How quickly should you get to 18 handicap after taking up the game?

[ColchesterFC]

Amazed how many times, from a similar position, a high handicap PP/FC will take on a much riskier shot that I would or than is really necessary. Perhaps because they get a lot of shots, and expect to have blow ups, the risk reward calculation is different.

Or possibly because the higher handicap player is playing the game to enjoy it more than the lower handicap player and really doesn't care too much about their handicap. On a Par 5 if I was faced with a risky 3 wood second shot that would get me on the green 20% of the time or 2 x 9 iron shots that would get me on the green 75% of the time I'd go for the 3 wood every time.

I think a lot of people focus too much on their handicap and getting it as low as possible rather than the fact that for 99.9% of golfers we play the game for enjoyment and not because we are trying to make a living from it. On two consecutive holes today I was in the middle of the fairway with a 7 iron and PW in my hand. Both times I ended up in a greenside bunker. On one of the par 5's I hit a decent drive and decided to go for it with a 3 wood for my second shot. Absolutely nailed it and ended up on the green.

In a few weeks time I will have forgotten the two shots that left me in the bunkers but will still remember the shot that left me an eagle putt and that is why I play this stupid game.

 

[Bound by convention]

Perspective ... I have played golf (weekly, depending on the weather) for nearly 2 years, now.
I'm not a member of a club. I, with a couple of friends, hack round a (short) 9 hole course a couple of times on Sat mornings. It costs us a tenner each. I've been at the range maybe 8 or 9 times, and have yet to have a lesson.
Sometime we feel the need to play a "proper" course, and go across the road to the just-shy-of 7000 yds 18 hole version.
Over the 2 years of playing, I have birdied all of the holes on the 9 hole course (no par 5, and longest par 4 is just over 310 yds). But ... stick me on the "big" course and I can say goodbye to 6 or 7 (on occasion, more) balls, and a score that has always been in 3 figures!
Sometimes I can play a shot of which a professional would be proud. On other occasion, you'd think that I'd never held a club before!
Golf is a HARD game.
Sometimes when people get proficient at, well ... anything,really, they forget what it was like initially.
Now, it's not that I'm totally useless at sports. If that were the case, then it could well be seen as a heads-up as to my golfing ability.
I swam for school, I played football for school, I played table tennis for school. I competed on motorcycles to a reasonable level. I play squash in a couple of leagues (hand/eye co-ordination, right?), but damn, golf is a HARD game.
So, in closing, I really doubt that a handicap of 18 is attainable for everyone who pick up a golf club.
Did I mention that I think it's a difficult game? :funk::funk:

BBC

 

[delc]

Perspective ... I have played golf (weekly, depending on the weather) for nearly 2 years, now.
I'm not a member of a club. I, with a couple of friends, hack round a (short) 9 hole course a couple of times on Sat mornings. It costs us a tenner each. I've been at the range maybe 8 or 9 times, and have yet to have a lesson.
Sometime we feel the need to play a "proper" course, and go across the road to the just-shy-of 7000 yds 18 hole version.
Over the 2 years of playing, I have birdied all of the holes on the 9 hole course (no par 5, and longest par 4 is just over 310 yds). But ... stick me on the "big" course and I can say goodbye to 6 or 7 (on occasion, more) balls, and a score that has always been in 3 figures!
Sometimes I can play a shot of which a professional would be proud. On other occasion, you'd think that I'd never held a club before!
Golf is a HARD game.
Sometimes when people get proficient at, well ... anything,really, they forget what it was like initially.
Now, it's not that I'm totally useless at sports. If that were the case, then it could well be seen as a heads-up as to my golfing ability.
I swam for school, I played football for school, I played table tennis for school. I competed on motorcycles to a reasonable level. I play squash in a couple of leagues (hand/eye co-ordination, right?), but damn, golf is a HARD game.
So, in closing, I really doubt that a handicap of 18 is attainable for everyone who pick up a golf club.
Did I mention that I think it's a difficult game? :funk::funk:

