What Handicap Is an 85 Golfer?

Shooting a score of 85 puts you in a special category of golfers. You consistently beat a 90, a major milestone, and are well ahead of the average golfer who struggles to break 100. This article will give you the direct answer about what handicap an 85 golfer typically has, break down how that number is calculated, and most importantly, give you a clear roadmap to take your game into the 70s.

So, What Handicap Is an 85 Golfer?

If you consistently shoot around 85, your official USGA Handicap Index will likely fall somewhere between a 10 and a 13. You might hear golfers in this range referred to as "bogey golfers," which is a badge of honor - it signifies a solid, well-rounded player.

You might wonder, "Why isn't it just a simple plus/minus from par?" If par is 72, an 85 is 13 over, so it should be a 13 handicap, right? Not quite. The official handicap system is designed to measure your potential skill, not just your average score. It does this by factoring in the difficulty of the courses you play and by giving more weight to your best rounds. Let's look at how that actually works.

How the Official Handicap Index is Calculated

Understanding the system is the first step a player takes from being a casual golfer to a serious student of the game. It’s not as complicated as it looks, and getting a handle on it will help you understand your own game on a much deeper level.

1. It Starts with Your Adjusted Gross Score (AGS)

The first thing to understand is that for handicap purposes, you don't always record your actual score on a disastrous hole. The system has a built-in "oops" button called "Net Double Bogey," which sets a maximum score you can take on any hole.

Net Double Bogey is calculated as: Par of the hole + 2 + any handicap strokes you receive on that hole.

For a quick and easy rule of thumb until you have an official handicap, you can use Equitable Stroke Control. A simple version for a bogey golfer is to just take a double bogey as your absolute maximum score. So if you carded a 9 on a par-4, for handicap purposes, you'd write down a 6. This prevents one "blow-up" holes from artificially inflating your handicap and more accurately reflects your typical ability.

2. Your Score is Weighed by Course Difficulty

Not all golf courses are created equal. An 85 at a U.S. Open venue like Pebble Beach is dramatically different from an 85 at your local municipal course. The handicap system accounts for this using two key numbers found on your scorecard: Course Rating and Slope Rating.

• Course Rating: This is what a "scratch" golfer (a 0 handicap) is expected to shoot on a course. If the Course Rating is 71.8, it means a scratch golfer is expected to shoot just under 72.
• Slope Rating: This number represents how much more difficult the course is for a "bogey golfer" compared to a scratch golfer. The average Slope Rating is 113. A higher number (like 135) means the course is significantly harder for a higher handicapper, while a lower number (like 105) means it plays more similarly for all skill levels.

3. Calculating Your Handicap Differential

Once you have your Adjusted Gross Score and the course's Rating and Slope, you plug them into a formula to get a "Handicap Differential" for that specific round. This number represents your performance on that day, on that course.

The formula is:

(Your Adjusted Gross Score - Course Rating) x 113 / Slope Rating

Let's use an example. You shot an 85 on a course with a Course Rating of 71.5 and a Slope Rating of 128.

• (85 - 71.5) = 13.5
• 13.5 x 113 = 1525.5
• 1525.5 / 128 = 11.9

Your Handicap Differential for that round would be 11.9. You do this for every round you play.

4. Finding the Average

Your official Handicap Index is not an average of all your differentials. Instead, the system takes the average of your best 8 differentials out of your most recent 20 rounds. This is the most important part! It reflects what you are capable of on a good day. It's rewarding your potential, which is why your handicap is almost always a few strokes lower than your actual average score.

So, if you average 85, some of your scores are probably in the 81-84 range. These lower rounds will generate smaller differentials, which pull your Handicap Index down, landing it in that 10-13 range.

Breaking Down the Game of an 85 Golfer

Numbers are one thing, but what does the on-course game of someone shooting 85 actually look like? As a coach, this is a player profile I see all the time. It’s a game of solid fundamentals mixed with moments of frustration.

