# Time taken to get from 28 handicap to 18



## MrC (Aug 2, 2016)

Hi all

I know it will be different for everyone but just wondered how long it took you to get from 28 handicap or anything close to this down to 18 handicap which is my initial goal)

thanks for any replies


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## turkish (Aug 2, 2016)

I'm at 19.5 and Joined my club in July 2014- didn't hand in my cards until end of that year and was given 28.... didn't officially play 1st medal until 2nd May 2015 and took me a while to get going so stayed at 28 for a while- had my last medal of 2015 in October by which point I was 25.4... then this season have came down from 25.4 to 19.5 and expect/hope to be at 18 by close of season (although my initial aim was 19).

My tips would be- 

1)don't expect too much or put too much pressure on yourself at the start. A lot of your 1st year will be learning your swing but also, and probably more importantly learning your course!!! Knowing where the danger is will help you score enormously but a lot of that will come with experience.

2) Don't play drunk/hungover... I know a lot on here will disagree with this  but from my experience it's a hard enough game with all of your faculties in tact never mind when you are seeing 2 balls instead of one. I think I would have got lower last year but almost all medal I played hungover- this year I have played 1 hungover and shot a nett 82 the week after shooting a nett 62!!!!

3) This is the hardest but try and not put too much pressure on yourself over each shot- you'll just tense up, grip the club too tight and hit horrible shots... at the end of the day its amateur golf- if you hit a horrible shot so what!!! nobody cares.

4) Keep track of where you are leaking shots and work on them the most and if you can afford get lessons- often you are doing things you don't realise. I am guessing you probably leak a lot from the tee like most beginners. If you can't hit driver don't use it til you can, if you can't hit 3 wood go down a club again. BUT always keep working on them as I know people who never hit them and although they get it round it's more a handicap not being able to hit the bigger clubs- being able to hit an 8 iron to a green is always going to be easier to hit a 5 iron so I think it is crucial you work on driver.

good luck!!!


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## patricks148 (Aug 2, 2016)

I didn't start off 28, but hadn't played at all before and didn't even know about handicaps when i joined a club.

Just went out and played and got better every time almost. I did have the advantage of not having to work 9-5 for the first 4 months i started. So could play most days, though i didn't tend to play at the weekends, so missed out on winning an medals and club comps.

2 stablefords a week (wed/Fri) saw me come down from 24 to 12 in just less than 3 months (stuck there for a couple of years though)

Wish i could recapture that feeling again, of just going out and playing and not worrying about how i played or handicap


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## ScienceBoy (Aug 2, 2016)

First handicap was 17


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## patricks148 (Aug 2, 2016)

ScienceBoy said:



			First handicap was 17 

Click to expand...

I think the OP meant down from 28 to 18... not from 18 up to 28:rofl:


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## PCWOX (Aug 2, 2016)

First handicap was 25 - came down to 15 in 18 months.


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## Slab (Aug 2, 2016)

Still on the journey after 6 years (its not all one way traffic though)

Started on basic courses not being able to shoot anywhere near 100 and got down to unofficial 23 in 2 years before moving to much tougher courses and it was like going back to the start in terms of scoring, well over a ton once again. Took what seemed like an age as I rarely get out more than once a week and no credible local practice area, but now down to 21 and looking to get under 20 this year 
(I wonder sometime what my handicap would be on the course I used to play and while I like to think it'd easily be 18 or lower a long time ago the truth is I'll never know)


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## turkish (Aug 2, 2016)

Slab said:



			Still on the journey after 6 years (its not all one way traffic though)

Started on basic courses not being able to shoot anywhere near 100 and got down to unofficial 23 in 2 years before moving to much tougher courses and it was like going back to the start in terms of scoring, well over a ton once again. Took what seemed like an age as I rarely get out more than once a week and no credible local practice area, but now down to 21 and looking to get under 20 this year 
(I wonder sometime what my handicap would be on the course I used to play and while I like to think it'd easily be 18 or lower a long time ago the truth is I'll never know)
		
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It's a valid point my course is quite a tough track which to begin with I hated but it's improved me no end as a player... when I play other clubs I find them a lot easier and shoot under h/c


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## 351DRIVER (Aug 2, 2016)

MrC said:



			Hi all

I know it will be different for everyone but just wondered how long it took you to get from 28 handicap or anything close to this down to 18 handicap which is my initial goal)

thanks for any replies
		
Click to expand...


