Last Updated on February 9, 2024 by Britt Olizarowicz
If you are a member of a club, you must be a great player. Right? That is not the case! The typical handicap of a club member may be higher than you think. As a former golf professional and country club membership director, I can tell you that golf handicaps are all over the map. The sheer fact that you belong to a golf club has NOTHING to do with how good of a golfer you are. I’ll show you how this works!
What is the typical handicap of a club member?
A typical male club member has a handicap of 15. Women golfers are typically higher in the 20-25 range. A 15 handicap is generally a bit lower than you may find as a national average. However, there are some reasons behind this.
Country club members have:
- More access to great practice facilities
- Learning opportunities and game improvement options
- Better pace of play and course conditions
- Dues to pay – so you might as well work on your game!
Golf Handicap Distribution At A Country Club
Country clubs tend to see more lower handicap golfers than a municipal or public golf course may have. Low handicap golfers look at golf as a priority in their lives, and because of that, they join country clubs.
Country clubs get a little competitive, and players work on their game in order to compete in matches against other golfers.
Take a look at this chart of handicap ranges within a typical golf club. About 60% of golfers fall between a 15 and 25 handicap.
Do you have to be an excellent golfer to join a country club?
It is not a requirement to be an excellent golfer to join a country club. However, there are some issues that you may run into if you are not a good golfer and you plan on joining a club.
Pace of Play
If you have a high handicap but can play fast golf, you should be welcome at any country club. Country clubs are strict about the pace of play. I’ve played with some terrible golfers who know how to keep the pace of play moving!
Lack of Tournament Opportunities
Some golf tournaments at a country club will put a limit on handicaps. For instance, they may say events or competitions are for those under a 25 handicap. You’ll still get to play, but you have to play to a 25 handicap.
That can be hard!
I’ve seen this a lot in member member type tournaments. One partner will be a 15 handicap and another a 30. Clubs will restrict the gap in handicaps to 10, making the 30 play to a 25.
No Groups To Play With
One of the most critical parts of club membership is golfing with friends. Country clubs have groups that play together. You often see a Wednesday or a Friday group.
How Golf Handicaps Change From One Club To Another
If you have been around many golf and country clubs, you know that the golfers who play them vary in their abilities. There are low handicap clubs and high handicap clubs. Here are some of the reasons behind why we see this.
Golf Course Difficulty
The most challenging golf course sometimes has the golfers with the lowest handicaps!
Although it may seem backward, the bottom line is that a 35 handicap is not looking to join a golf course that beats them up. It’s not fun to shoot high round after high round with no end in sight.
Some golf courses are considered more member or player-friendly and have easier conditions. You may see fewer bunkers or large areas surrounding the greens; players can just roll the ball up there. These clubs sometimes have higher average golf handicaps.
Culture at the Golf Club
Some clubs are considered golf clubs, and others are more about the entire country club lifestyle.
I’ve worked at country clubs where the golf course was the greatest asset. At these facilities, you will find players that are very serious about the game.
Other country clubs have card rooms, swimming pools, tennis, bocce, and Valentine’s Day Dinner dances. These clubs may not push golf in the same way, and therefore, you’ll see slightly higher handicaps.
Teaching Professionals
Some teaching professionals are Golf Top 100 teachers who foster an impressive learning and development environment. Sometimes, all it takes is a teacher interested in your game to help you drop your scoring.
Clubs like the Club at Ibis that have full golf learning centers and Top Tracer technology on the driving range will have plenty of golfers dedicated to being low handicap players.
Practice Facilities
Everyone thinks of impressive grass driving ranges and Titleist Pro V1 golf balls on the range at a private country club.
This is not always the case!
One club I worked at made the driving range too short. If golfers were up on the forward tees, they couldn’t hit the driver. This won’t be a club where all the best players will join to work on their game.
You’ll find clubs with more extensive practice facilities (and players that use them!) will have lower overall handicaps among the members.
Tournaments and Competitions
If there are games and events to get involved in at your country club, it may spark a competitive interest. Tournaments, club championships, and competitions can get intense at some country clubs.
At a club like this, you’ll see handicaps are a little lower.
Final Thoughts
The typical handicap of a club member should give you a general idea of how serious the golfers are at a club. I would ask the membership director of a golf course you are considering joining what the average handicap of a club member is. They can tell you what type of players you’ll find and if that’s a good match for your game.
