what exactly is a "high handicap"?

[2bGood]

High to me is above 15.

[CameronStewart1988]

My rough definitions are as follows:

 

Scratch handicap: plus (scoring average of 72 or lower)

Low handicap: 0 to 3 (this group has a scoring average of 76 or lower)

Mid handicap: 4 to 9 (this group average score is 77 to 84)

High handicap: 10 to 18 (this group average score is 85 or above).

 

Above an 18, I do not believe there is any sensible reason to record scores and, or, maintain a handicap.

 

How do you categorize handicaps?

 

 

 

The average handicap in America for a male is 16.1 and for a woman is 28.9. So by your reasoning the average male golfer in america is a high handicapper and is two shots better than not completeing a card or having a handicap at all?

 

Seriously dude?

 

Low handicap is single figures.

Medium is 10-20.

High is 21 +

[Gautama]

I also think the "average golfer" hasn't established a handicap, so using average handicap figures overstates the reality of the level of average play.

 

That's why I indicated the USGA understates the average, which it will acknowledge as well.

 

It's not that the average golfer doesn't keep one, it's that tons of golfers across the spectrum don't, but especially as you go higher.

 

Edit: then again, on average it probably is true a golfer picked at random doesn't maintain one, so I finally get that.

 

 

Yeah, when I said "average golfer" I didn't mean it mathematically - "typical golfer" would have probably been more precise. That said, if you were to take the entire population of golfers who tee it up in a given year, I suspect two things are true:

1) Most of them don't have an established handicap

2) Most of them play worse than the "average handicap" statistics

 

In other words, I suspect that golfers who take the time to build a handicap are a minority and are better, more committed golfers than the overall population of people who play a couple times a year at most. Out of a random sampling of 100 people who play at all in a year, I suspect it's a fairly small percentage who can truly and honestly break 100, or even come close. And that's also a factor in that dynamic we've been hearing for decades about average handicaps not improving.

[jaxbeachpackerfan]

High to me is above 15.

 

I'm with 2bGood. As a sometimes HH who strives to be better, I consider myself to be a mid-HC when I hit 15 and below. I feel comfortable at 15 and below, striving of course to be better, but at 16 and above, I feel a bit embarrassed about it and tell myself I'm better than that.

 

Other question for this topic, is what is one basing that off of, index or course HC? As you get into the mid range, that can be a significant difference, particularly on the tougher courses.

[thekru]

I actually could care less about someones handicap. Just keep moving! I would rather play with three 30 handicaps in four hours, than three scratch golfers in five hours.

[Kuuuch]

I actually could care less about someones handicap. Just keep moving! I would rather play with three 30 handicaps in four hours, than three scratch golfers in five hours.

 

Yep I could care less what someone's hdcp is unless were playing for money or in a tourney! I got a friend who's terrible but my 2 best rounds have been with him because he's great to be around and makes golf more fun