What Does the Average Weekend Golfer Shoot?

[jusanothajoe]

I would need to play from 5800 yards for this. I played it once and did have a good chance to break 80 with an 81. The other time I played from the 6050 yard tees, and shot 85 with some dumb avoidable mistakes.

You're right, there was a higher fun factor index on the shorter track and tees.

I play a course that is 5800 yrds regularly. I get to shoot in the 70's some, shot a 71 once. Made my year, will never forget it.

Only broke 80 once on longer courses.

[Dave2512]

Yep and I don't get why guys that can't sniff 80 get out there and play double bogey or worse golf from the tips. I see some insane stuff and it's always the teen to 30 something guys with an ego problem playing very poor golf. My home course is 7400 yards. I get paired with guys that might hit one good drive a round playing all the way back, two tees back from me depending on the day. Funny thing is they often end up with the same score I do despite taking nearly double the strokes. Last time out I played with two freaks that gave themselves pars after taking mulligans, sometimes two, if the managed to get it from tee to hole in what would have been par if they played it straight. On number 6 I blasted a snap hook OB, hit my third from the tee, was on in four and two putted for double and one guy tries to fist bump me saying nice par. Uh no that was a double dude. I made a bogey on 18 for a scrappy 80 after playing the front 6 over and overheard them saying they shot mid 80's as they added up their cards before heading to the bar to make good on their bet. Waaaaah?

[Lihu]

Yep and I don't get why guys that can't sniff 80 get out there and play double bogey or worse golf from the tips. I see some insane stuff and it's always the teen to 30 something guys with an ego problem playing very poor golf. My home course is 7400 yards. I get paired with guys that might hit one good drive a round playing all the way back, two tees back from me depending on the day.

Funny thing is they often end up with the same score I do despite taking nearly double the strokes. Last time out I played with two freaks that gave themselves pars after taking mulligans, sometimes two, if the managed to get it from tee to hole in what would have been par if they played it straight. On number 6 I blasted a snap hook OB, hit my third from the tee, was on in four and two putted for double and one guy tries to fist bump me saying nice par. Uh no that was a double dude. I made a bogey on 18 for a scrappy 80 after playing the front 6 over and overheard them saying they shot mid 80's as they added up their cards before heading to the bar to make good on their bet. Waaaaah?

Well at least we're back on topic.

I still think most people shoot a legitimate 115-120 if they only play once a week with minimal practice in between.

I play a course that is 5800 yrds regularly. I get to shoot in the 70's some, shot a 71 once. Made my year, will never forget it.

Only broke 80 once on longer courses.

You've both talked me into it. 5800 yards it is.

[inthehole]

I play from tees that give me a legit shot to break 80. Honestly I don't enjoy golf enough to go out and torture myself. And that is what poor scores are for me, torture. I'd rather not waste the time or money.

I like your way of thinking.   Same here ...

[Dave2512]

I wish the TST powers that be would roll out tee it forward experiment part two.

[jetsknicks1]

Which is why I think too many play too far back. Move up, don't try to force the perfect shot 14 times when you can't hit two great shots back to back and score better. Lately I've seen more men on the tees in the 6000-6200 range and it's a good thing. Not many that can't break 85 are north of the blue markers often on par 4's after pulling driver.

Very true. I normally play right around the 6000 yd mark and will average shooting in the mid-high 90s. I played with David from TST with the Euros last week from 6600 yds and it was a killer lol. Hacked my way around to a 105.

[dfreuter415]

According to Golf Digest ... "On average, 5 percent shoot in the 70s, 20 percent in the 80s and 27 percent in the 90s. The average score in America in 2005 was 98.3. So breaking 100 is, well, pretty average."

[mcanadiens]

It's the white tees for me and only because I'm too macho to play from the women's tees.

In my outings with TSTers, I still played from the whites even though they were on the tips. They kicked my ass.

[Lihu]

I wish the TST powers that be would roll out tee it forward experiment part two.

Well, I have some statistics for the last 2-3 months:

7100 yards: 90 (one round split into two 9 hole days, monster round, every shot was perfect and I still shot bogey every hole)

6700 yards: 89.7 (average of quite a few rounds, I'm concerned about every shot) This is the course I get on every day.

6400 yards: 87 (one round, felt on the verge of hard, tee shots have to be really good or there was no way I could make a par, second shots also had to be good to make par)

6042 yards: 85 (one round, was relaxing and I think I could shoot 80 on these tees with enough practice. If I duffed a tee shot it was no big deal)

5800 yards: 81 (one round, but it was much easier and felt really relaxing. Would tee off with a 3i or 5i for the fun of it) {THIS IS THE LENGTH THAT MAKES ME FEEL HAPPY TO BE GOLFING}

It does really make a difference. My outlier is the 7100 yard 90, but I played each half on separate days. No doubt I would have shot a lot worse, because the 9 hole round was as tiring as a full 18 holes on the 6700 yard tees.

