Percentage of golfers under 100 score.

[Marcos]

Having a discussion the other day with a buddy and we talked about the % of golfers that play under 100. It seems that only 5% are under 100 but I would say about 90% of peopel I play with are under 100 and then some. What gives with these stats and where do they come from. Just curious how they calculate these. Are they using official scores from tournements and events (CPGA)
Any official info on this would be appreciated. It would be fun to post our scores also to see if the average here play above 100.
I will start and say all of my games were in the 80-90 range last year.

[big mac]

Good question-----is the answer actual stroke play or handicap score??? I have been playing for 8 years and can consistantly get into the 85-90 range. I can also get one game a year in the low 80s and also in the high 90-go figure. It does not seem reasonable for me at my age and stage in life to go appreciably any lower-------------unless I spent a LOT more time on the course AND on a practice facility. I take the game fairly seriously but not to the point that I eat-sleep and breathe it. Marc---I think you are an exception---a good exception as your are out there that much and meet with some of the other guys. It's a lot like skiing-if you ski with better skiers you will improve-----you have to---it's a matter of "life and death". I would say golf is the same-only a little safer

Most of the folks I play with are social golfers---which is great---don't get me wrong---but I dare say MOST golfers ARE social golfers and weekend golfers-------pretty hard to stay under 100 if your in that category. The game is not an easy game as well we all know.

If I was hard pressed to give an answer I would say maybe 20% of ALL golfers-----------counting ALL strokes ----would be shooting under 95.

The use of a handicap system just levels the playing field for everyone .

I wonder how the MASTER'S would play if the pros used their handcaps----just wondering

Anyhow---having a great time in Hilton Head--4 weeks to go----anything open yet?

[Marcos]

Brian, I agree that when you play with better players, it is inspiring. Still, I wonder where this stat comes from. I'm mostly concerned with stroke play more than hdcp. As for your question "anything opened yet"
Its too dam cold and still a fair amount of the white crap, but the golf show is coming up this weekend and that always helps to get in the mood.
Enjoy the rest of the season.

[Kilroy]

I expect it would include all the folks who play once every year at the company tournament getting counted among 'all golfers'. I keep hearing this stat, but I have never seen any hard data. I feel it's a made up figure that seems to have stuck in many people's minds.

[nokids]

I expect it would include all the folks who play once every year at the company tournament getting counted among 'all golfers'. I keep hearing this stat, but I have never seen any hard data. I feel it's a made up figure that seems to have stuck in many people's minds.

I was just going to say, if someone who plays once a year counts the same as someone who plays 300 times a year, I can see why the # of golfers who score under 100 is 10%. I was shooting 100 my first year back to playing golf.

[Kilroy]

Looking at the handicapping system rankings here a 25 hcp who would be breaking 100 on a good day is at the 18 percentile, so 82% of the 4200 golfers who care enough to enter their scores here can break 100 fairly regularly.

[BC MIST]

This chart shows will provide some information regarding the distribution of scores for those with an official handicap factors. It looks like approximately 95% of golfers with official handicaps break 100 based on a handicap of 28 and a course rating of 72. However, since the majority of golfer do not keep handicaps and play a lot less on the average than those who do, the actual percentage will obviously be significantly lower.

http://www.usga.org/handicapping/art...dicap-Indexes/

[nokids]

Looking at the handicapping system rankings here a 25 hcp who would be breaking 100 on a good day is at the 18 percentile, so 82% of the 4200 golfers who care enough to enter their scores here can break 100 fairly regularly.

It's probably rare, but I played at Greyhawk with a Korean guy who said he was scratch but didn't track his scores. I could not wrap my head around the idea of playing golf without keeping score. lol. Denis was there.

[Marcos]

I expect it would include all the folks who play once every year at the company tournament getting counted among 'all golfers'. I keep hearing this stat, but I have never seen any hard data. I feel it's a made up figure that seems to have stuck in many people's minds.

I also have been hearing this for years Dan and could not figure it out. Playing everyday with all types and age groups prompted me to ask the question.
I also think that we do not all count our scores the same way. By that I mean,most of us, as social players, do not know the rules and do not apply them all the time.
I see this on a regular basis.

[LobWedge]

You're all only seeing "half" of the picture here.

[big mac]

I also have been hearing this for years Dan and could not figure it out. Playing everyday with all types and age groups prompted me to ask the question.
I also think that we do not all count our scores the same way. By that I mean,most of us, as social players, do not know the rules and do not apply them all the time.
I see this on a regular basis.

