2. UST X. 13*
Sumo2 hybrid 2. X flex. 17*
X Forged. Project X 5.5:
RAC 50* Vokey 54* and 58* Cherry bomb Newport 2 35" One Black

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Jay-Bird Great Member

Jay-Bird

Very High - 35 and higher
High - 27 to 35
Mid-high - 19 to 27
Medium - 10 to 18
Mid-low - 5 to 9
Low - 2 to 5
Very Low - Scratch to 2
retardiculously low - +2 to scratch
Pro-low - better than +2

driver: FT-i tlcg 9.5˚ (Matrix Ozik XCONN Stiff)
4 wood: G10 (ProLaunch Red FW stiff)
3 -PW: :Titleist: 695 mb (Rifle flighted 6.0)
wedges:, 52˚, 56˚, 60˚
putter: Studio Select Newport 1.5

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Fourputt Incredible Member

Fourputt

An average golfer and an average handicapper are two different things. The average golfer shoots around 100. The average handicapper is about a 15, or better than a bogey golfer.

High handicap: 19 and up
Mid handicap: 10-18
Low handicap: 9 and lower

Rick

"He who has the fastest cart will never have a bad lie."

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wannabe Dedicated Member

wannabe

by height.

:P

Ping G2 Driver; Titleist 906F2 5W; TM Rescue Mid 3H; Adams Idea Pro 4H; Titleist DTR 3-SW; Callaway Bobby Jones Putter; Ping Hoofer lite

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Clambake Great Member

Clambake

I'll try a slightly different take on the answers:

High Handicap - Missing most swing fundamentals, and doesn't understand much about the swing. Occasionally gets a par or a very rare birdie, but mostly just tries to get the ball around the course without too much trouble. Tough courses won't be much fun. Index is probably >25 or so

Mid Handicap - Has some decent fundamentals, but still has some fundamental flaws in swing that reach up and bite hard. Doesn't quite understand the swing enough, though, to diagnose those problems and fix on course. Gets a number of pars and knocks in the occasional birdie. Has a number of blow up holes each round, though. Can place their shots just enough that they're starting to see the course strategy, but not consistent enough to take advantage. Index range is pretty wide, probably about 5 or 6 up to 25.

Low Handicap - Pretty solid fundamentals, with only an occasional problem that causes a wild shot, but skilled enough to limit the damage and rarely more than one blow up hole if any. Understands a lot of the swing and can diagnose enough on course to keep things on track. Understands course management, and has just enough game to look strategically at shots and execute what is needed most of the time. Can play any course in the world and enjoy it for how the designer intended. Index is around a 0 to a 5 or 6.

Scary Good - Repeatable swing with predictable shot shape. Can shape shots as needed. So consistent that course strategy is the major factor between scoring well. Bad luck is probably the biggest contributor to having a bad hole due to a funny bounce. Score is probably influenced the most by the putter - some days they just don't go in and he shoots even par, while some days everything goes in and shoots a 66. Index is +.
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Three Putt Great Member

Three Putt

by height.

Good One.

In the Bag...Ping Hoofer

3dx Tour Square - UST V2 HMOI X Flex
3dx 15* - X flex
Baffler DWS 20* Aldila NV Stiff 4-GW 600XC Forged Irons- S Flex 55* SW - Burner XD 60* LW - Burner XD Craz E Putter <----ProV1x---> Pellet

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