Tampa TPC Blue tees (6610): 99 (This course killed me with two holes where I got >8 strokes par 4)

Los Serranos South Course white tees (6743): 91 (This was a really hard course, but I had a "guide" to tell me where to hit all my shots)

There is almost a perfect correlation between distance and my score. The longest course length that I have a chance at <=80  is probably 6000 yards.

I need to get more data points for the single round statistics, but I feel that those scores are representative of what I would shoot on any subsequent round. Basically, I can't guarantee I won't make the same or similar stupid mistakes. Also, if I play all 18 holes at one go from the championship tees at Brookside Course 1, I can guarantee that my score will be at least 6 strokes more. I hit every tee shot perfectly and every 2nd shot pretty much perfectly those two days. Each 9 hole end was really exhausting.

Originally Posted by dfreuter415

According to Golf Digest... "On average, 5 percent shoot in the 70s, 20 percent in the 80s and 27 percent in the 90s. The average score in America in 2005 was 98.3. So breaking 100 is, well, pretty average."

The only thing is that a 98.3 on a 67CR course is a lot different than a 98.3 on a 74.5CR course.

[GWNGolfth]

Well, I have some statistics for the last 2-3 months: 7100 yards: 90 (one round split into two 9 hole days, monster round, every shot was perfect and I still shot bogey every hole) 6700 yards: 89.7 (average of quite a few rounds, I'm concerned about every shot) This is the course I get on every day. 6400 yards: 87 (one round, felt on the verge of hard, tee shots have to be really good or there was no way I could make a par, second shots also had to be good to make par) 6042 yards: 85 (one round, was relaxing and I think I could shoot 80 on these tees with enough practice. If I duffed a tee shot it was no big deal) 5800 yards: 81 (one round, but it was much easier and felt really relaxing. Would tee off with a 3i or 5i for the fun of it) {THIS IS THE LENGTH THAT MAKES ME FEEL HAPPY TO BE GOLFING} It does really make a difference. My outlier is the 7100 yard 90, but I played each half on separate days. No doubt I would have shot a lot worse, because the 9 hole round was as tiring as a full 18 holes on the 6700 yard tees. Tampa TPC Blue tees (6610): 99 (This course killed me with two holes where I got >8 strokes par 4) Los Serranos South Course white tees (6743): 91 (This was a really hard course, but I had a "guide" to tell me where to hit all my shots) There is almost a perfect correlation between distance and my score. The longest course length that I have a chance at <=80  is probably 6000 yards. I need to get more data points for the single round statistics, but I feel that those scores are representative of what I would shoot on any subsequent round. Basically, I can't guarantee I won't make the same or similar stupid mistakes. Also, if I play all 18 holes at one go from the championship tees at Brookside Course 1, I can guarantee that my score will be at least 6 strokes more. I hit every tee shot perfectly and every 2nd shot pretty much perfectly those two days. Each 9 hole end was really exhausting. The only thing is that a 98.3 on a 67CR course is a lot different than a 98.3 on a 74.5CR course.

Exactly. Depends on how long a hitter you are too. I'd rather shoot around 90 and have mid irons for the most part on my approaches, rather than in the 80's and have wedges into every hole. Basically, if you have no hope of breaking 100, don't torture yourself and everyone else - move up and have fun!

[Lihu]

Exactly. Depends on how long a hitter you are too. I'd rather shoot around 90 and have mid irons for the most part on my approaches, rather than in the 80's and have wedges into every hole. Basically, if you have no hope of breaking 100, don't torture yourself and everyone else - move up and have fun!

Shorter is always better on an approach.

[Dave2512]

Yeah give me wedge all day. This afternoon I caught a twosome. Older men, one looked familiar. I was on blues these guys are 60's and up on whites. The familiar guy is a big man around 6' 6" and I was trying to remember where I knew him from. Anyway I figure it out he owns the course, former basketball star, I think he played ABA ball and he is also a PGA pro. He was near the green on every par 4, from the tee, crazy long. On a 307 yard hole he was about 5 feet from the green chips up to 2 inches and taps in. He destroyed me and the course, birdies on damn near evey hole I played with him. Closer is better.

[GWNGolfth]

Yeah give me wedge all day. This afternoon I caught a twosome. Older men, one looked familiar. I was on blues these guys are 60's and up on whites. The familiar guy is a big man around 6' 6" and I was trying to remember where I knew him from. Anyway I figure it out he owns the course, former basketball star, I think he played ABA ball and he is also a PGA pro. He was near the green on every par 4, from the tee, crazy long. On a 307 yard hole he was about 5 feet from the green chips up to 2 inches and taps in. He destroyed me and the course, birdies on damn near evey hole I played with him. Closer is better.

