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This has always puzzled me. I've been playing intensively for about two year (about 50-60rounds in all) and have shot under 100 exactly 4 times. My best round, where I felt most of my game was working, I still shot a 96. Yet for all those rounds, almost every partner I came across claims they shoot under 100. Most say they shoot in the 80s. And interestingly, almost every one of them seem to have a "bad day" for the round I played with them cause from my estimate, there's no way they shoot under 100.

Just this other day, I was playing in a threesome. One guy claims he just won a company tournament by shooting a 82. Oh boy did he have a "bad day." This other guy says he also had a "bad day" and turned in a score of 94. Now my score was exactly 100. And from the number of doubles, triples, balls lost, and missed putts he had, I say there's no way he scored lower than me.

So what's your guess on the % of golfers who shoot under 100? under 90? under 80?

What you're really asking is what percentage actually score in those ranges, rather than what they claim. Sad comment, but true. I have played with many people who always have a bad day whenever I see them play, but shoot in the mid 80's every other round.

My guess would be 30% - 100+, 30% - 90+, 30% - 80+, and the rest under 80.

I doubt 40% of golfers can shoot below 90.

I'll give it a crack. This assuming fair play, and an average round. This also takes into account golfers that play atleast 3-5x a year. A once a year player is not a "golfer". Also, the average golfer DOES NOT BREAK 100, so anything <50% for that is wrong.

120+- 10%
100-120- 45%
90-99- 24%
80-89- 15%
70-79- 5%
60-69- 1%

I'm pretty confident that it's relativley close to this.

Edit: I agree Wind. I have it at 21%, which still might be high.

Sounds about right, Matt.

I've read some studies saying that if the average golfer counted every stroke the average score would be 100. Mid-handicappers represent 20% of all golfers. Don't recall the rest.

I also remember that the average drive for a male is about 195 yards, and the average handicap (most golfers don't keep one) hasn't budged in 20 years.

1% is way way way too high. Think about it. 60-69 means you're a tour caliber player. there are at least 26 million golfers in the U.S. 1% of that is 260,000. Do you really think there are 260,000 tour caliber players in the U.S.?

Didn't want to get into decimals, lol. But you are right.


Although you do have PGA tour, LPGA, Nationwide, Hooters Tour, Cleveland Tour, Champions Tour, and all the other tours. You have young phenoms, and college golfers who usually shoot in the late 60's at the worst. Throw in nometown guys who can't live the tour life, and it's probably like .2% or .3%.

Edit: Are there really 26 million golfers? I doubt that. It depends on how you define "golfer" I guess.

I heard that only 10% of golfers break 90 on a regular basis following all the rules and only 10% of that group break 80 on a regular basis.

I am a 6 handicap and play a lot of golf as a single at Bethpage which is one of the largest pulic golf facilities. I think my above statement would be fairly accurate based on my experiences.

There are a lot of golfers that just don't count every stroke. Maybe it's even most. If they hit it OB, will they penalize themselves stroke and distance? I see a lot of people treating OB as if it were a water hazard and drop. Who knows if they even give themselves a penalty stroke? Some of my friends will even putt it, have a 3 footer left but will try to putt it in and miss... then give themselves the 3 footer after.

This is probably pretty accurate here. Just like victory, and many others said, the number of people who really apply to rules is exceptionally small. And, it's an ego/selective memory thing, just like everything else in life. Its the same reason so many amateurs pull a 9 iron when they are still 185 yards out -- "oh that one time I hit a 9 iron 180 yards, so I know I can do it again" never mind it was downhill, down wind, on a dry running fairway, and they hit the most pure shot in their life ever and won't be repeated in the lifetime of the universe -- but, they insist on hitting that club, and then wonder why it came up 60 yards short. And the same reason they play ProV1's, even though with thier swing it wouldn't matter if it was a Top Flight or a wiffle ball. And the same reason they get a new driver every year. But, I'll stop now since I am obviously rambling.

In other news, I just caught a fish <---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------> this big! And that has nothing whatsoever to do with the previous paragraph, no, no way, none whatsoever.

I think that the reason perceptions can be so varied is that we all face very different golfing populations depending on how we live our own golfing lives. On my home course (a public muni), I see all sorts of players, but most of the guys I play with are all in the men's club, and more than 75% of them shoot in the 90's or better. That observation is based on tournament handicaps. I will also often play the same course with casual golfers, and perhaps half are capable of shooting under 100, either regularly or at least occasionally.

However, I played 2 rounds in Florida last February on a semi-private course, and not one of the 6 players I met down there could have broken 100 in his dreams. They played the shortest Men's tees, I played one set back of them, and even with 3 months of rust, and total unfamiliarity with the course or with Bermuda greens, I still cleaned up on them.

So based on my totally unscientific observations It seems that there may be at least some degree of regional variation. It may just depend on the demographics of where you play and what type of golfers are likely to frequent your club that influence your perceptions on how good the average player is. Clearly, some of us most often see a higher class of "average" player than others do.

I like this question, as it's one I've had on my mind since I got back from my first actual game of golf a few weeks back.

It was 9 holes and I shot a 52...no mulligans, no oob, just played everything where it lay. A "friend of a friend" joined me and my buddy, and he literally averaged three drives per hole, picking the "best lie" for him to play. At the end of the day, he marked down a 40, and proceded to brag about his game.

The best parts of the day, however, were his golf lessons...dished out generously just as I'd line up to take each shot.

This is a great thread, one of the better ones on this forum!

NO statistic matters unless it's played during competitive play. I personally discount anything anybody says unless they did it in tournament play with rules and enforcement. Nobody cares how many rounds you shot in the 70's with your buddies. At the very least it should have been played with some stakes on the line (i.e. small $$$ bets, etc). Anybody can all play great on "good" days with no pressure with our buddies and then cherry pick the best shots/rounds to brag about.

I'm 43 years old and my golfing "buddy" is 63. We tend to play with golfers who "take their game seriously." This doesn't mean we are tight lipped or elitist in any way, but we care about the course, we are competitive, we follow the rules, and we respect one another. We don't drink alcohol (not a problem if anyone decides to have one) and we play from the back tees.

All this being said, we tend to play with golfers who feel the same way. More often than not it seems these people break 100, and usually 90.

BTW: Some of the best people I've played golf with have been +30 handicappers. They are often more fun and light hearted and seem to really enjoy the game (with a few notable exceptions!!).

I'll play with anyone-- no problem. I only hope they are respectful, if not friendly, and fairly efficient regarding pace of play.

Given the fact that work at a Golf store, I can estimate that 85-90% of people don't break 90. This estimate is obviously based on my observations in my particular area and thus may not be representative due to the high caliber courses in my region; however, I think this figure is fairly accurate.