Do you believe you can get to scratch?

[srixon 1]

I’ve been Cat 1 in old money since 1995 but never been scratch. Best I’ve been is 1.1. I am now 62 years old with a HI of 2.2 so it’s probably an unlikely achievement for me now. I do have a few sub par rounds a year but just not enough to get me there. My present HI has me -1 off the forward tees though so does that count.

 

[Golfnut1957]

Three of our regular 4 ball have produced predictions/wishes for this year. Our 9.6 HI predicts a low of something better than 8.0, which would comfortably be his best ever. Our 16.3 has plumped for 13, but the reality is he has no idea about how to achieve it.

Me? Currently, 8.8, my lowest was 6.6. Can I get to scratch? Not a chance, heaven knows I've tried, playing, practising, equipment changes, 6.6 is and will probably remain my lowest ever handicap.

I turned 67 a few weeks ago. If I can get down to 8.2 this year I would be well chuffed, anything lower would be brilliant.

One thing in my favour is that my current 20 is top loaded with counting scores and when the season starts I will have quite a bit of leeway scoring wise before any upward movement will occur.

 

[DeanoMK]

When I was a 14 index, getting to 9/10 seemed a world away and almost impossible at times, the jump from there to scratch is monumentally bigger so I would say that there's a 98% chance I don't get to scratch, mainly because I wouldn't ever want to rule it out completely.

 

[Backache]

In my 60's now and would be very happy indeed to get to single figures. I don't think scratch is remotely possible and low single figures (< 5 ) virtually impossible. I think most of my limitations are physical rather than mental I'm highly sceptical of people who claim they could regularly knock 5 shots off most mid handicappers with better course management / mental strategies.
I've come down a few strokes in recent years largely down to improved ball striking.

 

[clubchamp98]

Played off 1 in society golf but lowest official was 3 hcap.
I’m 68 yrs old now and off 7 that’s a decent standard but length is making it harder as I get older.

It’s incredibly difficult to get to scratch and imo it’s more a natural gift than a working thing.
Yes you need to practice but the best players I ever faced were just natural golfers.
Anyone getting there has my admiration .

 

[AussieKB]

Have played off scratch due to the OZ HS (WHS for you)

but should not have a problem if I can put in enough GP cards......

 

[badgergm]

Off 4.1 and hopefully about to retire at 61. Never been off 3 but that’s just about possible I think. Never scratch in a million years. Even though scratch now is a lot easier than it used to be, you still need a lot of talent to get there.

 

[Slab]

Nup, not happening.

I spent a decade playing off a handicap in low 20's/high teens. Playing and practicing each week with a goal to get down to a shot a hole but I missed/wasted my chance to get better years sooner

Now down to 12 I'm already way ahead of what I thought possible and the plateau can't be far away now

 

[Hobbit]

A dream ‘v’ reality.

For many years I believed I was good enough to get there but the reality was I was too lazy to put the hard work in. I could have a full season never shooting above 79, with a good few rounds on or about par but 3 or 4 doubles in the next round. I’d shave a few 0.1’s off but put them back on in the following weeks.

I’ve just looked at a couple of back to back rounds from a few years back. They absolutely sum up my wayward game. A gross 70, 1 under, bogeying the 16th & 18th, both par 5’s that I’d eagled the week before. The round the previous week saw a 41 front 9, 7 over, and a 34 back 9, 3 under, to finish 4 over.

Perhaps one of the worst examples of inconsistency was at a GM meet, one of Smiffy’s Cooden Bay outings. 7 birdies but finishing level par.

The reality is I was never good enough to be scratch because I was too lazy and just didn’t care enough.

 

[Junior]

It’s so difficult.

Looking at the scratch and better players at my club, I think that you either have to start golf young and achieve it whilst you don’t have many other commitments, or you can achieve it later in life if you have the time to practise and play a lot.

For me, 1.8 is my lowest (under whs) but that flattered me. I’ve shot under par 3 times across the last 3 years but I rarely threaten level par. Usually late 70’s dipping into mid/low 70’s.

In my head, if I didn’t have a job and kid to ferry around everywhere then I think I could maybe get to 1 or 2 and then maybe touch scratch, but I couldn’t be there consistently.

 

[Bdill93]

My lowest was 11.4 I think, floating around 15 at present but dont get to play anywhere near as much as I did 3 years ago!

Take into account some day you may have kids - golf takes a back seat.