Hey closer is definitely better, but if I were that guy, I'd want to play from the blues. I would just rather play every club in the bag. By the same token, I wouldn't want to be hitting woods for all my approaches either (but given the choice, I'd prefer to hit wedges all day :))

[Dave2512]

He was pretty old, near 70, and with a friend. Probably up to have fun with his buddy. I am sure he plays back guy is a pro. Best non tour golfer I have seen in person. Point is if you suck swallow your pride and move the eff up. Golf is easier and more fun when you score well.

[inthehole]

I played a course recently at close to 6300 from the whites & I managed to get through it, but man, it's an exercise in hitting long irons, hybrids and woods into greens.      Great practice with the longer clubs, but wouldn't want to do it all the time.   Problem was the next set of tees was around 5700 - strange layout.   I find I'm much more comfortable around 6000 yds.

[GWNGolfth]

I played a course recently at close to 6300 from the whites & I managed to get through it, but man, it's an exercise in hitting long irons, hybrids and woods into greens.      Great practice with the longer clubs, but wouldn't want to do it all the time.   Problem was the next set of tees was around 5700 - strange layout.   I find I'm much more comfortable around 6000 yds.

That's what it's all about. Finding your level of comfort according to your level of play. I find there's too much focus on 'what did you shoot'. It has to be taken in context of course difficulty and conditions. If I shoot around 100 with cr=72 and 140 slope in 30mph winds and 50 degrees and then go out and shoot 85 with a cr=65 slope 113 on a warm, benign day with soft greens, am I patting myself on the back for the 85? Not necessarily. If your a high handicapper, you have no business from the tips (unless your not holding anybody up and your idea of fun is driver, 3w, wedge into every par 4). If your a low handicapper, hitting your drives 250-260 and up, I don't see the fun or challenge in playing from tees where your chipping or pitching on to every green and hitting mid irons on your second shot for the 'longer' par 5's. It's justmy personal opinion. Whatever adds to your level of enjoyment, go for for it. Nobody likes to stripe it down the middle and have a wedge I their hand more than me, but I also want to give my longer clubs a workout as well. Another point to be made is that sometimes I can shoot a low score (for me) and feel like I've played better shooting 10 strokes higher another round, where lo and behold I have 7 or 8 three puts and a couple of duffed chips. I'm not as concerned about it if I'm having a decent ball striking day (as long as those 7 or 8 3 putts aren't becoming a recurring theme :)). At least, I feel I can clean up my short game or tell myself it's just 'one of those days' with the putter, as opposed to not being able to hit the side of a barn and having to grind it out for a bogey putt.

[Dave2512]

What I don't think many high handicap golfers understand is shortening the course improves the quality of you mishits. Until you get to the elite level golf is a game of mishits for most. Nobody struggling to break 80-90-100 or whatever is hitting a succession of really good shots. If moving up takes a couple hundred yards off the course depending on how bad the mishit is the result could be a couple clubs difference for the recovery shot regardless of what the rating is. And from what I've seen length of the course is the biggest rating factor. My goal when choosing tees is to give myself the best chance at par on par 4's.

[GWNGolfth]

What I don't think many high handicap golf'tunderstand is shortening the course improves the quality of you mishits. Until you get to the elite level golf is a game of mishits for most. Nobody struggling to break 80-90-100 or whatever is hitting a succession of really good shots. If moving up takes a couple hundred yards off the course depending on how bad the mishit is the result could be a couple clubs difference for the recovery shot regardless of what the rating is. And from what I've seen length of the course is the biggest rating factor. My goal when choosing tees is to give myself the best chance at par on par 4's.

couldn't agree with you more on the mishits. Using our handicaps for reference, our points of view illustrate twothats'serent mindsets according to skill. I am not a target golfer and i don't hit long. I rely on every club in the bag. I am happy to give myself an opportunity at par as compared to a single digit handicapper who will get more of those opportunities and expect to cash in on those opportunities more often than the 'average weekend golfer' who I think I more accurately represent. :) I rely more on keeping it in play and a short game that I can use. I have a better chance at beating my golf partners, on along course,who are more skilled than me If im keeping it in play. My game needs a lot of work and im under no illusion that im a good player, but i still have a great time. If i were a good player i suppose i would care about my score more. I have a wide range of scores, but i know im never going to break the course record nor am i going to shoot over 100 every time after i have 'one of those days'. Like i mentioned in aprevious post I believe I would need more playingtime and practice to hope to be better than a bogey golfer. I have a couple of friends who will not touch a club all winter and go out and break 80 their first round on a tough course. They are once a week golfers, but there are few and far between. That's one of the many beauties of the game is it can be enjoyed by serious, casual, skilled and hacker alike. Having made those points, I do keep score and I am still pleased when it is lower than higher. In case you thought I was full of crap.