BBC

Although you only have to hit a stationary ball in golf (the rules actually demand this), it does help if you are sporty and have good hand/eye co-ordination. I have also played football, tennis, table tennis, badminton, squash, snooker and cricket at various stages in my life, as well as doing a fair amount of cycling, which is good for leg strength. I originally learned to play golf at night school, hitting plastic air balls in a school hall under the tutelage of a retired PGA professional, before I went anywhere near a real golf course. I believe this gave me a better start than trying to teach myself, as at least I learned some technique, and the importance of swinging the club rather than hitting at the ball. My first actual foray onto a golf course produced a score of 54 for 9 holes, and I improved quite rapidly after that as I learned to putt and manage my game. Got good enough to play in the Midland Junior Open for a couple of years. My only regret is that I largely stopped playing when I went to University and then moved down to London for work reasons. At the time golf anywhere near London seemed impossibly expensive, plus you seemed to have to be related to Royalty and to have put your name on a waiting list at birth to have any chance of joining a golf club! I only started playing again when I got too old to play football, and I managed to get membership of a club based at a pay and play course, and I had to be on a waiting list for the best part of a year even to join that! How times have changed! Most golf clubs will now welcome you with open arms as long as you can afford their membership fees!

 

[Imurg]

I think a lot of people are forgetting the huge numbers of golfers who are not members of club so do not have a handicap. Some of these can play to a reasonable standard but many don't.
Add to that the "serial" high handicappers we all know. There are 3 Seniors at my club who played in the first competition I played in back in '93 - one of them even marked my first handicap card - they were all off a low 20's handicap then and guess what?
They're all off a low 20's handicap now
They play 2 or 3 times every week. They don't practice much but then they're playing for 12 hours a week so it must count for something...
They have good days and they'll win a division and get a cut but then play "normally" for a few weeks and go back up..these Guys have been playing for 30 years.
They will never make this mystical 18 handicap that defines a decent standard..
People shouldn't be judged on how good they are, just how good their company is.

 

[delc]

Top 25% my arse! If I threw a stone at the floor at the moment I'd miss! :rofl:

You could ask you Club Committee for a handicap revue!

 

[Imurg]

You could ask you Club Committee for a handicap revue!

But they'd probably make a song and dance about it......

Ba dum
Tish!!

 

[garyinderry]

I would remove those type of people from the stats imurg.

you have to want to improve to get down. Simply Turing up and playing with no real desire to improve skews the stats of cam anyone reach 18.

These three old boys are typical of lot s of players. Happy enough to plod along with their high handicap as they can score reasonably well if they have a good day with the putter. Not much effort involved and generally enjoy their day and craic with their buddies.

This is all well and and good but shouldn't be included in the numbers of unable to reach 18. You have to want it.

This attitude was displayed by dufferman. Funny enough he plays off 18 but says himself he has no desire to get any lower. Says it may detract from. His enjoyment. You cannot include him in 'can anyone make it to single figures' as he said in his own words that he had no intention of trying to get there.

'You have to want to get down'

 

[Imurg]

But who's to say some of these guys don't want to be off 17..?
If you're playing qualifiers then your handicap, assuming you're not manipulating it, will be what it will be.
There's often a massive assumption that everyone is capable of playing to or below 18 and its simply not the case.
One of these guys I mentioned earlier has, to my knowledge, a lesson every few weeks and has done so for years. He's been hovering between 20 and 23 for 30 years.
Some people reach their pinnacle ( or TopFlite) much earlier than others and will never have the ability to get better regardless of whether they want to or not.

 

[garyinderry]

That guy needs to sack his coach.

You also said they don't practice much. That tells me they are happy with their lot.

 

[Slab]

Out of interest for those who think its doable for everyone, what's the limit?

