If you typically shoot somewhere between 94 and 100, you’re in good company. According to the National Golf Foundation, that’s where most golfers land over 18 holes. Beginners often score between 100 and 115, while more experienced amateurs average around 96 for men and 107 for women. These numbers only reflect golfers who regularly submit their scores, so they aren’t perfect—but they’re a helpful reminder that the average golfer isn’t out there shooting par.
And yet, if you've ever stood over a 5-foot putt for double bogey with your heart pounding like you're trying to win the U.S. Open, you know how easy it is to forget that.
Golf has a funny way of convincing us that every shot matters more than it really does. One topped drive can ruin a mood. One three-putt can overshadow three great holes. One bad round can make you wonder why you even signed up.
But according to Shot Scope, the average 15-handicap golfer only hits about 5-6 greens in regulation per round. Even good amateur golfers spend most of the day recovering from mistakes—not hitting perfect shots.
Here's the secret:
The fastest way to enjoy golf isn't necessarily getting better.
It's changing what success looks like.
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Because the golfers who keep coming back year after year aren't always the ones shooting under par. They're the ones who found ways to make every round rewarding—regardless of the number at the bottom of the scorecard. So here is how you to enjoy golf more.
Golf is hard. Really hard.
The best players in the world don't hit every fairway. They miss putts inside six feet. They make bogeys. Sometimes they make doubles. If perfection isn't realistic for tour professionals, why do we expect it from ourselves?
For most recreational golfers, a bogey is a perfectly respectable score. So is a double bogey now and then. One bad swing doesn't have to become three bad decisions.
One of the easiest ways to enjoy golf more is to stop treating every mistake like a disaster.
Hit one into the trees? Punch it back into play. Chunk an approach? Laugh it off and hit the next one. Your round isn't over because of one hole.
In fact, some of the most memorable rounds happen because everything didn't go according to plan.
Maybe you watched the sunrise over the first tee. Maybe you made your first legitimate par. Maybe you laughed until your stomach hurt with your foursome.
Those count, too.
One of the biggest misconceptions in golf is that moving up a tee box somehow means you're taking the easy way out.
Actually, you're playing the game the way it was designed to be played.
The USGA and PGA of America recommend choosing tees based on 7-iron distance—not age or gender. The right tee box allows you to hit the clubs you were meant to hit into greens, gives you more birdie opportunities and keeps pace of play moving.
That's more fun for everyone.
If you're constantly hitting hybrids or fairway woods into every par-4, moving forward a set of tees could completely change your experience. Suddenly you're holding greens with short irons, creating more realistic birdie chances and walking off with pars that felt impossible before.
The same goes for course selection.
Executive courses and par-3 courses aren't "beginner" courses—they're confidence builders. They're perfect for sharpening your short game, introducing new golfers to the sport or simply squeezing in a relaxing evening round.
Northern California offers plenty of options, whether you're looking for a championship challenge or a casual afternoon. Courses like Poppy Hills and Poppy Ridge offer multiple tee options so golfers of all abilities can find a setup that fits their game. And the NCGA Course Directory makes it easy to discover courses across the region that match your style and skill level.
Golf gets a lot more enjoyable when you're playing the course, not letting the course play you!
Ask golfers about their favorite round, and chances are they won't start with their score.
They'll tell you who they played with.
Maybe it was the buddy who chipped in from 40 yards. The daughter who made her first par. The coworker who couldn't stop laughing after hitting a cart path. The annual buddies trip where nobody remembers the scores but everyone remembers the stories.
Golf has always been about connection.
If you've been playing alone or only once in a while, finding a regular group can completely change your relationship with the game.
Join a local club. Sign up for a beginner clinic. Play in a casual member event. Invite coworkers for nine holes after work. Walk instead of ride once in a while—you'll be surprised how much conversation happens between shots.
The NCGA offers countless opportunities to meet other golfers through member events, leagues and beginner-friendly programs like Joy of Golf.
The Poppy Hills Club and Poppy Ridge Club also host regular tournaments, clinics and social events that make it easy to find playing partners and become part of a golf community.
Scores fade.
The people don't.
If every round feels like a final exam, maybe it's time to stop taking the same test.
Traditional stroke play is just one way to enjoy golf.
Try a scramble where everyone plays the best shot. Play match play against a friend instead of counting every stroke. Give Stableford scoring a try, where one bad hole doesn't wreck your entire round.
Better yet, invent your own challenge.
Can you play nine holes without losing a ball?
Can you avoid any penalty strokes?
Can you make every putt inside three feet?
Can you hit six fairways today?
Sometimes changing what you're trying to accomplish changes the entire experience.
Or take a page from our NCGA staff an try one of these games you should be playing on the course!
The scorecard is just one way to keep score.
Golf doesn't have to be all-or-nothing. Every round can have its own goal.
Improvement isn't always measured by the number you write at the bottom of your scorecard.
Sometimes it's much smaller—and much more meaningful.
Maybe you escaped every bunker on the first try.
Maybe you only had one three-putt instead of five.
Maybe you hit more fairways than usual. Or your pace of play improved because you made smarter decisions.
Maybe you finally trusted your pre-shot routine.
Those are wins.
Golf improvement is rarely a straight line. Scores can fluctuate even while you're becoming a much better golfer. That's why it's helpful to measure things you can actually control.
Instead of asking:
"What did I shoot?"
Try asking:
Because if you're hitting more quality shots, making better choices and walking off the course excited to play again, you're moving in the right direction—even if your score hasn't caught up yet.
Golf isn't fun because you're perfect.
It's fun because every round gives you another chance to hit one incredible shot. To laugh with your friends. To discover a beautiful course you hadn't played before. To watch your confidence grow one small victory at a time.
Ironically, when golfers stop obsessing over every stroke, they often start playing better. They swing freer. They recover faster from mistakes. They remember why they fell in love with the game in the first place.
So the next time you're standing over that five-foot putt for double bogey, remember this:
You're not playing in the U.S. Open.
You're playing golf.
And that's supposed to be fun.
Join a Club
Find year-round events, friendly competitions, clinics and new playing partners through the Poppy Hills Club or Poppy Ridge Club.
Find Your Next Favorite Course
Browse the NCGA Course Directory to discover courses throughout Northern California that fit your game and your goals.
Become an NCGA Member
Enjoy exclusive green fee savings, a GHIN® Handicap Index, member-only events and a community of golfers who know that the best rounds aren't always the lowest ones.