What Are Acceptable Bad Rounds Per Handicap?

[Big C]

I'm pretty close to the same handicap as you. Currently a 7.0, but was in the low 6's most of this year. My current card of my last 20 includes the following gems: 90 / 88 / 87 / 87 / 86 / 85.

The 98 is probably an outlier for any 6 handicap, but most people in our range are going to post the occasion high 80's/low 90's round so I wouldn't stress about it too much.

Sure, there is always the one guy in the club that carries a 6 handicap, but never shoots higher than an 82. That usually also happens to be the guy that will be on pace for a 73, before doubling the last two holes once he wins his nassau. The only advice I can give you is don't play that 6 handicap for money!

 

[saevel25]

20 hours ago, iacas said:

Here's my question: why don't you have a "B" swing? Something that gets you around the course on a day like this?

This is something I am trying to work on, especially for my driver. Right now its more of a tee it low and try to hit low-ish cuts. 

There are also times when you hit the ball really well and never make a putt. You might actually shoot a better round with some bad swings versus having your swing on the entire round and feel like you got away with murder.

For me, what I consider bad. Probably two to three times a year. 

[skywaterbanjo]

This topic is so timely for me.  I'm currently at 7.5 and have been very consistent in the low 80's, occasional 75, occasional 87.  Shot 93 on Tuesday.  I started the round with a 3 putt from 12 feet.  Totally threw off my mojo and I never recovered.  I have to work on the triggers and not letting them bothering me.  Thanks for this thread.

 

[TourSpoon]

My index puts me at a 77-78 (4.1-4.9) to maintain so I will take anything 80 (6.6) or less as a good day and 84 is about my patience cutoff. I recently had 88-85 but followed it up with 75 -77 . I was pretty peeved with the 88 and quit tracking my pathetic stats that day. I just wanted to quickly forget everything about that round as soon as possible. My last 8 rounds have been 75, 77, 80, 78, 82, 75, 81, 78 so I have been playing pretty consistently for my high 4 index. 

[gbogey]

I've played about 80 rounds this year and have played to a 5 or lower almost all year. I've had four rounds where the wheels have come totally off - think 90 range. The commonalities are: 1) usually an unfamiliar course 2) extremely windy days 3) short game collapse - usually even when my swing is off my short game is solid enough to keep things from getting out of hand. One interesting thing is this: I've always been a more consistent golfer than most.  My index has improved 1-2 shots the last two years, but as my index has improved I feel like my consistency has gotten worse.

I managed an 85 at Old Waverly in a tournament round. It was my first time playing the course. I shot 40 on the front and but lost several strokes on the back from not knowing the course, so it really wasn't that bad. The next day had one of the meltdown days at Old Mossy - 90 - even after three birdies.

[Golfingdad]

On 11/16/2020 at 12:20 PM, David in FL said:

What do you mean by “acceptable“?

Like you, once or twice a year, I’ll throw up a 90.  It’s not acceptable by any stretch of the imagination, but it happens…

A better question might be at what threshold do you consider a round to be bad for your particular handicap.  It’s a purely arbitrary number, but for me, that’s 85.  I’m pleased either anything in the 70’s.  80-84  and I’m in the “Meh” range.

I spend way too much time in the Meh range!

 

Almost exactly what I was going to say.  I am also in a similar handicap range**, and I shot a 90 earlier this year, but by no means would I consider that "acceptable."  By the same token, I'm going to keep having those rounds forever, because, well, I'm not a great golfer, so in that regard, I kind if have to accept it.

My numbers are almost exactly the same as David's above as well.  If I shoot below 80 on any "normal" course, I'm not going to be displeased, and if I shoot over about 84 I am going to be displeased.  In the middle, it's ... whatever.

And, yup, the "whatever" rounds are way too common.

**I played so infrequently last year that I didn't even renew my card this year. But I'm back into it now, played 11 times since June, and I'm hoping that I can renew my card on Jan 1 and add those 11 rounds onto it and get an updated cap.

[Piz]

I don't like any score that starts with a 9.  When that happens it is always due to lost balls.and losing golf balls is awfully disappointing.  To maintain mental equilibrium...I will often think of a 90 as an 84+6.  It is still a 90, for scoring purposes, but somewhat easier for me to accept.  

[gbogey]

8 minutes ago, Piz said:

I don't like any score that starts with a 9.  When that happens it is always due to lost balls.and losing golf balls is awfully disappointing.  To maintain mental equilibrium...I will often think of a 90 as an 84+6.  It is still a 90, for scoring purposes, but somewhat easier for me to accept.  

To the contrary, on several of my "wheels come off" rounds this year I haven't lost a single ball. Penalty strokes yes, but lost balls no. When I'm that off I'm typically not hitting the ball bad enough to lose one. But I tend to agree with your post match approach - there's typically 5 strokes (if not more) that were unusually over the top bad and atypical, especially around the greens. And if you adjust for those the round wouldn't have been a disaster.