Golf Challenge

[Bunkers]

Hi guys,

I'm an new member to the forum so please forgive me if this has been discussed to death.

I have just finished reading "Dream On" by John Richardson and i really got me thinking if it would be possible for me (17 handicapper who has never broken 80!) to play 1 par round within a year AND become a single figure handicapper!

I've got a full-time job (50hrs week), wife and family life to contend with and only manage about 2 games a week.

What do you think my chances are of achieving this in the next 12 months? (Starting 1/9/09) Any tips or suggestions (other than getting divorced!!)

Cheers

 

[freddielong]

Given modern equipment and the fact that you already play of 17 I would think this is easly do able - work on your short game and your putting like mad - keep stats look at the shots that are hurting you and get rid of them.

 

[grumpyjock]

If you can play every week and practice on a regular basis, why not all it takes is the effort.
Note which shots let you down and correct them.
Have an intresting year.

 

[Mike_j_golf]

Hi,
Plenty of pratice and find a course with no bunkers trees water or out of bounds that is a short par 72 wit hflat greens and yes you could do it.
Mike

 

[birdieman]

You'll probably get worse or injured unless your practice is constantly monitored professionally.

A lot of golf ability is god-given, some people just can't make scratch i.e 99% of us.

Good luck trying!

 

[birdieman]

Hi,
Plenty of pratice and find a course with no bunkers trees water or out of bounds that is a short par 72 wit hflat greens and yes you could do it.
Mike

SSS would be 62!

 

[RGDave]

What do you think my chances are of achieving this in the next 12 months? (Starting 1/9/09) Any tips or suggestions (other than getting divorced!!)

Cheers

Hard to say. A lot depends on peoples idea of dedication. If you can get your life organised enough to fit in hours of practice every day, why not?

If you have the natural ability of a 10 h'cap then it'll never happen. If you have the potential of a scratch player, maybe.

I'd say the odds were stacked against you on this one. I've been working very hard now for many months, preferring to practice rather than play. I've had a few very helpful lessons and feel that my old habits are nearly all fixed.

i.i.r.c. I've managed to string together quite a few series of holes where I've been in with a shout of playing to level. Over 18?..forget it..

I wish you luck though. In my opinion it's a win-win for you. Whatever happens, you'll be better at golf and can look forward to many years of enjoying the game as a better player.

 

[Yerman]

Let's be honest, no way Jose.

 

[sawtooth]

I think its possible to break 80 in year if you play twice a week minimum. I play of 13 and thats the lowest I've been but I have broken 80, my personal best being 74 gross in competition, and then several late 70 scores over the years.

I would set yourself a target of breaking 80 first, off 17 that should be achievable in a year if you are really determined to put in the effort.

Then I would say you need to consistently break 80 before your ambition of a level par round is reachable. Having left the game alone for a many years I am now trying to find my game again, my personal target is to match or better 74.

You should get a lesson to make sure that you will be practicing and grooving in good habits not bad ones.

For instance to be as consistent as it would take to shoot level par even once your swing has to be solid. My personal view is that you can't cut corners, you need to get the basics absolutely right, a good conventional grip, a short as possible backswing, smooth rhythm and with as few moving parts as possible. Otherwise I just dont think it will be repeatable enough.

I also heard about this book I think I need to buy it!!

 

[drawboy]

I did it, years ago, I played South Leeds GC to par, 14 pars 2 birdies and 2 bogeys playing off 15 handicap, they took 5 shots off of me.It can be done. Oh that once in a lifetime feeling.

 

[USER1999]

Don't forget the mental side either. Technique and practice will only get you so far. For me, it is the 6" etween the ears that is the problem, not the golf.

 

[BushFinder]

I read this book too, and would definatley recomend it as a good read! It's not too heavy, and serves as proof that 'where there's a will there's a way'

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I haven't read the book but think there were posts by the guy on here when it came out with links to his website. I guess off 17 you have some potential but everyone has a natural plateau and I guess it depends where yours falls.

