[Photo: Muratdeniz]
How good do you have to be at golf to be considered being, well, good at golf?
That question was recently posed by Pro Shop’s Chad Mumm and let’s just say golfers have TAKES on this subject. Lots of takes. His tweet generated nearly 1 million views in 24 hours.
For the record, Mumm, who co-hosts the Vanity Index Podcast, thinks you have to be a plus-2 handicap or better. That means significantly better than a scratch golfer. So apparently, he has (very) high standards. (By the way, Mumm is currently listed as a +1 handicap. Not too shabby.)
At what handicap can you tell people you’re “good” at golf?
IMO it’s +2 or better.
— Chad Mumm (@chadmumm) July 7, 2026
Also for the record, most golfers do not consider themselves good at golf. In fact, our Jerry Tarde recently wrote about how golfers in particular like to point out that they suck.
“And there it is: the universal confession of all golfers,” Tarde writes. “We’re dreadful, we’re terrible. Despite loving the game, we suck at it. Why are golfers as a species so compelled always to proclaim our suckage?”
So it would make sense that even golfers who are better than scratch would still think they’re not good. Anyway, here’s a sampling of some of the many responses to Mumm’s question:
Depends on the audience.
Under certain circumstances, a 10 could reasonably say they’re good, as the average is ~14.
— Used Golf FACTS (@UsedGolfFacts) July 7, 2026
Never. You are never good at golf. There are always both bigger and smaller fish
Except to non golfers, but then I would never base it on handicap. If you have some tournament results, cite something if you need to.
— Will (@freewilllyyyy) July 7, 2026
Nobody who is good says they are good.
— Andy Johnson (@AndyTFE) July 7, 2026
Correct. They just hate themselves for not being better.
— Roberto Castro (@cicioCASTRO) July 7, 2026
Expecting to score 85 or better anywhere/anytime is good at golf. I'm a 10 hdcp and after enough self-flagellation I'm OK being good at it.
Also have run 11 marathons, 100-chip times races, but haven't BQ'd and am good at running after 20 years.— John Bouldry (@fairwayrunner) July 8, 2026
Lololol yeah you should be a top .0001% of golfers before you tell anyone you’re “good” at it https://t.co/AeWQ9PYnZ6
— Conley (@Conley76) July 8, 2026
With all due respect Chad, this is nuts.
If you shoot in the 80’s you are good at golf. But you have to shoot in the 70’s to be referred to as a good golfer. If you can shoot in the 60’s it doesn’t need to be said. https://t.co/R3d8uUmYhm
— Larry @Tom & Marty's (@tomandmartys) July 7, 2026
this is 1% of golfers
so this actually checks out because we all stink at golf https://t.co/dk29nXQCEz
— Cons (@CaptainCons) July 7, 2026
14hcp is GHIN average so probably <10hcp https://t.co/AQE4ghuSJ1
— bryce (@thisisntbryce) July 8, 2026
I don't know the answer to this, but I do know the happiest people in golf are 3-5 handicaps.
Good enough to impress all the randos, break 80 more often than not, but no expectations to break par.
It's the sweet spot. https://t.co/pM3kjnH77Z
— Tweeth Mitchell (@tweeth_mitchell) July 7, 2026
I think you have to have won a major.
— Brendan Porath (@BrendanPorath) July 7, 2026
As you can see, it’s a real “beauty is in the eye of the beholder situation.” Let’s just all agree to disagree on this one.
