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

[MS256]

My definitions for my oponents:

Low: My only hope is for the guy to get struck by lightning because there's no way this guy is shooting over par. (Hoping for one of my once in a year zones or the money is gone).

Mid: The guy has a problem either with ball striking or on the greens and he's going to have a hard time breaking 75 and 80 is more likely. (Happy about my chances if I don't choke).

High: I'm thinking he couldn't win if I decided to play the whole round with a 5 wood and a putter. (Already thinking of spending the money).

[sacm3bill]

Originally Posted by wedge head

Your handicap is not a simple plus or minus to par. You have to take into account the slope and rating of the courses you play. If you play a course with a high degree of difficulty the slope and rating will lower you handicap even with scores that exceed what you normally shoot. example...I play on a course with a slope and rating of 145 and 74.3. I have a course handicap of 6.3 and shoot in the high 70's most of the time. I play in an 18 hole league with a slope and rating of 132 and 69 and I can shoot in the low to mid 70's most all of the time. My league handicap is a 2.5.

The handicap formulas aren't really the topic in this thread, but I'm just curious - is your handicap index 6.3, or is your course handicap 6.3 at the course where the slope is 145? Because you list 6.3 as your handicap index in your profile, but with that handicap index your course handicap at a course with a 145 slope would be 8.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by sacm3bill

The handicap formulas aren't really the topic in this thread, but I'm just curious - is your handicap index 6.3, or is your course handicap 6.3 at the course where the slope is 145? Because you list 6.3 as your handicap index in your profile, but with that handicap index your course handicap at a course with a 145 slope would be 8.

Has to be his index because course handicaps are always whole numbers.  No point in giving somebody 0.3 strokes on one hole. :)

[sacm3bill]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Quote:

Originally Posted by sacm3bill

The handicap formulas aren't really the topic in this thread, but I'm just curious - is your handicap index 6.3, or is your course handicap 6.3 at the course where the slope is 145? Because you list 6.3 as your handicap index in your profile, but with that handicap index your course handicap at a course with a 145 slope would be 8.

Has to be his index because course handicaps are always whole numbers.  No point in giving somebody 0.3 strokes on one hole. :)

Right, I should've mentioned that. Really what I was getting at is, he seems to be referring to his handicap index as his course index, and they are of course (pun intended) two different things.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by MS256

My definitions for my oponents:

Low: My only hope is for the guy to get struck by lightning because there's no way this guy is shooting over par. (Hoping for one of my once in a year zones or the money is gone).

Mid: The guy has a problem either with ball striking or on the greens and he's going to have a hard time breaking 75 and 80 is more likely. (Happy about my chances if I don't choke).

High: I'm thinking he couldn't win if I decided to play the whole round with a 5 wood and a putter. (Already thinking of spending the money).

The whole point of handicaps is to even the playing field, regardless of whether he is better or worse than you.  If a handicap match works like you have projected, then something is wrong with the way they are being applied.  Unless you and I have the same course handicap, one of us is going to give the other one strokes.  If you want to play straight up, then all bets are off.  I'm not giving you my money, or if the reverse happened to be true, I'm not interested in fleecing you.

[WUTiger]

Prior posts are interesting, but here's realityyyyy...

Hockey players : Non-pros who generally shoot below par (negative HDCP) - The true "I coulda been a pro" group

Scratch players: 0 to 3 HDCP... Great psychological pain - How come I only break par once a month?

Single digit : 4-9... Moderate psychological pain - How come I never break par?

Mid-HDCP : 10-18... How come I rarely break 80?

Mid-High : 19-27... I broke 90 twice last summer / OK, so my HDCP throw-out scores are sometimes north of 100

High : 28 and above... Put me on your HDCP best-ball team. If I get a par, it scores as an eagle!

[Stretch]

Proper stick: "If it wasn't for those two missed birdie putts ..." Low HC: "If it wasn't for those two bogies ..." Mid HC: "If it wasn't for those two doubles ..." High HC: "If it wasn't for those two sleeves of lost balls ..."

[Rixirox]

My handicap is a "Preferred Lie"

[colin007]

Low = better than average, so 0-9 Mid = average, so 10-20 High = above average, so 20+ But this is with honest scoring. Most of the guys on the courses near me who say they shot a 95 actually shot a 110.

[jb57]

Proper stick: "If it wasn't for those two missed birdie putts ..."

Low HC: "If it wasn't for those two bogies ..."

Mid HC: "If it wasn't for those two doubles ..."

High HC: "If it wasn't for those two sleeves of lost balls ..."

LOL I resemble this definition to the tee, and all over the place for that matter!

"My kid lost two sleeves on one tee" Seriously... he needs to buy his own dang balls! That might cure his slice...

[kw purp]

Low = 3 or under

Mid = 4-12

High = Higher than 12

[dfreuter415]

Having caddied for more than 25 years, here are my definitions of high, low, and mid handicap golfers:

Low - consistent ball striker, hits more than 70% of fairways, always on or around the green in regulation, good short game, few three putts, one or more birdies per round, many times can be considered a "grinder"

Mid - basically bogey or par golf, occasionally a double bogey, occasionally a birdie, always looking for some new swing thought to improve their game

High - little or no clue where their next shot will go, rolls one or more drives per round, encounters water, sand or out-of-bounds every round, three putts are the norm, consumes above average amounts of alcohol during their round

[saevel25]

Hmm, to steal Erik's data on 5 key's versus Handicap.

High Handicap: 0.5 cumulative keys, 25+

Mid Handicap: 0.5 - 1.5 cumulative keys, 12-25

Low Handicap: 1.5 - 5 cumulative keys, <12

[Strandly]

Low: 9 or less

Mid: 10-19

High: 20-29

30+: You're terrible and don't even count as a golfer.

[iacas]

Having caddied for more than 25 years, here are my definitions of high, low, and mid handicap golfers:

Low  - consistent ball striker, hits more than 70% of fairways, always on or around the green in regulation, good short game, few three putts, one or more birdies per round, many times can be considered a "grinder"

Mid - basically bogey or par golf, occasionally a double bogey, occasionally a birdie, always looking for some new swing thought to improve their game

High - little or no clue where their next shot will go, rolls one or more drives per round, encounters water, sand or out-of-bounds every round, three putts are the norm, consumes above average amounts of alcohol during their round

Those are fine except for the 70% of fairways bit. Look at the PGA Tour stats, for example. I don't hit 70% and I'm scratch to +1 or so.

[Ernest Jones]

Those are fine except for the 70% of fairways bit. Look at the PGA Tour stats, for example. I don't hit 70% and I'm scratch to +1 or so.

Hack. Lol.

[Lookingfortruth]

I think your Clambake guy says it very succinctly. Can‘t improve on that….

F.Y.I.. According to Dr Bob Rotella. The average H/C for American males is 16.9 if I remember correctly.. Also F.Y.I. it was the same before the in introduction of all the new technology gear.

What does that tell you?

Enjoy your golf.

[Brakkus]

Low 5-10 Mid 10-18 Mid High 18-25 High- Hack 25 plus Two caveats anyone below 5 seems to be in that other worldly catergory of really good going on great the closer they are to scratch and below. Anyone above 25 is struggling to break 100 everytime but a 25 is in the transition to becoming a good golfer. If you are that handicap and have a decent grasp of golf then its not permanent. If you are 28 plus then these are mostly social golfers with little know how or the required skill. Although every great golfer started as a high handicap at some point even if he was a kid and had no chance of reaching greens in regulation. So great golfers can come from high handicap land and apologies if that's you I just escaped there myself.