How many Golfers worldwide play hcp 16 or better?

[B-Con]

I'd guess 5% of golfers who tee it up on a yearly basis. That's based of a bit of experience and some stats I've seen posted elsewhere on the forum.

[nevets88]

On a related note, I wonder what is the percentage of golfers who play a round in 4, 4.5 hours? Probably alot less, but better in the UK. That's the number to work on.

[PhillyMac]

Originally Posted by ghalfaire

I don't even know where you would look to find such information.  I have read that less than 50% of the golfer in the USA can consistently score better than 100 on a regulation course.

I heard something very similar to that. I was told many years ago by a golf pro, that the "average" golfer shoots in the mid to high 90's. I normally walk onto many golf courses, and usually get paired with all types of golfers, many of which back up the statement about average players shooting mid to high 90's.

[montru]

I read somewhere that less than 10% of the worlds recreational golfers break 90.

I think it's total BS that only comp rounds count for handicap calculation, I understand that is how the 'caps are done in the UK too.

[B-Con]

I read somewhere that less than 10% of the worlds recreational golfers break 90. I think it's total BS that only comp rounds count for handicap calculation, I understand that is how the 'caps are done in the UK too.

Where are you?

[Littleoven]

come from switzerland and we basiclly play our hcp in tournaments....so yeah, ntg with chosing the round, that counts ;-)

[saevel25]

http://www.usga.org/handicapping/articles_resources/Men-s-USGA-Handicap-Indexes/

By the chart, 16 or better is roughly 57.69% of the USGA Male Members

For women its 10.69%

In 2005, the USGA had about 1 million members. I would think that has increased a bit from then. So of a sample size that large, i would be inclined to say that those are accurate percentages.

[ghalfaire]

I would not be too quick to concede based on the USGA handicap data.  Most (more than half) of the golfers in USA don't keep USGA handicaps.  So the USGA data is just a subset of America's golfers and probably representative of just the more serious ones.  There is another and larger subset of golfers in the USA that doesn't keep handicaps and doesn't play by the rules.  So I'll stick to the data that says 50% of the golfers in the USA can't break 100 on a regular basis on regulation size courses.  I don't have the data anymore or I would post it but in it less than 25% of the USA golfers that consistently break 90 on Par 72 courses (when actually playing golf, e.g. by the rules).   So don't let the USGA data and TST handicap indexes on profiles fool you. You should get the Wine.

Originally Posted by Littleoven

Stretch, phantastic research there! Guess i'll have to settle for that.......wine's on me... If you are a connaiseur it will be a 1990 Vega siciilia....

[montru]

Originally Posted by B-Con

Where are you?

Southwest Florida. Why??

[Tiikeli]

At my home club 16,1 % of members (total around 2000) have HCP 16 or better. In my opinion that would be close the percentage in the world overall too since in Finland virtually all players have hcp and therefore 17,3 % of members have hcp over 54 (starting hcp in Finland) meaning they either never have played better round than 131 shots (men's tee) or they don't keep record. 31,8 % of members in total have hcp higher than 36

[BuckeyeNut]

Originally Posted by Stretch

Add golfers in all locations without official indexes who would be 16 or under if they were officially handicapped: And we can't do that because we don't have a ****ing clue.

Great post..... I agree....there is no way to golfers without an official HC of any kind can count towards any  number because most of them don't play real golf anyway.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeNut

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stretch

Add golfers in all locations without official indexes who would be 16 or under if they were officially handicapped: And we can't do that because we don't have a ****ing clue.

Great post..... I agree....there is no way to golfers without an official HC of any kind can count towards any  number because most of them don't play real golf anyway.

Yup. Free drops and improved lies have a positive effect on pace of play, but the resulting estimated indexes are pure garbage.

[skidisk]

Golf Digest reports that the median index is 14.7; in other words, 50% of US golfers have an index above this and 50% below this. They also reported that 25% of golfers in the US have an index under 10.

[Jefferey13]

Originally Posted by skidisk

Golf Digest reports that the median index is 14.7; in other words, 50% of US golfers have an index above this and 50% below this. They also reported that 25% of golfers in the US have an index under 10.

Wow you brought this thread back from being 6 months dead. Second, people who register their HDCP are good golfers. So yes 25% of good golfers may be under 10. But if you are talking to all people who golf at least say 6 times a year. I would be surprised if it was >5%. I get paired up frequently with people at the course I don't know and I never get beat, and I'm not that good. I play at a muni FWIW.