Going from 28 ish to playing a round in par in a year

[sicknote]

Has anyone done this? I know someone wrote a book about this, I found out when I tried to do it myself and discovered someone beat me to it.

A couple of years ago I started on 28 in January and by August I put in my cards and got a handicap of 9.5

I was on the range and practise green EVERY SINGLE DAY weather permitting, plus I was practising putting for AT LEAST an hour on saturday and sunday. By November I'd played a round of 4 at The Vale Golf Club in Worcestershire (which has a par of 74 interestingly). So all was looking good. Then I tore the tendons in my hand at work and that was the end of that. No golf for 5 months. I tried to see what I could do this year and have just torn the ligaments in my left hand this time. Work has a lot to answer for.

I'm going to try to see what I can do next year. Anyone managed it?

 

[Khamelion]

I've set myself the target of getting from my current 17.1 HC down to single figures in what is now less than 11 months. Like yourself I practice everyday and I have the determination to get there as well.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

We once had a junior who went from 28 to 8 in 15 months.
He gave up the following year.

 

[Foxholer]

Seen item about someone doing it and their blog/pain/journey.

And a Sports Reporter wrote a book (something like 'In search of Tiger' or 'Tiger's Tale' about his experience.

Significantly a huge number of guys that have tried have given up during the journey!

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Setting targets like that is good in some ways but in others I think too much pressure arrives and the golf gets worse with too much pressure

 

[golfdub]

Wow thats good going. Two 17 year olds at my local range both started playing 18 months and one plays of 5 and the other 3....crazy

good luck to you, it took me 2 years to get to 11 from when I first started

 

[JustOne]

I shot under par in my first year.

My first ever round of golf was a 99 and I was told that was a great score for a first time.

I played the next day and shot 108 and couldn't fathom how I'd gotten worse in 24hrs

So I played again the next day and shot 108 again.... I couldn't figure how I wasn't getting any better...... I was hooked (call it obsessed if you will).

I played EVERY DAY after that (for what ended up being 18 months) and managed a round that had 8 birdies and 7 bogies (only 3 pars) for a -1.

Strange looking back at it because nowadays it would be considered something special. Back in those days it seemed no big deal to shoot under par... that was the whole point I was out there playing and it didn't really feel that special... I just kept thinking what the round would have been like if I didn't bogey so many holes



Which club have you joined to get your 9.5 h/cap?

 

[G_Mulligan]

Setting one big, long term target can lead to a loss of motivation if you don't see any progress at some stage. It is best to set shorter 'process' goals such as; practice a set amount of hours, on specific areas of your game, for a set period of time. Set goals and challenges along the way like how many balls can you get up and down out of 10 or chip within three feet, hole 4-5 foot puts etc. and track your progress in these smaller areas.

Have the big handicap reduction as your ultimate aim but don't be afraid to change the time frame if you have any setbacks along the way or move it forward if you find a sudden breakthrough.

 

[CMAC]

Went from 18 to 5 in first season, a swift 40 years later and still there, meh!

 

[TheJezster]

Setting one big, long term target can lead to a loss of motivation if you don't see any progress at some stage. It is best to set shorter 'process' goals such as; practice a set amount of hours, on specific areas of your game, for a set period of time. Set goals and challenges along the way like how many balls can you get up and down out of 10 or chip within three feet, hole 4-5 foot puts etc. and track your progress in these smaller areas.

Have the big handicap reduction as your ultimate aim but don't be afraid to change the time frame if you have any setbacks along the way or move it forward if you find a sudden breakthrough.

His aim isnt a big handicap reduction though, it's to shoot a round at level par, of which he is only 4 off currently. He put his cards in after playing every day for 8 months and now has a handicap of 9.5 but he's not talking about getting that down to scratch (although score well and it will come down), he's talking about shooting level par.

Once the wrists have healed I'm sure it will happen, seems like you are going in the right direction.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Good luck with your goal. Hopefully the injury won't prevent you getting some serious winter work in. If it were me I'd be focussing 90% of my time on the short game now. Clearly you can strike the ball well enough and so it is around the green you'll need to worry about

 

[Deleted member 3432]

Went from 18 to 5 in first season, a swift 40 years later and still there, meh!

A great achievement in itself surely?

 

[G_Mulligan]

His aim isnt a big handicap reduction though, it's to shoot a round at level par, of which he is only 4 off currently. He put his cards in after playing every day for 8 months and now has a handicap of 9.5 but he's not talking about getting that down to scratch (although score well and it will come down), he's talking about shooting level par.

Once the wrists have healed I'm sure it will happen, seems like you are going in the right direction.

Quite right, forget what I said.

Go get them!

 

[mikeb4]

A great achievement in itself surely?

Well done ! Ps I've went from 20.2 to 8.0 in less than 2 years....

 

[big_eck]

coming into golf late in life i honestly thought it was going to be easy i set myself a arget of getting my handicap down to 18 in my first few months...... it didnt happen infact it went the other way, my plan next season is to learn how to golf, how to read greens and just take things slow driver is staying at home from now on and by this time next year i will hopefully reach my 18 HC, just dont think im designed to get to single digits!

 

[stevelev]

His aim it a big handicap reduction though, it's to shoot a round at level par, of which he is only 4 off currently. He put his cards in after playing every day for 8 months and now has a handicap of 9.5 but he's not talking about getting that down to scratch (although score well and it will come down), he's talking about shooting level par.

Once the wrists have healed I'm sure it will happen, seems like you are going in the right direction.

I maybe totally wrong but you are limited to the amount of supplementary cards you can put in in one year. So realistically could only manage 2 maybe 3 cards a week if there are that many comps. Then if he shoots over half his round outside the buffer and a couple of shots under if he is of 8 it will still take a good few months to get down.

Also if he takes a preferred lie then the score really shouldnt go to count. Take every lie as it is, including plugged in the rough. I do hope he does I t, many people have played level par in thr early day (18months )
But to get the handicap to scratch Is so much harder than playing to level par once.

Ogood luck ihope you heal quickly and can grt back to it, when did you first hit a golf ball btw.

 

[shivas irons]

I'm impressed with you guys who knock so many shots off in such a short space of time, as we know golfs not an easy game but its not all practice as to be that good so quickly you have to have some natural ability ie very good hand/eye co-ordination etc.I worked with a guy who went from picking up a club first time to playing off 6 in two years.....

 

[guest100718]

As you say, John richardson has already done the par in a year thing. Numerous other have tried to get to scratch in a year aswell. Most give up within a month or so. Those that dont tend to plateau around 12 ish.