Started as a junior

year 1  30 to 12
Year 2  12 to 9
year 3  9 to 6
year 4  6 to 3
year 5  3 to 4
year 6  4 to 5
year 7  5 to 4
year 8  4 to 5 to 6  sod this.. i prefer beer to golf it used to be easy

close to 40% of golfers never reach an 18 handicap 
(They may not refer to themselves as golfers, only they are allowed to say they play golf) rules are rules


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## mikeb4 (Aug 2, 2016)

MrC said:



			Hi all

I know it will be different for everyone but just wondered how long it took you to get from 28 handicap or anything close to this down to 18 handicap which is my initial goal)

thanks for any replies
		
Click to expand...

I got from 20.2 to 5.5 in 5 years


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## Curls (Aug 2, 2016)

My regular PP is off 25 and has been for about 20 years. It's only this past year or so that he's played more regularly in comps and is starting to show signs that he might shoot something lower and get to his life long goal of an 18 handicap. He is doing this all on his own terms, no lessons, no advice, he actively turns the other way when someone demonstrates something techincal. He has his own game, full of flaws, but is determined to just play golf and enjoy it without thinking about technique. Will he do it? Hard to say, he could definitely shoot 18 over, but getting to the number will require better than that at least once. 

Moral of the story. It takes as long as it takes but for the love of all that is holy enjoy the journey, there are far too many for whom golf is a pursuit of hopeless frustration. If I could offer one piece of advice it's this - sort your grip out. My buddy has the worst, strongest grip I've ever seen and it is what stands between him and improvement. If you don't hold the club properly you stand little chance of doing everything else in a manner approaching a good swing.


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## kerber0s1983 (Aug 2, 2016)

I started playing golf in March 2014 (aged 30) and went round an 18 hole course (and not the longest at 5800 yards) in around 45 over par.

I started lessons after about 6 months of hacking around and realising golf was the sport for me and various rugby injuries.

I've now been playing for a total of 2 years after taking it seriously and am down to a 17 handicap. I only joined the club last October, and waited until the spring to put my cards in for handicap. So i've effectively come down from +45 to +17 in 2 years

It must be said though in that time, i've had a lesson every 6-8 weeks, play 18 holes at least once a week and am at the range at least once a week working on full swing and probably another 3-4 hours a week working on short game/putting.

I ideally want to get to single figures before the next 2 years are up.


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## woody69 (Aug 2, 2016)

Totally depends how much you can play really. You might never get there unless you have an element of natural ability and if you don't it all comes down to practice. Playing once or twice a month isn't enough.


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## JV24601 (Aug 2, 2016)

Started on 24 then went up to 26 and down to 18 in pretty much exactly 1 calendar year. 
30 years old if you're interested!


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## lex! (Aug 2, 2016)

18 is also my goal. After a long time playing I grabbed the guts to join the roll ups at my club and was given an initial handicap of 27 in July last year. In July this year, a couple of weeks ago, I played quite well in a medal and got another cut to leave me on 18.5, currently playing 19. You have to work really hard and play shedloads, and invest in a good number of lessons from a good pga pro like mine, exploring all avenues of the game. Also having a sympathetic playing partner with whom you can get round regularly is a real bonus.

 I would additionally add the following advice:
1. Get a good grip, your teaching pro will sort this out, I prefer a strong grip.
2. Learn to get off the tee. Getting away a decent drive is something that higher handicappers should spend time working on.
3. Get good with wedges. You might have one in your set, then get fitted for 3 more and learn how to use them.

Best of luck


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## mikeb4 (Aug 2, 2016)

Key to improving is practice and then more practice, but practice the right things.
Get lessons
Get clubs that suit your swing and you are comfortable with
At every opportunity play golf with experienced golfers their hints and tips are valuable
Play twice a week and practice as much as you can, even if it putting in the house it all helps

Lastly enjoy it. and commit to it and you will improve, 

ps watching the golf on sky helps, also and more importantly there is lots of Golf Lessons on You Tube, the Butch Harmon and Tom Watson ones are excellent


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## power fade (Aug 2, 2016)

Had never played Golf before and started at 40 years old as 28 handicap took me 18 months to get to 24, took me another year to get to 20, then another 6 months got me to 18....... so probably 3 years....the first 6 months i spent mainly at the range as i was terrible and could never have gone out on a course to play at that point.

