What Is My Golf Handicap: If I Shoot 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 105, 110

One of the most common questions in golf is what is my golf handicap.

When two golfers are discussing the game, they will ask one of two questions:

What is your golf handicap?

What is your average score?

My Experience: Recently I purchased the Arccos Smart Sensors and started using the app. One the app it has you to enter your handicap. As you went up and down with various handicaps, it provided a high average score than I would have anticipated.

New Learning: Many people overestimate their handicap because they take their average score and subtract 72 and they think that is their handicap. For example, if a golfer shots 86 typically, they will claim their handicap is 14. This method is not accurate and misleading. It can lead to unfair golf matches if someone has an inaccurate handicap they are using based on their average score.

Key Takeaway: Low-handicap golfers will average a score four to five strokes per round higher than their index.

Golf Handicap topics for today include:

What is my golf handicap?
What is my golf handicap if I shoot 72?

What is my golf handicap if I shoot 75?
What is my golf handicap if I shoot 80?
What is my golf handicap if I shoot 85?

What is my golf handicap if I shoot 90?
What is my golf handicap if I shoot 95?
What is my golf handicap if I shoot 100?

What is my golf handicap if I shoot 105?
What is my golf handicap if I shoot 110?
What is the average golf handicap?

What is the highest golf handicap?
How is my golf handicap calculated?

What Is My Golf Handicap?

Average Score and Golf Handicap Chart

Average Score	Handicap	Range of scores
72	+4	66-80
75	1	70-83
80	4	75-90
85	8	76-94
90	13	82-100
95	18	86-106
100	23	92-115
105	27	95-120
110	32	100-130

What is my golf handicap if I shoot 72?

Your golf handicap would be around -4. This means on your best 50% of rounds, you have a good chance of scoring under par. On average you would score 72.

Keep in mind that many golfers have a range in scores somewhere between 15-20 shots. The -4 handicap golfer might shoot 67 one day and shoot 79 at some point.

The lower your handicap the more fun playing challenging courses!

What is my golf handicap if I shoot 75?

Your golf handicap would be a -1. This means on your best 50% of rounds, you have a good chance of shooting right at par if not a shot below par.

Once again, many people default to taking their average score for example 72, subtracting 72 and thinking they are a 3 handicap. On average, a lower handicap golfer will score 4 to 5 shots higher than your golf handicap.

What is my golf handicap if I shoot 80?

Your golf handicap would be a 5. This means on your best 50% of rounds, you have a good chance of shooting just above par. The golfer with a 5 handicap has potential to play some high quality golf.

This golfer also has some great room for improvement with some speed training (increase driver distance) and short game practice.

What is my golf handicap if I shoot 85?

Your golf handicap would be a 8. This means on your best 50% of rounds, you have a good chance of shooting in the mid to high 70s. The golfer with an 8 handicap is often a dangerous person to play in a match.

The 8 handicap golfer might shoot on occasion right at par and surprise everyone. They often have the ball striking ability and short game to make some noise in a handicap based event.

What is my golf handicap if I shoot 90?

Your golf handicap would be a 13. This means on your best 50% of rounds, you have a good chance of shooting in the low 80s. The golfer with a 13 handicap has started to play some quality golf and can quickly lower his or her handicap.

Many 13 handicap golfers might be senior golfers that once were single digit handicap golfers and now just lack the distance to shoot the same scores. They are dangerous in match play because they often have the short game of a single digit handicap golfer, but just lack enough distance.

Don’t let the island green scare you. Work on your low point control to lower your handicap!

What is my golf handicap if I shoot 95?

Your golf handicap would be an 18. This means on your best 50% of rounds, you have a good chance of shooting in the mid to high 80s. The golfer with an 18 handicap might struggle with consistent ball contact and a volatile short game.

Any golfer with a handicap above 18 can improve drastically in one season. Our recipe recommendation for improvement is to focus on the following areas:

Speed Training to increase driver swing speed and distance.

Low point control to improve ball striking.
Short game practice with time spent on chipping and putting inside 10 feet and outside of 30 feet.

What is my golf handicap if I shoot 100?

Your golf handicap would be a 23. This means on your best 50% of rounds, you have a good chance of shooting in the low 90s. The golfer with a 23 handicap more than likely struggles with all areas of the game.

