The handicap system must be engineered to help the average golfer. An entire course or an individual hole can be damned as too difficult for the average golfer. Golf is deemed too expensive for the average golfer.

But the question remains . . .

who exactly is the average golfer?

The answer, which we are happy to supply here, is bound to please tens of thousands of happy hackers. Anyone who views himself as a modest to poor performer is, or at least can easily aspire to become, the average golfer.

A study of the figures from the published handicap boards of four Irish golf clubs, one in each province to take account of weather and cultural differences, throws considerable light on the matter.

A total of 1,299 male golfers have become our laboratory subjects. They have been located on the internet at Ceann Sibeal, Dunmurry Springs, Royal Belfast and Tubbercurry, and can be taken as reasonably representative of the golfers of Ireland.

Here are the basic findings from what amounts to a poll:

just 47 golfers hold handicaps of five or lower. That is just 3.6% of the players surveyed and we can be certain Mr Average is not amongst them.

Then, only 90 of our laboratory pets play off handicaps ranging from six to nine.

That is 6.9%, which means that just 10.5% of players hold single-figure handicaps and that Mr Average is still at large.

A further 29.6%, 384 of our study group, range between 10 and 15. So, with a cumulative 40.1% playing to 15 or better we are still dealing with the elite. But we are getting closer.

Now, an 18 handicap is a magical number. It means the holder has the benefit of a gift stroke on every hole and it looks like our man is hidden somewhere in this region.

He stands just short of the 515 players, or 39.6% of our golfing population, who play off 19 or more and graciously accept two stroke gifts at one or more holes along with whatever bets may be at stake.

Our test group shows 263 players on handicaps 16 to 18. That is 20.3% and it brings to 60.4% the percentage of players operating off 18 or less.

Allowing for an adjustment based on actual scores rather than actual handicap, and assuming that the really high handicappers will expend a lot of strokes, it seems reasonable that the average golfer is just within the top-60% of our golfing population: an 18-handicapper.

So, almost nobody should view himself as a poor golfer.

With some effort, and portions of luck here and there, a significant number of those on a handicap of 19 and above can aspire to become average golfers within a matter of months.