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What percentage of golfers break 80? 90? 100? Even Par? – Average Golfer Scores Per Age Group and Handicap Group

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Score percentages chart – 80, 90, 100, or Even Par?

With a game as popular as golf, you would think that most players perform relatively well. Well, if we were eliminating handicaps, the reality is, that most golfers fall under the above 100 range. That doesn’t stop them from going on to the course and having a good time with their friends and colleagues. With that in mind, what percent of golfers break 80, 90, 100, or even come close to or meet par? Here is a quick breakdown on the percentages of golfers who:

Break 80 – 5%

Break 90 – 21%

Break 100 – 55%

Break Even Par – .5 %

This means that 45% of ALL golfers NEVER break 100. The video below is an example of those golfers, strictly for your entertainment. We have all been there! Watch and get a good laugh. 

What percent of golfers break 80?

Breaking 80 is an even more rare accomplishment and benchmark to meet. With less than 5 percent of all golfers breaking 80, the average work and effort to get to that point is incredible. Golfers must diligently play the sport throughout the year to consistently score within this range for anywhere from 10 to 15 years on average. They also utilize the perfect golf warm-up routine for their body.

Golfers that consistently break 80 are among the top in the sport and have something to boast about with their golfing buddies.

golfer trying to break 80 from the rough
Golfer trying to break 80 from the rough

What percent of golfers break 90?

Golfers that continue to better their game past 100 typically see themselves closing in on 90 and breaking it within 2 to 5 years of playing. This takes moderate dedication to the sport and a lot of practice to get to this benchmark.

Using the National Golf Foundation as a source, only 21 percent of all golfers actually consistently score between 80 and 89. This means that over half of the golfers that managed to break 100 never make it to the next benchmark.

What percentage of golfers break 100?

Golfer trying to break 100
Golfer upset after hitting a bad shot trying to break 100

Breaking 100 is the goal of every beginner golfer. It is the first benchmark toward moving away from being seen as a novice golfer. With enough practice and dedication to improving their golf game, a beginner might be able to break 100 in their first season, but that isn’t common.

Golfers that break 100 in their first season typically cannot boast that that is a common thing. Generally, it takes most golfers an average of 1 to 2 years to regularly break 100.

According to the NGF, 45 percent of all golfers never break 100, meaning only 55 percent of golfers break 100 and make it to the first golfing benchmark. With as many people devoting much of their time to the sport, this number is quite surprising.

The other surprising news is that you can easily break 100 quickly by checking out our golf putting tips for beginners and golf chipping tips here. 

What percentage of golfers break even par?

While it’s not definitive, it is estimated that the percentage of golfers that break par is .05. This number is calculated using the USGA statistic suggesting that .92 percent of golfers half a +1 handicap.

To achieve a +1 handicap, the golfer has to regularly meet and break par. These golfers are considered some of the elite players of the sport and are likely participating in some sort of tournament. One of the best ways to do this is to get into a chipping practice routine. 

Meeting or breaking 100, 90, 80, and par requires dedication to the sport. Casual players might be able to break 100, but it takes a pro to be among the top 21 percent that breaks 90 and below.

Curious? What does E mean in golf?

What Percentage of Golfers Have Low, Mid, and High Handicaps

If you are new to the sport of golf or are considering putting more effort into your golf game, understanding how golf is scored and discovering your handicap will change the game. It may turn out, based on your abilities and experience, that you are better at the sport than you previously thought.

So, whether you are playing a friendly round with friends or co-workers or are looking into participating in a more competitive environment, understanding where you stand against the pros and how to calculate golf handicap is the only way to go.

How does the average golfer score?

Golf scores vary depending on age range and experience. You can expect experienced golfers to play a much better game than someone that is fairly new to the sport. When considering the average scores by players age, it looks something like this:

Ages 20-30: 90

Ages 30-40: 92

Ages 40-50: 92

Ages 50-60: 91

This indicates that most players between the ages of 20 and 60 scored 18-20 over par. Unfortunately, this score is largely inflated considering this score is used by compiling data from score aggregate websites where the averages of the scores are reliant on players to input their scores and input them accurately.

The USGA suggests that over 45 percent of all golfers score over 100 each game, which would indicate that aggregate sites are slightly off. So, if you are scoring around the 100 range, congratulations. You are not as bad of a golfer as you previously thought. It is not uncommon for beginner to intermediate golfers to score an average of 4 over par. That means that, even if you are scoring upwards of 140 right out of the gate, you are about where you are to be.

Your score should slowly decrease with more experience. These scores also don’t take into consideration the added handicap you will receive as you start to gain more experience as a golfer.

Discover Your Handicap and Play More Competitively

While you may not be anywhere near compared to the greats, like Arnold Palmer, who has a career average score of 82.559, or Tiger Woods’s average of 73.356, your score can still help you enjoy a more competitive game of golf with your friends or strangers.

With golf not operating like your typical sport, ensuring that you are performing your best as related to your average game and handicap is a must. Play a solid 3 rounds of 18-holes and get your handicap all straightened out. It will help you enjoy your next competitive round with friends that might seem more experienced and skilled at the sport.

Check out how to calculate your golf handicap here. 

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