If they are a newer golfer in his or her 20s and a previous athlete in other sports, they have great potential to improve as they might have decent swing speed already and athletic ability including quality hand eye coordination.

Their main area for improvement will be about striking the ball clean and hitting golf balls frequently.

What is my golf handicap if I shoot 105?

Your golf handicap would be a 27. This means on your best 50% of rounds, you have a good chance of shooting in the mid 90s. The golfer with a 27 handicap more than likely struggles with all areas of the game.

This golfer should hit the range plenty and learn to strike the ball solidly. They can focus on the following:

Low point control (quality of contact)
Starting the ball on the intended target line.
Eliminate the “foul balls” that add plenty of strokes.

What is my golf handicap if I shoot 110?

Your golf handicap would be a 32. This means on your best 50% of rounds, you have a good chance of shooting in the mid 90s. The golfer with a 32 handicap more than likely struggles with all areas of the game.

Oftentimes these golfers need plenty of practice, quality instruction and time spent playing the game. The good news is that many of us were at that point at some point and improvement can happen fast!

Enjoy the outdoors and don’t forget to have fun. Golf is supposed to be fun!

What is the average golf handicap?

For male golfers, the mode of all handicaps is 13 with over 90,000 golfers with a handicap in the 13 range. The next most frequent handicap levels are 12 and 14 with another 90,000 golfers in each category. For female golfers, the mode of all handicaps is 27 with 18,000 golfers in this range. With 26 and 28 being the next most frequently appearing handicap level.

Special Note: 28% of male golfers have a handicap in the 11-15 range with only 3% playing at the scratch level.

Golf Handicap Distribution Chart

Handicap Range	Percent of Golfers
Scratch	3%
1-5	9%
6-10	22%
11-15	28%
16-20	21%
21-25	11%
26-30	5%
31-35	2%
36	1%

Source: The Grint

What is the highest golf handicap?

The maximum level for handicap is 54. However, only 1% of golfers are at 36 or higher.

Special Note: Many high handicap golfers might not keep track of their handicap as they are simply out to enjoy the outdoors or have just started the game.

How is my golf handicap calculated?

Per the USGA Website:

Q. How is a Handicap Index® calculated?

A. A Handicap Index can be calculated with as few as three 18-hole scores. When less than 20 scores are in your scoring record, a fewer number of scores are used to calculate your Handicap Index.

Once you have 20 scores in your scoring record, your Handicap Index is calculated by first averaging the best 8 Score Differentials™ out of your most recent 20 scores. This value may be adjusted due to built-in safeguards that are applied when:

You submit an exceptional score, which is 7.0 strokes or better than your Handicap Index at the time the round is played, or

Your 8 of 20 calculation is 3.0 or more strokes above your Low Handicap Index™ from the previous 365 days.

If either one of those safeguards are applied, it will be clearly identified in your scoring record. (Rule 5, Rules of Handicapping)

How do I lower my handicap at golf?

The golfer should focus on improving in five key areas:

Low point control – The golfer should improve in his or her ability to strike the ball solid.

Start line control – The golfer should improve in the ability to start the golf ball on the intended start line with a predictable curve (draw or fade).
Swing speed – The golfer should train to improve his or her swing speed to increase the amount of distance.
Short game – The golfer should spend at least 1 hour per week practicing chipping and putting.

Game management – The golfer should consider his or her strengths and how to shoot the best score possible by selecting the best shot for the situation which includes the right club and strategy.

One of the quickest ways to lower your handicap is to gain more speed in your swing. There is a correlation between driver distance and handicap level. The information below will help you compare your current driving distance with your current handicap level to see if distance is holding your back.

Handicap and Driver Distance Average

Handicap Range	Median Driver Distance Average
PGA Tour Professional	275 Carry
Scratch	251
0-5	244.6
6-10	231.3
11-15	220.4
16-20	210.3
21-25	201.9
Total Average of 0-25	221

Sources: Arccos and Trackman

What Is My Golf Handicap: Final Thoughts

Many people underestimate their handicap. We never know if this is to try to win more money from you or if they simply try to use the formula of subtracting 72 from their average score. Whatever the case, be aware that a golfer’s handicap is usually lower than advertised. Keep in mind that handicap with the USGA is based on a golfer’s best 40% of their rounds!