Think if i had started playing younger i could have done it alot quicker....i spent a lot of time trying to pure irons and cream tee shots...best advice is keep the ball in play and if you can chip and putt, you can score well.


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## jusme (Aug 2, 2016)

There are no end of variables that will influence 'how long', many of which are mentioned. General fitness and attitude are but another 2. Took me 2 years and I then got stuck around there. Play officially now of 16 (about to lapse as I rarely play competitive golf and have left my club), but play of 13 in a small league. Without serious work, practice and lessons you are unlikely to fall too quickly much below mid teens. I never have taken a lesson, never go to the range, never practice, never warm up and don't take care of myself. Do not do any of those things if you want to go lower. 

That being said I really think most people can play to an 18 with a basic functioning swing that is half consistent and some course management. (Too many people at high cap level pull out fairway woods on their second shot when maybe they have 200-250 in. My advice - unless you can hit the particular shot you are thinking of pretty well 7 out of 10, don't do it). Find the fairway with whatever club you can 8 out of 10 times, 2 safe irons to or near the green and 2 from their gets you to an 18. Average chipping and putting skills will suffice. Bogey golf is all that is required. 

Work on the tougher shots on the range till your proficient enough (driver, fairways woods and long irons (hybrids) of the deck). Course management is key.


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## HomerJSimpson (Aug 3, 2016)

Lots of factors but my advice would be not to worry. Get out and play as many comps as you can and learn to keep the ball in play and course manage when you go off the mown stuff. It's about learning to score even when you aren't hitting it perfectly. My advice if you are going to practice is focus on the short game from 100 yards and in, chipping and putting and learn to escape from bunkers first time


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## MrC (Aug 3, 2016)

thanks for all the replies everyone - really helpful.

My main reason was to manage my own expectations. I currently playing off 28 although not got an official handicap. The plan is to join a club in January and I had hoped to get to 18 by the end of next summer. Although that may now be a little over ambitious and as has been mentioned the course that I join will have a massive impact on this. I hadn't thought of that before but now that I do there is one local course I can shot 90 or just over and the other course I am always around 100. 

Playing off medal tees may also impact my scores and under competition rules so a lot that I hadn't thought about in detail. I think I will make it a 3 year goal  

thanks again


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## duncan mackie (Aug 3, 2016)

MrC said:



			Hi all

I know it will be different for everyone but just wondered how long it took you to get from 28 handicap or anything close to this down to 18 handicap which is my initial goal)

thanks for any replies
		
Click to expand...

Took me a week, but this particular step will depend on a huge number of factors with experienced hockey and cricket players being examples of those who will effectively jump this step completely (they will have their issues later!).

In my case I was invited up to Edinburgh by my late uncle and we played 1 or 2 rounds a day on various courses (Murray field being his course). I was late teens, very athletic and competitive; played most sports etc

By the end of the week I was playing bogey golf. I knew nothing about swing planes, club head speed, aim point or grain and had a pretty war half set with punched face irons, solid wood (with lead under the sole plates) and a bullseye putter. I just picked a club and hit the ball (hard).

Those were the days.


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## Nobbi (Aug 3, 2016)

It's taken me 4 months to get to 14. First handicap was 24. 
I used to play abit when I was younger, purely nomadic and I guess I would have played to mid 20s handicap but I had some decent rounds around 10 over occasionally. My last 3 rounds I have scored 82. 85. 86 on a par 72 challenging course I have the foundation there to improve I think. Every body is different though. My pp is at 20 with the same experience as me and he's not really improving as fast.
My advice would be to start with the grip. Grip has been the most important thing for me. Getting the right amount of tension and then freeing my wrists up. Everything is easier and smoother. If you can find that right grip pressure, hinge them wrists then everything will fall into place. I have only just started using driver too. 4 irons off the tee are my safe shot. 
For me also... people may disagree.. I like to use shaped shots. I find my baby fade (rh) is a lot more controlled. My natural shot is pretty straight and I can draw the ball if I really need to but my fade is the money shot. 
Also I hit the range at least once a week. And I try to play at least 27 holes a week. 
Never had lessons either.


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