x
Skip to main content
Golf Logo
InsideGolf Join Now  / Log In
What a consistent golfer *really* looks like, according to data
SHARE
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share by Email
Golf Logo
  • News
    • Latest
      • News
      • Features
      • Shows
      • PGA Tour Schedule
    • Series
      • Tour Confidential
      • Monday Finish
      • Hot Mic
      • Rogers Report
    • Shows
      • The Scoop
      • Subpar
      • Seen & Heard
  • Instruction
    • Game Improvement
      • Driving
      • Approach Shots
      • Bunker Shots
      • Short Game
      • Putting
      • Rules
      • Fitness
    • Series
      • Top 100 Teachers
      • Rules Guy
      • The Etiquetteist
    • Shows
      • Warming Up
      • Play Smart
      • Short Game Chef
      • Pros Teaching Joes
  • Gear
    • Clubs
      • Drivers
      • Irons
      • Hybrids
      • Fairway Woods
      • Wedges
      • Putters
    • Other Gear
      • Balls
      • Shoes
      • Apparel
      • Golf Accessories
    • Series
      • ClubTest
      • Winner’s Bag
    • Shows
      • Fully Equipped
  • Travel & Lifestyle
    • Travel
      • Course Finder
      • Courses
      • Resorts
    • Lifestyle
      • Accessories
      • Celebrities
      • Food
      • Style
      • Betting Advice
    • Shows
      • Super Secrets
      • Destination Golf
  • Shop
    • Shop
      • Clubs
      • Shafts
      • Training Aids
      • Balls
      • Bags
      • Technology
      • Apparel
      • Accessories
      • Our Picks
      • Shop All
    • Collections
      • The GOLF Collection
      • The Birdie Juice Collection
      • The Fully Equipped Collection
      • Shop All
  • Newsletters
    • Sign Up for GOLF’s Newsletters
      • Hot Mic
      • Monday Finish
      • Play Smart
      • Our Picks
      • Top Stories
      • Sign Up for All
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Features
    • Shows
    • PGA Tour Schedule
  • Instruction
    • All Instruction
    • Driving
    • Approach Shots
    • Bunker Shots
    • Short Game
    • Putting
    • Rules
    • Fitness
  • Gear
    • All Gear
    • Drivers
    • Irons
    • Hybrids
    • Fairway Woods
    • Wedges
    • Putters
    • Balls
    • Shoes
    • Apparel
    • Golf Accessories
  • Travel & Lifestyle
    • All Travel
    • All Lifestyle
    • Course Finder
    • Courses
    • Resorts
    • Accessories
    • Celebrities
    • Food
    • Style
    • Betting Advice
  • Series
    • Tour Confidential
    • Monday Finish
    • Hot Mic
    • Rogers Report
    • Rules Guy
    • The Etiquetteist
    • ClubTest
    • Winner’s Bag
  • Shows
    • The Scoop
    • Subpar
    • Seen & Heard
    • Warming Up
    • Play Smart
    • Short Game Chef
    • Pros Teaching Joes
    • Fully Equipped
    • Super Secrets
    • Destination Golf
  • Shop
    • Clubs
    • Shafts
    • Training Aids
    • Balls
    • Bags
    • Technology
    • Apparel
    • Accessories
    • The GOLF Collection
    • The Birdie Juice Collection
    • The Fully Equipped Collection
  • Newsletters
    • Hot Mic
    • Monday Finish
    • Play Smart
    • Top Stories
    • Our Picks
    • Sign Up for All
InsideGolf Join Now  / Log In
InsideGolf

InsideGOLF: +$140 value for $39.99

Join Today
Instruction

What a consistent golfer *really* looks like, according to data

By: Trent Wearner, with Zephyr Melton
February 19, 2025
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share by Email
scottie scheffler hits tee shot at torrey pines during the 2025 genesis invitational

What does consistent golf *really* look like? GOLF Top 100 Teacher Trent Wearner shows us — and explains how you can achieve it.

Getty Images

Welcome to Shaving Strokes, a GOLF.com series where the game’s brightest minds share their tips to help you, well, shave strokes! Today, GOLF Top 100 Teacher Trent Wearner explains what consistent golf really looks like.

Consistency is king in golf. Anyone can get lucky and hit a good shot. What separates the best from the rest is the ability to do it over and over again.

However, that doesn’t mean consistent golf is perfect golf. In fact, the game is so difficult that consistent golf probably looks a lot different than you think.

In the text below, GOLF Top 100 Teacher Trent Wearner explains what consistency really means, according to a variety of data points from Tour pros that he analyzes every year.

What consistency looks like

I have some great scoring charts that I create every year logging scores from PGA Tour and LPGA Tour players. Viktor Hovland’s chart from the 2023 season and Scottie Scheffler’s chart from the 2022 season are shown below. These charts show their ranges of scores from their best to their worst.

chart of viktor hovland's 2023 scores
Viktor Hovland’s scores from the 2023 season. Trent Wearner
chart of scottie scheffler's 2022 scores
Scottie Scheffler’s scores from the 2022 season. Trent Wearner

I make charts like these for a variety of players, and I love analyzing the trends among them. Below, I’ve listed some of my learnings and takeaways from this exercise which can help you learn what consistency really looks like.