I've got a single figure ability I'm sure, but Ill never ever be scratch or even sub 5, the levels are just crazy good.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Most unlikely. I’d like to think Medal PH off back tees of 5 is a reasonable possibility…and that would do me fine as it would be my lowest ever (was briefly 6 around 1990) and hopefully not too difficult to maintain with only a reasonable level of practice (and I can, and do, do that).

There are a couple of aspects of my game that are particularly weak and problematic for me…even given my current SF handicap, and if I can improve in these areas then I can see 2-3 shots a round improvement in my scoring (averaged out over my 20)

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Absolutely no chance of scratch. I don't even really think I can get to single figures. Realistically I've always felt that I could get to 12 and then I'd be quite happy with that. Made it to 13.5 a couple of years ago but I've been going the wrong way ever since.

I play once a week, maybe 6 times a month in the summer, plus one driving range visit most weeks. I don't think it's enough to get to single figures. If I could hit 270 yard drives that would give me a chance, but I don't, I'm hitting it 240 at absolute best with the new driver and struggling to keep it in play, so 230 if I want to keep it playable. I just don't see it happening. As I say, 11 or 12 would be a realistic target.

You can easy make SFs Ollie…after all, you’ve seen my SF game and if I can do it and maintain it…

 

[Maninblack4612]

As arthritis takes hold there are more & more places where I can't get to scratch.

 

[Bazz]

Everyone I've ever met who asks my handicap already thinks I'm off scratch, if I know I'll never play with them. That'll do for me.

 

[Golf is fun]

Interesting you say that.
Before turning pro, my scores fluctuated around low 70s
After turning pro, things changed for the better.
I suppose before there was a fair amount of h/cap protection going on towards the end of the round.

''Don't blow up now and ruin all that hard work, I might even get chopped''

After turning pro, there was no h/cap to protect, just the course to attack.
Birdies were £s
Within weeks, with no change to my swing, my scores improved 2-4 shots and were often sub par.
So the game hadn't changed, just the attitude.
It was liberating

I'd agree with this, and the prior statement that it's more mental. I'd also add in that there is a big distinction between "can\could you" and "will you/do you want to". I think a lot of people don't really want to be as good as they can be, it's not always fun and this is just a hobby, so that's fair enough. I also think there is always an element of expectation that we should always trying to be our best, so it's not easy to admit that we don't really want that, and so instead we protect ourselves by justifying why something can't be done.

Me personally, I don't know how good I can get, but I intend to do my best to find out.

One interesting game I sometimes play with my daughter is we play 2 balls and always play the best one of the pair. This gives you a rough idea of your potential, and it can be surprising how much lower than usual you can go with this. Nothing has physically changed in your ability, it's a combination of easing the mental pressure and getting 2 bites at seeing lines/risks etc.. which are all things most people can easily practice and learn.

 

[Tashyboy]

More chance of me winning euro millions without buying a ticket.

 

[Tashyboy]

Re getting to scratch and beyond. Just reading Bob Mac’s post.
When I worked at Thoresby pit I was talking to a guy in the training office. He went to school and was in the same class as Westwood and the guy who became pro at Retford GC. A guy called Craig. A very nice guy indeed. Anyway me mate was saying Both Craig and Westwood were good golfers at school and Craig was the better golfer. It shocked a lot of people that knew them both that Westwood went into become the far better player. I suppose everyone with time and money could get to scratch, but is there that something inside some
Players that gets them that extra something special. I don’t know.

 

[jamielaing]

After a couple of seasons not playing great I am up to 3.8. Lowest was 2.6.

A 2 year old is limiting my practice but there's to be a big push this year. I believe it's achievable for me. Physically I have the game but my head can cause me issues. I've noticed that improving though.

One of the beauties of golf is no matter what your goal is there is always the next one. All those people off scratch are dreaming of plus handicaps and they all started just wanting to be off 18.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Re getting to scratch and beyond. Just reading Bob Mac’s post.
When I worked at Thoresby pit I was talking to a guy in the training office. He went to school and was in the same class as Westwood and the guy who became pro at Retford GC. A guy called Craig. A very nice guy indeed. Anyway me mate was saying Both Craig and Westwood were good golfers at school and Craig was the better golfer. It shocked a lot of people that knew them both that Westwood went into become the far better player. I suppose everyone with time and money could get to scratch, but is there that something inside some
Players that gets them that extra something special. I don’t know.

That's the same with all sports. I've lost count of the number of times a pro, at any sport, has a brother 'that we should all watch as they are better', but is then never heard of again. There is something extra, probably work ethic or mental strength, which separates the very good to the special. You have to have that inbuilt talent in the first place, hard work alone does not get you to that place, but to lift you into the pro game, that takes extra.