18 to scratch ?

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walliams8

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Never had an official handicap but Maybe 18 is being a little harsh on myself at the moment . My last 2 rounds have been +11 +14.Never had a handicap but have always played to 18 un officially until recently when my game has come on drastically over the last few months .
Recently got the bug , been having lessons for the past few months now . Joined a course for the first time this month , found myself playing pretty much every evening and weekend when possible . I have a little bet that if I can ever beat my mate (ex pro ) gross score he is paying for flights to the USA .

So my question is , just how much practise is required ? There is no real time limit , however being 27 and the missus wanted to get married and have a family I fear I will run out of time to get low enough to give him a challenge .
I've been playing golf long enough to know how hard this sport is to get even close to scratch so know it's not something I can do by just playing every day .
My lessons are going to continue , as the guy has put his faith in me to help me as much as he can and believes with enough effort I can do it .
what would you guys do out on the course ? Would you do whatever you feel like doing or try and set specific days for certain things ?
Any advice would be appreciated 👍
 
it's not just a question of time

statistically 1 person gets there for about 1000 playing the game (at clubs with handicaps); but a significant proportion of those who 'make it' start in their mid teens or younger.

of course it can be done, and you may do it, but don't make yourself miserable, broke, divorced etc trying!
 
duncan mackie said:
it's not just a question of time

statistically 1 person gets there for about 1000 playing the game (at clubs with handicaps); but a significant proportion of those who 'make it' start in their mid teens or younger.

of course it can be done, and you may do it, but don't make yourself miserable, broke, divorced etc trying!
Click to expand...

Interesting stat ! I'm not going to get myself worked up over attempting it , nor am I going to rush .

I understand how tough it really is .... I don't doubt myself but realistically know if I get down to low single figures it will have been a fine effort , and more importantly you can still beat a scratch golfer on your day if your a low handicapper !
 
walliams8 said:
Never had an official handicap but Maybe 18 is being a little harsh on myself at the moment . My last 2 rounds have been +11 +14.Never had a handicap but have always played to 18 un officially until recently when my game has come on drastically over the last few months .
Recently got the bug , been having lessons for the past few months now . Joined a course for the first time this month , found myself playing pretty much every evening and weekend when possible . I have a little bet that if I can ever beat my mate (ex pro ) gross score he is paying for flights to the USA .

So my question is , just how much practise is required ? There is no real time limit , however being 27 and the missus wanted to get married and have a family I fear I will run out of time to get low enough to give him a challenge .
I've been playing golf long enough to know how hard this sport is to get even close to scratch so know it's not something I can do by just playing every day .
My lessons are going to continue , as the guy has put his faith in me to help me as much as he can and believes with enough effort I can do it .
what would you guys do out on the course ? Would you do whatever you feel like doing or try and set specific days for certain things ?
Any advice would be appreciated 
Click to expand...

If you can play a round in +11 there is no way you would be 18 handicap.
 
Jake O'Reilly said:
As I read it you could shoot +7 and win this bet if he shoots +8? So my advice would be keep having lessons and practice, and then get in his head as much as possible on game days :rofl:
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I'm already getting in his head 👍👍

Ive always played to 18 and it's always been a fair reflection . It's only recently since I've started having lessons and put hours in down the range that I have started to score better .
 
I have observed over many years that there seems to be a "wall' at about a 5 h'cap. Only a few can "take it lower and indeed on to scratch" after reaching Cat 1. But anyone who has a little flare for games can, with effort and in due consideration, get their h'cap to low single figures. As mentioned earlier it is very possible to outscore your pro friend from there. Suggest you get a visa sorted soon!!
 
13Aces said:
I have observed over many years that there seems to be a "wall' at about a 5 h'cap. Only a few can "take it lower and indeed on to scratch" after reaching Cat 1. But anyone who has a little flare for games can, with effort and in due consideration, get their h'cap to low single figures. As mentioned earlier it is very possible to outscore your pro friend from there. Suggest you get a visa sorted soon!!
Click to expand...


👍

Exactly my thoughts. I think with the right desire and commitment anyone can get down to 5/6/7 and from there just catch him on a bad day .
 
walliams8 said:
When I shot +11 I left nothing out there, one of them rounds where everything dropped !
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Doesn't really matter. If that was the round you submitted your card for your handicap against you would be playing off 11 (assuming it wasn't less due to double bgy adjustments).

When you mention in another post that 18 is a fair reflection, what are you basing that on? As in you usually score around 18 over par for a round? because if that is the case, again - you're not an 18 handicap. You're better than that and what some people (not me) call a bandit :)
 
woody69 said:
If you can play a round in +11 there is no way you would be 18 handicap.
Click to expand...

Not necessarily true - my best non-comp round this year so far is a 78, +9 and I'm currently off 16, lowest ever of 15.1.

And I play EVERY weekend comp at my club, and there is normally 2 per weekend. I would love to get lower than 16 but can't quite seem to avoid the 2 or 3 crap holes per round which are stopping me coming down at present.
 
walliams8 said:
👍

Exactly my thoughts. I think with the right desire and commitment anyone can get down to 5/6/7 and from there just catch him on a bad day .
Click to expand...

This makes huge sense and is the correct perspective.

Last time I looked, at a huge number of clubs the number of golfer off a playing handicap of 5 >= the total of all those below 5. The gap between 5 and 4 is huge.
 
HawkeyeMS said:
That's what rounds should be like when you play to an accurate handicap.
Click to expand...

Surely that only applies if you shoot a round like that in a comp? I've shot 2 rounds WAY under my current handicap in the last 12 months, sadly both of them in bounce games. Haven't managed it yet in a comp.
 
woody69 said:
Doesn't really matter. If that was the round you submitted your card for your handicap against you would be playing off 11 (assuming it wasn't less due to double bgy adjustments).

When you mention in another post that 18 is a fair reflection, what are you basing that on? As in you usually score around 18 over par for a round? because if that is the case, again - you're not an 18 handicap. You're better than that and what some people (not me) call a bandit :)
Click to expand...

Purely basing it on the face my average is somewhere around 18 over ...why would that not be an 18 handicap ?
 
walliams8 said:
Purely basing it on the face my average is somewhere around 18 over ...why would that not be an 18 handicap ?
Click to expand...

no that's a common misconception> When you put your cards in for handicap its the best score that equates to your handicap not the average.
Handicap is supposed to show your potential on a good day not an average round.
 
ger147 said:
Surely that only applies if you shoot a round like that in a comp? I've shot 2 rounds WAY under my current handicap in the last 12 months, sadly both of them in bounce games. Haven't managed it yet in a comp.
Click to expand...

Not really, If you're capable of shooting under your handicap then you're capable of shooting under your handicap. But then I don't subscribe to it being harder in competition theory. Whenever I play to my handicap, I have to play well whether it's a comp or not. My PB is the same for both and I don't treat either differently.
 
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