5 findings about consistency

1. Everyone has their own scoring chart and there is a median number of all of their scores. That means, regardless of whether you’re a tour pro or weekend warrior, you have a 50-percent chance of shooting your median score or lower and a 50-percent chance of shooting your median score or higher.

2. Much to your chagrin, you cannot shrink your bell curve — at least not year in and year out. Fifteen strokes is the average that Tour players have between their lowest and highest scores. The lowest I’ve seen was Justin Rose in 2018 with 11 strokes. The following year his range was back up to 16 strokes.

3. Tour players tend to shoot their lowest scores just once or twice during the year. This is when all parts of their game are firing on all cylinders, with a few good breaks sprinkled in. It is unrealistic to hit this mark on any sort of consistent basis.

4. They also shoot their highest scores only once or twice during the year. This is when all parts of their game are not working, along with some bad breaks. It’s important to understand that while these rounds do not happen often, they are inevitable. It’s all a part of the natural ups and downs of the sport.

5. When you look at the average score of these Tour players and you compare that to their low score and their high score, unfortunately, their best scores is much closer to their average than their worst. Among pros I’ve analyzed, the average low score is just six shots better than their median, while their high scores is nine strokes worse. This just proves that it’s easier to make bogey than it is to make birdie.

2 key takeaways

So, what should you do with this information on consistency? My advice is that instead of obsessing over shooting your best score — or moping over your worst score — focus on lowering your median score. Tour players aren’t necessarily more consistent (relative to their skill level) than recreational players — they are just a heck of a lot better. That said, if you want to improve, you should look at two very important things.

1. First, evaluate your game and find weaknesses. This might be some low-hanging fruit, it could be finding more distance, hitting more greens in regulation, making a higher percentage of putts or getting your short game sharper.  Whatever it is, focus on trying to improve it on a daily basis.

2. Second, no matter how bad your round is going, do not give up. The handicap system serves a great purpose, but since it throws out most of your worst scores, it is not a true barometer for improvement. What is an indicator of improvement is your average score. Yes, it’s nice to shoot low scores, but lowering your average requires you to raise your floor and not allow bad rounds to get out of hand. Being able to scrape together a decent score when you don’t have your best stuff is a skill that is hugely important if you want to become a great player.

Latest In Instruction

12 minutes ago

Eliminate penalty strokes for good with this clever strategy

4 hours ago

2 keys for playing golf at elevation, according to LIV pros

1 day ago

The secret behind Justin Thomas’ crazy clubhead speed

1 day ago

How a simple grip change can fix your bunker shots

generic profile image

Golf.com Photographer

Related Articles

Instruction
golfer hits shot out of fairway bunker

6 shots amateurs never practice — but they should

By: Tom Stickney, with Zephyr Melton
Bunker Shots
golfer hits shot from bunker with sun shining through the trees in background

This common mistake kills your bunker game. Here's how to fix it

By: Mark Durland, with Zephyr Melton
Fitness
motion analysis from proscreen with student next to it

How high-tech mobility analysis diagnosed this golfer's swing flaws

By: Tom Stickney, with Zephyr Melton
Instruction
One move great players make around the greens

This sneaky 'toe tap' move will improve your chipping instantly

By: Parker McLachlin, GOLF Teacher to Watch
Instruction
golfer in yellow shirts celebrates on green

Simple course-management tips for breaking 100, 90, 80 and par

By: Joey Wuertemberger, with Zephyr Melton
Driving
aldrich potgieter hits a tee shot

Want to hit longer drives? Use this drill to increase your attack angle

By: Steve Bosdosh, with Zephyr Melton
Instruction
eric cole hits balls on driving range at the sentry

4 key ways Tour pros practice smarter than weekend warriors

By: Joey Wuertemberger, with Zephyr Melton
Putting
golf ball on the edge of a cup on a green

This challenging drill will quickly make you a better putter

By: Trent Wearner, with Zephyr Melton
Putting
golfer practices putting drill with putting mirror

This speed-control drill will help you cut down on 3-putts

By: Joey Wuertemberger, with Zephyr Melton
Sign up for GOLF's Newsletters
Get the latest news, the hottest instruction tips, new product releases, golf media insider reports and more delivered directly to your inbox. Choose your favorites now.
Sign Up
Categories
  • News
  • Instruction
  • Gear
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
Services
  • Masthead
  • GOLF Media Kit
  • GOLF Magazine Customer Service
  • TERMS OF SERVICE
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • Opt-out of Ads/Sharing
  • Your Privacy Choices
Social
  • facebook
  • x
  • instagram
  • youtube
Membership
InsideGOLF Logo
More than $140 Value for JUST $39.99

INCLUDES 12 SRIXON Z-STAR XV GOLF BALLS, 1 YR OF GOLF MAGAZINE, $20 FAIRWAY JOCKEY CREDIT - AND MUCH MORE!

LEARN MORE

© 2025 EB Golf Media LLC. An 8AM Golf Affiliated Brand. All Rights Reserved. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy a linked product, GOLF.COM may earn a fee. Pricing may vary.