Is 18 the magic cut off or is it lower, should 'everyone' be able to achieve a 16 handicap for example?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

My first handicap was 16 - and in three months it was 13. But then again I'd been playing the game for 13yrs or so before I decided to take it serious and get a handicap. So did it take me 13yrs to get a handicap of 18 or better? Handicap is only the formal measure of how well you can play the game.

 

[williamalex1]

At my first club Greenburn G.C. 1980 the maximum gents handicap they allowed was 18.

They also had a waiting list and a joining fee.

 

[garyinderry]

Out of interest for those who think its doable for everyone, what's the limit?

Is 18 the magic cut off or is it lower, should 'everyone' be able to achieve a 16 handicap for example?

I don't think there is a limit to how low people can get.

I do know that it isn't overly hard to play to an 18 handicap. As hard as that it for some people to hear. the main factor that holds many people over an 18 handicap is the short game. I don't think there is many over 18 handicaps who can truly say they spend enough time on this aspect and have it to a level they are happy with.

Next you need to look at where you are losing shots and stop doing it. If that is losing drives off the tee then simply stop smashing the driver. Start hitting the driver very easy at the range then start slowly upping the speed until you find an acceptable distance that you can also control and keep out of trouble 9 times out of 10.

Often the cry comes. "even if we take a iron off the tee we can still duff that''. if that is the case then you must simply go to the range or ask your coach to get you to a level where you can make consistent ball turf contact. Duffs are a complete waste. Direction isn't overly critical. Making the ball go in a certain direction to a general distance each time is the important aspect.

Bunkers. If you are regularly taking more than one shot to get out then you must spend time working on this. There are loads dotted around most courses. They eat shots of poor players.

Strategy. Often overlooked and seem as a boring way to play golf. Taking the safe option and laying up is the way to get to 18. You have the shots so you may aswel use them. Going for glory pars and birdies just mean you waste these shots in other places when you mess up.

Putting. Can safe you loads of shots. If you are regualry three putting then you are leaking shots. Again, there is no short cut, you must practice to get better.

I dont prescribe to the notion that you can get to this level in one year. Far from it in fact. Usually because no one actually tells you this and you have to find out the hard way. It can take quite a number for some people.

Ive been there. Ive stuck the ball out over the oob fence more times than enough. Ive bladed many a bunker shot. Ive had the shanks.

Ive also stood a the side of greens for countless hours on my own practising chips till I was blue in the face. Ive gone to the range many a cold night trying to work out how to rid myself of a gigantic slice. It doesn't happen by accident and as I've previously posted, you have to want it.

If you can tick all these boxes and you truthfully can't play to 18 then you have my sympathies.

 

[virtuocity]

Playing to 18 for me simply means hitting the ball before the ground every time, finding a one-way miss and sticking to it and clubbing correctly. From my limited experience of playing with a lot of different people, the major barriers I see to achieving this are:

1. Trying to hit the ball far too hard
2. Contrived, weird backswings
3. Choosing a club that sometimes gets you on the green

 

[Slab]

I don't think there is a limit to how low people can get...........

Haven't pasted it all but appreciate the detailed reply Gary

My question did have an edge of frustration in that its suggested earlier that there’s something wrong with the players application & effort if everyone isn’t off 18 in a year but nonetheless it does still sting (even if the thread is a wind up) when you’re so besotted with a game that’s both hugely rewarding and frustrating in equal measures that despite the huge commitment, effort, time & money spent on a hobby, the achievements (such as they are) are evaluated with an appraise of 'not really trying'

 

[garyinderry]

18 in a year. Doable but unlikely for most.


So many factors at play. from what I can see of friends who started playing it will take longer than a year.


Steep learning curve to begin with no doubt. Then people usually have an Achilles heel or two to get past as well.

After a certain point improvement can be quite rapid.

