How low could someone go?

If I was to stop work and be able to play and practice 4-5 days a week. I am confident I could get down to scratch within 12months. Now if anyone fancies pay rolling my scratch aim let me know.
 
HomerJSimpson said:
If there was access to regular coaching, especially in the short game then it could happen but as other examples have shown, single figures would represent a good return for the years work
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Agree with this. Once you've practiced enough to be at the level of being near or on most greens in regulation, your handicap is almost entirely a short game rating. To have the time available to work out how to hit each of your wedges in, say, 5/10 yard intervals would bring most people's flying down.
 
user2009 said:
It's all down to natural talent, no matter how hard and long you train you need a natural talent for the game to stand a chance. If I quit my job and concentrated full time on golf for 5 yrs I might make a 15 handicap tops, I just haven't got the talent. I used to do a lot of running but no matter how hard I trained (and I did train hard) I was nowhere near being a top athlete, good club runner yes but I didn't have the talent to make it to the top. It's the same throughout all sports throughout the world, the talent gets identified at a young age(with the very rare exception) nurtured, developed and coached to the top, you can't just decide one day to train like mad and become the best.
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Its not all down to natural talent at all imo. You might need some to be world class at something but you can be very good at something if you work hard at it. Most of it in my view is down to belief, confidence and hard work.

I hate people saying i cant do this or i cant do that. Why cant you do it? Nobody drops out of their mums backside with a golf club in their hand.

If you dont believe yourself you can do something then you may as well throw the towel in right now.
 
Single figures would be easy. It can't be that hard in the first place, as I'm there now.

Scratch? No. Not for most golfers, unless you're young, and sporty. Most golfers I meet are neither.
 
Nashy said:
If I was to stop work and be able to play and practice 4-5 days a week. I am confident I could get down to scratch within 12months. Now if anyone fancies pay rolling my scratch aim let me know.
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Ok. I will. Let me know how much money you would need over 12 months and I'll sort it out.
But ... if you do not have an official scratch handicap within 12 months you have to pay me twice the amount.
 
Keeno said:
What's your views on it then? I think its a fairly valid point.
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Where to start?
there are so many factors you would have to take into consideration to determine whether an individual playing off 22-25 could get to scratch or not.

Isn't Michael Phelps doing something like this on the Hank Haney Project and didn't he start off around 20?
He has time on his hands, is an athlete (a very dedicated athlete) and is having professional coaching - maybe he will prove the very precise theory of 'only getting to 8/9' wrong.

Never say never and all that.
 
I see what your saying, but the question started as "an average player starting at 22-25". To me average would be an adult who currently plays a couple of times a week and has been playing for a few years. Playing for a prolonged period of time and having a hc at that level, in my opinion they have no chance.
 
If we're talking a 22-25 h'capper who has been playing of that mark for several years and is a regular golfer, they would do well to get to Cat 1, I would say getting to single figures would be an achievement.

For me personally, I think I would struggle to reach scratch from 6.5 in a year. You really can't underestimate how hard it is to go from 5 to scratch when you're only getting cut 0.1 per shot.
 
Keeno said:
I see what your saying, but the question started as "an average player starting at 22-25". To me average would be an adult who currently plays a couple of times a week and has been playing for a few years. Playing for a prolonged period of time and having a hc at that level, in my opinion they have no chance.
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I dont agree with somebody starting off 22-25 couldnt get lower than 8-9 as you mention a bit earlier in thread but i have to agree the chance of getting to scratch are very remote unless they are still fairly young.

Getting through CAT1 to scratch looks a massive ask on paper never mind the skills involved.
 
JustOne said:
Approx 12 GIR would see you off scratch.
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If only it was that simple, last 4 rounds I've hit 14,12,12 & 11 GIR and the best I have shot is +5. Something is telling me my short game & putting isn't too good.

I dare say with a year off though and unlimited practice I could be off scratch quite comfortably. Back when I was a junior I had a crap swing but had a great short game and putted well. I used to practice a lot around the greens back then but now I can't find the time I have to rely on my long game to get me round.
 
SimonC said:
If only it was that simple, last 4 rounds I've hit 14,12,12 & 11 GIR and the best I have shot is +5. Something is telling me my short game & putting isn't too good.

I dare say with a year off though and unlimited practice I could be off scratch quite comfortably. Back when I was a junior I had a crap swing but had a great short game and putted well. I used to practice a lot around the greens back then but now I can't find the time I have to rely on my long game to get me round.
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12 GIR should see you with a birdie or two. That leaves 6 holes and you are 2 under. Of the remaining 6 greens that you miss you should get up and down three times (50%) that leaves 3 holes and you are two under.... if they're bogies then you're looking at approx 1 over par. More on a bad day, better on a good day... like I said, approx scratch. A tour pro would be looking to hit 14 geens every time, leaving only 4, with which they would get up and down 3 times out of the 4 (75%), just rough figures.
 
HawkeyeMS said:
If we're talking a 22-25 h'capper who has been playing of that mark for several years and is a regular golfer, they would do well to get to Cat 1, I would say getting to single figures would be an achievement.

For me personally, I think I would struggle to reach scratch from 6.5 in a year. You really can't underestimate how hard it is to go from 5 to scratch when you're only getting cut 0.1 per shot.
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I think you've misread the question Hawkeye, it's not whether you could get that low FROM your current HP, it's whether after 12 months you put in 3 new cards and reached that level. Obviously going from your existing HP in stages it would be a whole heap harder, but tearing your HP up and keep playing and then after 12 months entering 3 cards, well thats a whole different ball game :-)
 
JustOne said:
12 GIR should see you with a birdie or two. That leaves 6 holes and you are 2 under. Of the remaining 6 greens that you miss you should get up and down three times (50%) that leaves 3 holes and you are two under.... if they're bogies then you're looking at approx 1 over par. More on a bad day, better on a good day... like I said, approx scratch. A tour pro would be looking to hit 14 geens every time, leaving only 4, with which they would get up and down 3 times out of the 4 (75%), just rough figures.
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You're right if I go through my last round I made a total hash of a few holes, it took me 4 shots to get up and down on 2 holes so thats potentially 4 shots saved on those 2 holes alone. I also had a couple of 3 putts from approx 20 feet so there's another 2 which would have put my at level par.

It's amazing how many shots you can save in a round just by having a decent short game, hence why the pros are so good. Sure they hit it great but around the greens they are incredible & you only get that with lots of practice.
 
JustOne said:
12 GIR should see you with a birdie or two. That leaves 6 holes and you are 2 under. Of the remaining 6 greens that you miss you should get up and down three times (50%) that leaves 3 holes and you are two under.... if they're bogies then you're looking at approx 1 over par. More on a bad day, better on a good day... like I said, approx scratch. A tour pro would be looking to hit 14 geens every time, leaving only 4, with which they would get up and down 3 times out of the 4 (75%), just rough figures.
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Is there anywhere that has rough figures for GIR, FIR, up and downs etc for handicap golfers? Would be interested to see the figures.
 
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