Shooting a 50 in golf means finishing nine holes with a total score of 50 strokes. It's a common milestone for newer golfers and a score many recreational players see on their cards regularly. This article will break down what a 50 really means for your game, analyze where those strokes typically come from, and give you a straightforward, actionable plan to start shooting lower scores consistently.
When you hear golfers talking about their scores, it's typically for a full, 18-hole round. However, many golfers play 9-hole rounds due to time constraints, so a score of 50 refers to the total number of shots taken over nine holes of play.
Most 9-hole golf courses have a par of 36. Par represents the "expected" score a scratch golfer (an expert player) would shoot. This is usually made up of two par-3 holes, five par-4 holes, and two par-5 holes.
So, a score of 50 on a par-36 course is 14-over-par. Let's look at it another way: it averages out to 5.5 strokes per hole. This kind of score usually looks like this on the scorecard:
Shooting 50 means you're not a beginner struggling to just get the ball in the air. You can string shots together, you know the rules, and you can get the ball from tee to green. You're right on the cusp of playing consistently solid golf.
The answer is: it depends entirely on you and your goals. Golf is a personal game, and so is the definition of a "good" score.
If you've only been playing for a few months, shooting 50 is an excellent achievement! It means you understand the fundamentals and are successfully navigating the golf course. It’s a huge stepping stone, and you should be proud of it.
For the average recreational golfer who plays a couple of times a month, shooting 50 is a very typical score. According to the United States Golf Association (USGA), the average handicap index for a male golfer is around 14.1, which translates to a score of roughly 90 on a par-72 course for 18 holes. That’s an average of 45 for nine holes. A score of 50 is just a few strokes away from being a completely average (and respectable!) amateur golfer. You're in good company.
Where this score can feel frustrating is when you've been playing a while and feel "stuck" at this number. Maybe you make a few incredible pars, but one or two bad holes always seem to keep your score in the 50s. If that's you, I've got great news: you don't need a better swing to break 50. You just need a better strategy. Your best golf is closer than you think.
When a student tells me they shot 50, I almost always know where the excess strokes came from without even seeing their scorecard. Turning a 45 into a 50 isn't a death by a thousand cuts, it’s usually caused by three or four very specific, and very fixable, mistakes per round.
Nothing inflates a score faster than penalty strokes. A beautiful tee shot leaks just a few yards right and goes out of bounds. An approach shot comes up short and finds the pond in front of the green. Each of these situations adds at least one penalty stroke, and you still have to hit another shot. A single penalty can turn a potential bogey into a triple bogey. Just one OB drive and one lost ball in a nine-hole stretch can add four strokes to your score by themselves (two for penalties, two for the re-loads).
Nearly every 50-plus scorecard features one disastrous hole - a 9 on a par-4 or an 8 on a par-5. This “blow-up hole” feels like an anchor on your score for the rest of the day. It usually starts with a bad tee shot that finds the trees. Then, instead of wisely punching out back to the fairway, we try the "hero shot" - the one-in-a-million shot through a tiny gap in the trees. When that shot hits a branch and goes deeper into trouble, the hole has "blown up." It’s a compounding of one mistake with a poor decision.
This is arguably the biggest culprit. The area from around 50 yards and in is where good scores are made. For a 50-shooter, it's where scores are ruined.
Ready for the game plan? The goal here isn't perfection, it's management. We're going to eliminate big mistakes and play smarter golf.
Forget about making birdies for now. That is not your path to breaking 50. Your path is to eliminate doubles, triples, and worse. Think about this: if you made a "boring" bogey on all nine holes of a par-36 course, you would shoot a 45. That blows your 50 out of the water!
Your new goal is to make every hole a bogey at worst. This mental shift is immense. When you stand on a scary tee box, your mission isn't to blast a drive into birdie position, it’s to just get the ball in play to give yourself a chance at a bogey. It takes all the pressure off and simplifies your T-to-green plan dramatically.
The "blow-up hole" almost always starts with a poor decision on the tee box. The single most important job of your tee shot is to set up your second shot. That's it.
Stop aiming at the flag. Period. Unless you are a professional tour player, you shouldn't be "pin seeking." Tucked-away flags are a sucker's bet, almost always protected by deep bunkers, water, or steep-sloped runoff areas.
Your new target on every single approach shot is the center of the putting surface. Aiming for the middle of the green builds in a huge margin for error. If you pull it slightly, you're on the left side of the green. If you push it, you're on the right side. If you hit it a little thin, you're on the front of the green. Any of these is better than being in the sand. A 35-foot putt from the middle is much simpler than a delicate bunker shot.
To really crush the 50-barrier, you need two reliable shots around the green. Not a dozen fancy Seve Ballesteros trick shots - just two repeatable ones.
Your mission on any putt outside of 10 feet is NOT to make it. Your mission is to get it inside a three-foot circle around the hole. This eliminates three-putts. Here's a simple drill:
Trying to hit a high, soft, floating wedge shot with tons of spin is hard. For now, let's learn one simple, predictable chip shot.
This shot will come out lower, with less spin, and will roll out more. It is predictable and much harder to chunk or thin than a fancy flop shot. This repeatable motion will get you on the green and eliminate wasted strokes a chipping area.
Shooting a 50 on nine holes is a significant stage in any golfer's development, but breaking through that barrier doesn't ask for a new, perfect swing. By making more thoughtful decisions on the course, managing your game from tee to green, and putting your focus on eliminating costly mistakes, you can turn those 50s into 45s faster than you think.
Having a plan is one thing, but making those smart decisions in the heat of the moment can be tough. That's why we built Caddie AI. If you find yourself on a tricky par-4 unsure of the play, or you're looking at a weird lie in the rough and have absolutely no idea what to do, it offers you instant, simple strategies and shot advice. Think of it as having your own expert caddie right in your pocket, taking the guesswork out of your round so you can play with more confidence and focus on hitting great shots.
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