Golf may be easy to learn, but mastering this sport can take you a lifetime. Precision is the name of the game and you have to stick by the rules no matter what. A lot of first-timers who have tried playing golf eventually get hooked. The ultimate goal is to achieve an average golf score and continue making progress to improve it.
When it comes to scoring, golf is different from other sports because you don’t directly compete with other golfers. Rather, the only opponent you need to beat is yourself by improving your scores during each round. Your competitors don’t have any effect on your final score, whether it’s low or high. Keep reading to learn what the average score in golf means and how you can improve it in the long run.
What Is An Average Golf Score?
Average weekend golfers may feel unsatisfied with their game and their scores. However, not all players realize that their scores are actually close to average. According to the USGA, recreational golfers playing on a par 72 course have an average score of 91. This number has been determined using the scores of players who record and report them online. However, not all golfers do this so the average score is close to 100.
Let’s talk about the average score per age range so that you can determine whether or not you need to improve your scores a little bit more. Check out the following numbers for age range and average score respectively:
- 7 to 10 years old – 144-180 average golf score
- 10 to 20 years old – 89-180 average golf score
- 20 to 30 years old – 89-90 average golf score
- 30 to 40 years old – 91-92 average golf score
- 40 to 50 years old – 91-92 average golf score
- 50 to 60 years old – 91 average golf score
- 60 years old and above – 92 average golf score
- All golfers – 91 average golf score
These numbers are based on the averages of golfers recording their handicaps. But since many players don’t keep track of these numbers, you can add up to 10 strokes to your scores. If you’ve been working on your average score lately, you can improve it by doing some tweaks. Read until the end to learn the most helpful tips to improve your average golf score and your overall skills.
The word “average” may be relative, but shooting around or at 100 on a par 72 golf course is considered average. It’s difficult to determine the score for average golfers on the course when you only have to judge a few players who do a weekly foursome and some pro golfers on TV every weekend. It’s important to consider how courses can change the anticipated score.
At this point, you may be asking what is a good golf score and what is a bad golf score. For every 18 holes you play, your average score is 90 strokes. This number applies to amateur players who play on a par 72 golf course. Ideally, a good score is 108 strokes and a bad golf score is around 120 strokes. The complexity of golf, therefore, has many different skill levels that players have considering their years of playing this sport.
Whether you’re a once-a-year golfer or a professional player with years of experience, there are many variations of golfers in between. A good golf score for amateurs will be different from a good score for professionals. Never compare your scores to your opponents because they may be ahead of you in terms of practice and skills.
How to Improve Golf Score
As you get older, your average stroke difference is minimal. For instance, the only difference between 20-year-old and 70-year-old golfers is 4 strokes each game. It’s not surprising to see older golfers on the professional circuit because they are more experienced and skilled. While older pro golfers can compete with younger players on an equal level, it’s still crucial to start playing the sport at a younger age.
It takes a lot of effort and time to master golf. In order for you to excel, you need to learn the right techniques and habits when playing on a pro level. When you start young, it’s easier to take in everything to become a better golf player due to the fact that the brain of a young person is more malleable.
Golf keeps you healthy and sharpens the mind. It involves calculating external conditions and problem-solving, making this sport more fun and challenging to play. When it comes to making progress, staying consistent is key. Don’t rush things, take it to step by step and focus on every small progress you make. Here are some helpful tips to improve your average score:
- Never compare your scores to other golfers. Not all golfers have the same level of skills as you, so don’t compare your game results to theirs. Some players can easily pick up and perform well on the course.
- Use the average scores only as your guide. It’s helpful to know the average scores and understand them, but you don’t have to strictly follow them.
- Don’t concentrate on reaching par. If you’re focusing on reaching par, you will only be disappointed each time. Rather, you should be playing your normal games while assessing the results after the 18 holes.
- At par 72, you should have an average of 5 strokes for each hole in order to reach par. However, this may not be a realistic score for beginners and amateurs.
- Learn and apply the basics of golf. These include posture, stance, and grip; all are important in having a proper feel.
- Read Five Lessons by Ben Hogan. This short read is worth your time because it talks about everything you need to know about golf, not to mention it’s the good training material for beginners.
- Choose the right golf ball. Every golf ball is made differently, there are balls for beginners and pros. Using the wrong golf ball will lead to bad results, while the right ball gives you more forgiveness, more distance, and more fairways and greens to hit. Choose a 2-3 piece golf ball with low spin and compression.
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- Focus on more fairways and less distance. This technique can improve your score right away, so consider focusing on less distance if you hit from the rough in which it’s difficult to shoot a good golf score.
- Don’t use your driver and woods for hooks or slices. If you have to, hit an iron off the tee in order to keep the ball in play. Focus on hitting the golf ball off the tee with 200 yards distance to get a decent score.
It’s also important to know your handicap to improve your scores for every game. Let’s say your handicap is 10, you should make 10 strokes at the beginning of the round. This sport allows you to compete with other golf players who have worse or better skills than you. If you’re shooting around 70 to 75, you may have a 1 or 2 handicap.
The main secret to improving your golf score is to play every day and learn the best technique on the green. It may sound easy, but it takes determination and consistency to achieve a good average golf score. If you’re dedicated to improving your game, then you need to practice every day regardless of your current skill level.
Course Ratings and Using Milestones
All golf courses have two ratings to help players determine their difficulty. The ratings are factored into a player’s handicap score while using it to assess the score for every round against the expected score of an average golfer. Basically, the course ratings are the difficulty for scratch players and represent the average scores that scratch golfers are expected to hit on the green.
On the other hand, the slope refers to the relative difficulty for bogey players, relative to scratch golfers. If you’re playing on a high slope-rated course, it’s considered good if you have a high score since average golfers are expected to find it difficult to hit the fairways. However, a low slope rating means golfers need to score below 100.
Milestones help beginners and even pro golfers in improving their scores relative to the average golf players’ scores. Generally, 72 is the standard par for golf courses, which means the average golfer hits 28 strokes over par in order to shoot 100. Being a bogey player is an example of a milestone in golf. This means, that an average shooting on each hole is 1 over par, which leads to 90 strokes average golf score. Relative to an average golfer, you win by 10 strokes and that’s a good score.
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Wrapping It Up
All golfers probably want to be the best, so knowing how to improve their golf scores is important. However, make sure to have realistic expectations to avoid disappointment at the end of the day. Remember, the average score is just a guide that depends on a lot of factors including your handicap, experience level, and age.
Furthermore, you may have to work more on improving your golf score as a beginner. If you’re playing golf for one year now, you will need to improve your results to become a better player. Take some time to practice on the course consistently so that you can make some progress. After one year of regular games, you must be 1 under par or at the par level. Make sure to read this guide if you want to achieve an average golf score and improve your overall game.