Golf Scores
If a golfer plays several rounds on the same course, the number of shots taken will vary from round to round. We will investigate golfing performance using a simulation.
In the diagram below, we approximate the randomness of a golfer's score on a par-70 course with a normal distribution.
Different golfers have different ability levels, so the normal distribution is different for different golfers. Better golfers have a lower mean score and usually a lower standard deviation for their score — they are more consistent. Drag the slider to see how the normal distribution for scores might vary according to the ability level of a golfer.
Click on the normal distribution above the value 80 on the axis. (You can drag to the left or right if you don't hit it exactly on the first attempt.) The probability of getting a score below 80 is shown above the diagram. Drag the slider again and observe that the probability of a score below 80 decreases for golfers with higher mean scores.
Models are often expressed in terms of random variables with normal distributions.