For what its worth I don't think its possible given the demands from your family and job but it depends how much time you want to give over to practicing. I would have thought you'd need to find a decent coach you can get on with and understand and implement quickly the fixes he gives you, an accommodating range somewhere, ideally with a bay you can use that is quiet so you can really focus and access to a course to put your practice into a game situation.

My advice would be to have an assessment lesson somewhere and see how much needs fixing with your swing at this stage. If the foundations are solid I guess you'll need to draw up some sort of practice schedule and focus a lot on the short game.

Either way I wish you luck and look forward to hearing how its going.

 

[Macster]

"I've got a full-time job (50hrs week), wife and family life to contend with and only manage about 2 games a week."

To be brutal, you're doing very well already to get 2 games in a week.

In my opinion, if you have kids, and they're young, they are your priority, and to take on a task like this would be selfish and harmful potentially, your kids are only young once.
Now mine are 16 & 18, I'm playing more than ever, and loving every minute as I try and reach my own goal of Single stats.
However, whilst playing to 8/9 & 10 is fairly good, playing to 'Scratch' is in a different stratosphere believe me.
Its not about being able to string that elusive 'magic' round together to prove you can do it, which I did once to +2, ....to get to Scratch you'll have to shoot under every time, and as the pressure intensifies, your obcession will too, and you will become intolerable, and irritable at home, and to achieve what you suggest WILL affect your home life.

Oh, and I dont believe you'd have a hope in hell anyway.

 

[Region3]

I'm going to go against general opinion here and say yes, even with swing flaws.

When I was 17 (ish) I played 4 or 5 days a week during the summer holidays. My handicap was 10 at the time (as low as I had been) and even with the bad grip and swing flaws (which I've only recently had pointed out to me) I was playing so much that I was becoming very consistent, presumably compensating for the flaws, but had a very repeatable (if not quite right) swing.

Anyways, one day I was playing with 3 of my mates, just enjoying the day and not worrying about chasing scores or any kind of competition between us, and realised standing on the 15th tee that I was 4 under par gross!
Realising that I was doing so well I started to think about the score and the wheels well off a bit and I dropped 3 shots in the last 4 holes, but still finished on what is still my best ever score.

After all that I say go for it if you have the time and your wife is understanding.

It's not about creating the perfect swing, but just one that is very repeatable and you know what the ball is going to do.

Good luck.

 

[Region3]

Looking back at other posts now after making mine, it looks like some people think the target is to get to scratch.

Unless I've misread it the target is get to single figures and shoot par or better just once.
That is what I'm saying is do-able, getting to scratch is not.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I thought the objective was like the original guy was to one sub par round and not becoem a scratch golfer. Even that will be mighty hard and need a lot of work and dedication and to a degree I agree totally with ChrisMc and think that if your kids are young it may be a bit selfish given the amount of time you will have to dedicate.

That said I think we all have that one magic round in us. Its a question of whether your magic round is a sub-par one or whether 2 or 3 over is as low as it goes. Either way an intersting challenge

 

[Ken_A]

I dont know - with my ability you have no hope - with my mates natural ability then it may be possible - you will need a good coach and as Richardson found out a lot of it is mental pressure, so get some 'head help'..

Good luck - keep us posted.

 

[Bunkers]

Cheers guys,

The original challenge that i've set myself is to reduce my handicap to single figures (happy with 9.4!) from starting point of 17.1 and in addition play at least one par round during the year.

To clarify, i don't have any kids and my wife has a similarly time consuming hobby (marathon running)...essential marriage maintenance time

I think if i can play 2 full round per week, work at the range 2-3 times a week and continue with the lessons every 6 weeks then this just might work out...i'll let you know!

 

[JustOne]

With no kids the world is your oyster, as long as you buy the missus lots of flowers when applicable.

I'd say it can be done depending on how your physical shape is, whether or not you have a modicum of hand/eye co-ordination to start with, how much time you have available and the sternness of your resolve.

You'll need to live, breathe and eat golf for the entire year. 18 hours per week practicing and 2 rounds per week and you might come close (in my opinion).