 

[RollinThunder]

Playing to 18 for me simply means hitting the ball before the ground every time, finding a one-way miss and sticking to it and clubbing correctly. From my limited experience of playing with a lot of different people, the major barriers I see to achieving this are:

1. Trying to hit the ball far too hard
2. Contrived, weird backswings
3. Choosing a club that sometimes gets you on the green

Another thing in my opinion is the bad shot per hole, which seems to haunt high-handicappers. Such as a very bad shot which leads to even more difficult recovery shots, costing you 2, 3 or even 4 more shots. For instance, a reasonable drive, reasonable iron to the edge of the green, then thinning a chip 50 yards into rough, 3 shots out of the rough onto the green and a two-putt for an 8. Or slicing into the rough or a bunker, and taking multiple shots to even get onto the fairway again. Just turning that bad shot into a reasonable one could cut numerous shots per hole, possibly even a dozen per round.

I think as a high-handicapper or beginner, you're better off focussing on how to get the ball in the air, and in the general area you want it to, so it's good to iron out tops, duffs and big slices. I did that and got to around 24. Then as a mid/high-handicapper, start to refine that accuracy, iron-out the terrible, hole-destroying shots, hone the short-game and get rid of three-putts. That got me down to 18 (I had the shanks, so it went back up again, granted ). To get less than 18, my target is to improve accuracy even more, and pretty much get rid of anything that would cost me more than 1 shot per hole, obviously

 

[Snelly]

I don't think there is a limit to how low people can get.

I do know that it isn't overly hard to play to an 18 handicap. As hard as that it for some people to hear. the main factor that holds many people over an 18 handicap is the short game. I don't think there is many over 18 handicaps who can truly say they spend enough time on this aspect and have it to a level they are happy with.

Next you need to look at where you are losing shots and stop doing it. If that is losing drives off the tee then simply stop smashing the driver. Start hitting the driver very easy at the range then start slowly upping the speed until you find an acceptable distance that you can also control and keep out of trouble 9 times out of 10.

Often the cry comes. "even if we take a iron off the tee we can still duff that''. if that is the case then you must simply go to the range or ask your coach to get you to a level where you can make consistent ball turf contact. Duffs are a complete waste. Direction isn't overly critical. Making the ball go in a certain direction to a general distance each time is the important aspect.

Bunkers. If you are regularly taking more than one shot to get out then you must spend time working on this. There are loads dotted around most courses. They eat shots of poor players.

Strategy. Often overlooked and seem as a boring way to play golf. Taking the safe option and laying up is the way to get to 18. You have the shots so you may aswel use them. Going for glory pars and birdies just mean you waste these shots in other places when you mess up.

Putting. Can safe you loads of shots. If you are regualry three putting then you are leaking shots. Again, there is no short cut, you must practice to get better.

I dont prescribe to the notion that you can get to this level in one year. Far from it in fact. Usually because no one actually tells you this and you have to find out the hard way. It can take quite a number for some people.

Ive been there. Ive stuck the ball out over the oob fence more times than enough. Ive bladed many a bunker shot. Ive had the shanks.

Ive also stood a the side of greens for countless hours on my own practising chips till I was blue in the face. Ive gone to the range many a cold night trying to work out how to rid myself of a gigantic slice. It doesn't happen by accident and as I've previously posted, you have to want it.

If you can tick all these boxes and you truthfully can't play to 18 then you have my sympathies.

Great post.

 

[Snelly]

Out of interest for those who think its doable for everyone, what's the limit?

Is 18 the magic cut off or is it lower, should 'everyone' be able to achieve a 16 handicap for example?

18 is a milestone as it is a shot a hole so a convenient context to set a question like this against.

 

[Paul77]

I started using Game Golf at the start of June 2015. After a number of rounds it allocated me a 29.5. I then worked my butt off playing, playing and repeating with lessons in between and now, it's giving me a 16.3. Whether this holds any weight in the world is another thread/issue but it's always nice to have a wee benchmark.

I truly suspect that when it comes time to play my official three cards I'll fall apart and descend into a puddle of my own wee, but it's good to know that at the end of the day it's improving.