That makes a whole lot of sense Marc---since playing down here every spring--most of the regulars (belong to courses here) do play by the rules---they are used to that because of their club memberships etc-------------but they actually don't PLAY any better------------just slower

[jeffc]

It's probably rare, but I played at Greyhawk with a Korean guy who said he was scratch but didn't track his scores. I could not wrap my head around the idea of playing golf without keeping score. lol. Denis was there.

Ever see caddyshack?

[Gobble_It]

Having a discussion the other day with a buddy and we talked about the % of golfers that play under 100. It seems that only 5% are under 100 but I would say about 90% of peopel I play with are under 100 and then some. What gives with these stats and where do they come from. Just curious how they calculate these. Are they using official scores from tournements and events (CPGA)
Any official info on this would be appreciated. It would be fun to post our scores also to see if the average here play above 100.
I will start and say all of my games were in the 80-90 range last year.

I suppose we tend to the play regularly with a group of buddies who's shooting around the same scores hence our sample of "the average" is a bit skew. I stress the word regularly because I can't imagine anyone who only play once a week/ or once a year would be able to score under 100 with strict rules of golf applied.

My score is in the 90s and I have only played with and seen one person that broke 90 so my view would be skewed towards the less than 5%-10% that can break 100s if they play within in the rules and count every stroke.

Even when I played with some people claiming that they are shooting in the 80s or 90s, they ended up shooting worse so really the average score is always higher than indicated.

[Brewcee]

According to economic impact study on golf there are 2.5 million core golfers (play at least 28 rounds per year) in Canada and 6 million total golfers (http://www.rcga.org/subsites/NAGA/pd...eyFindings.pdf). Golf Canada has a membership base of 340,000. To me this suggests using handicap stats as a means to calculate the average score of all golfers (or even core golfers) is not accurate because about 86% of core golfers and 94% of all golfers don't have an official handicap.

Even though using those with a handicap provides you a sample, it provides you a biased sample of only those who care enough about their game to keep an official handicap, which suggest they are more likely to practice and get better or get better due to the number of games they play ( I don't know anyone who plays 5 games a year, but keeps a handicap)

With all that said, the stat itself (only 5% break 100) is meaningless in the grand scheme of things. It would make much more sense to compare yourself to someone who puts as much time into the Games as you do. A crude measurement may be to just break categories into a range of number of Games played per year. You would end up with a matrix of percentages as opposed to an overall all encompassing %. You could then look and see if you are above, below or average compared to others who play as much as you do.

[solstrum]

The stat comes from the National Golf Foundation. They run and keep track of a lot of stats.


The 95% stat was actually from 2000. Here is the stat as of 2010

How do golfers score on an 18-hole regulation golf course?

• Nearly half shoot 100 or more, and only about one in four can break 90 consistently:

  Average score	Percent of adult golfers
  Under 80	5%
  80-89	21%
  90-99	29%
  100-109	24%
  110-119	10%
  120+	11%
  Total	100%

  
  Source: NGF's golf consumer profile

Looking at the stats on the site, less people are playing golf then 3 years ago. so some of the bad ones quit!

another stat is that spending on equipment is way up over the past 10 years, so scoring is better

[golfisforfun]

There are not a lot of golfers who actually play a round and follow the Rules of Golf properly. The average weekend golfer might go out and shoot 95 but that is with 3 stick handles, 4 foot wedges, a free drop cause they could'nt find a ball etc...

My wife loves to golf but she will probably shoot 100. My mother golfs 5 times a year and would never break 120 but she is just out with friends having a fun time.

Beginners will take years to break 100.

Stand on the first tee one day and I am sure you could easily get a feel for how many people will struggle to break 100.

[solstrum]

Are you telling people in a golf forum to stand on the first tee one day to see how it feels to break 100? I think everyone in here is a golfer, I don't think jo public is coming in and reading a golf forum as a past time!

[golfisforfun]

Are you telling people in a golf forum to stand on the first tee one day to see how it feels to break 100? I think everyone in here is a golfer, I don't think jo public is coming in and reading a golf forum as a past time!

Where did I say that? I was saying that you could easily find a lot of people that will not break 100.
And I would bet a lot of people who "shoot 95" probably are in the 100s if they follow the rules...

Golfers are fibbers... I am amazed how many golfers drive the ball average 270 ! hahaha

[solstrum]

Stand on the first tee one day and I am sure you could easily get a feel for how many people will struggle to break 100.

I was just wondering who you were directing this at? that's all.