Benchmarks

The average US woman with a Handicap Index plays off 28.8, and nearly half are at 30 or higher. Here is where each handicap ranks for women and the stat line behind it.

You need about a 20 handicap to break 100 in a normal round, and a 15 to do it almost every time. A 25 gets there on a good day. Here is the stat line of a golfer who shoots in the 90s, next to every level from scratch to 30.

Eight apps that calculate real strokes gained, compared on price, hardware, categories, platforms and the one thing that changes your numbers most: which benchmark you are measured against.

You need about a 5 handicap to break 80 in a normal round. A 7 to 9 does it on their best days. Here is the stat line of a golfer who shoots in the 70s, next to every level from scratch to 30.

A scratch golfer averages 74 to 76, not par. Here is the stat line behind a 0 handicap, side by side with every handicap from 5 to 30.

A scratch golfer makes almost nine birdies for every double bogey. A 15 handicap makes thirteen doubles for every birdie. Here are birdies and doubles per round from 0 to 25, with the rest of the stat line next to them.