The Strengths: What You're Doing Right

You don't get to the mid-80s by luck. If you're shooting these scores, you are doing a lot of things well. You likely:

• Keep the ball moving forward. You're no longer hitting tons of shots that go sideways into the woods or chili-dipping chips that only move a few feet.
• Have a semi-reliable tee shot. Whether a driver, 3-wood, or hybrid, you usually get the ball in or near the fairway.
• Avoid big numbers... mostly. You might have one or two double bogeys, but you’re not making strings of them that wreck a scorecard.
• Can hit a "pretty good" shot. You know what a pure strike feels like, and you produce it often enough to know what you're chasing.

The Weaknesses: Where the Shots Are Slipping Away

The difference between shooting 85 and shooting 79 often boils down to a handful of frustrating, recurring mistakes. For the 85-golfer, that usually comes from:

• The dreaded "one bad hole." A solid round can be sideswiped by a single triple bogey. It often comes from one bad shot compounding into a second and third bad decision.
• Inconsistent short game. You might get up-and-down once a round, but you also hit that infuriating thin chip across the green or chunk one that goes nowhere.
• The three-putt. A lack of speed control with the putter, especially from long range, leads to three-putts that feel like you're giving away strokes.
• Minor course management errors. This is the big one. Aiming at a tucked pin and short-siding yourself, using the driver on a tight hole when a hybrid would guarantee fairway, or trying a hero shot from the trees instead of punching out sideways. These small mental mistakes add up to 4-6 strokes per round.

The Simple Path from Consistently Shooting 85 to Breaking 80

Getting from the mid-80s to the 70s requires a paradigm shift. It stops being about hitting perfect shots and starts being about playing smarter golf and eliminating unforced errors. It’s less about a swing overhaul and more about a strategy overhaul.

Step 1: Become a Master of Course Management

Your new mantra should be: "Bogey is my new par." When you get into trouble, don't try to be a hero. A punch-out to the fairway followed by a wedge and two putts is a bogey. Trying to thread the needle through the trees often leads to a double-bogey or worse. Play for the center of the green on every approach shot. Sucker pins are designed to penalize you. Beat the course by playing the high-percentage shot, not the spectacular one.

Step 2: Eliminate the Three-Putt

Stop practicing 5-foot putts until you can control your speed from 30+ feet. Most three-putts happen because your first putt leaves you with a tricky 6-8 footer for a second putt. Spend 80% of your putting practice on lag putting, trying to get the ball within a 3-foot "tap-in" circle around the hole. Excellent speed control is the fastest way to slash strokes.

Step 3: Own Your Game from 100 Yards and In

This is the scoring zone. Instead of endlessly hitting a 7-iron on the range, spend half your practice time with a pitching wedge and sand wedge. Learn one D-A-N-G-E-R-O-U-S-L-Y reliable chip shot. Most players find a simple "bump and run" with an 8 or 9-iron is easier than a lofted pitch. Find what works for you and make it feel automatic. Getting your chip to within tap-in range is a skill that will break 80 faster than anything else.

Step 4: Keep the Driver in Play, Not Necessarily Long

Repeat after me: It is better to be 160 yards out in the fairway than 120 yards out in the trees. Analyze the holes where your driver consistently gets you in trouble. On those holes, put it away. Hitting a hybrid or 3-wood off the tee can leave you with a longer approach, but playing that shot from the short grass is a massive advantage and prevents the blow-up holes that keep you stuck in the 80s.

Final Thoughts

Consistently shooting 85 makes you a better-than-average golfer with a respectable handicap in the low double-digits. Making the leap into the 70s isn't about some secret swing tip, It’s a game of strategy, eliminating simple mistakes, and focusing practice time on the areas that truly lower scores - the short game and course management.

Making smarter strategic decisions becomes infinitely easier when you have clear, reliable guidance. Many golfers find it helpful to use personalized coaching tools to navigate those tricky on-course moments. For example, knowing what an expert would recommend on a tough tee shot or how to correctly play a tricky lie in the rough can remove doubt and prevent the big numbers that derail a round. That's why we guide golfers toward smarter, more confident play with tools like Caddie AI, which gives you a 24/7 golf coach in your pocket to help analyze any situation and give you the simple strategy you need to play your best.