Huge challenge

[Cookie]

I have been playing off a low 20's handicap 6 months, after only having taken the game seriously a year ago and having a couple of lessons. I recently started to get a little better, my handicap was still probably fair but I started to hit more cleanly, hit further, and started to see a few more pars in my round.

I was looking for a challenge in life after some personal challenges last year, and thought it would be good to try and get down to scratch in 18 months. This was also helped after they opened a brilliant new driving range one minute from my house, and I have a fairly flexible working routine which is something of a blessing.

I have a coach at my driving range and one at my club, both of who are giving me 4-5 lessons per month at the moment. My short game has come on really strongly this last few weeks, and with some practise I think I will be OK with putting also. I am practising around 15-20 hours per week and playing 2-3 rounds a week as well (luckily I entertain clients for work and golf is one of the things I use for this).....

Both of my coaches said I can do this if I work really hard, so I am quite optimistic. I have also started reading a lot of golf books around mentality and psychology, as well as some of the more popular books like Watson's getting up and down, and the short game bible etc. I was a little surprise to see that Richardson already kind of did a similar challenge with his book, Dream On, so I guess this thing has already been done before.

Anyway, I thought I would write about my progress and share my new obsession with other golfers, which is why I am posting on here. I know it is a huge challenge but I am quite confident and would really appreciate tips and advice from anyone who has taken on a similar goal, or can answer any tips / questions along the journey.

I will keep some regular posts as I go along, and would really appreciate some support along the way.....

Cheers.

 

[AuburnWarrior]

Good luck.

Perhaps start a blog.

We can never have enough blogs.

 

[G1BB0]

I am so jealous of anyone doing this, why? Because given the time/finances I would do the same.

good luck in your quest and I look forward to any tips you have come across along the way that work (I am a sucker for trying anything to help me improve)

 

[G_Mulligan]

Yeah good luck mate although in the end when you do it luck will not come into it. It will be hard work and dedication that sees you through. Are both of your coaches aware of each other and happy with the arrangement? Otherwise they could start undoing each others work.

If you have not done so already I would suggest reading and putting into practice "The Golf of Your Dreams" by Bob Rotella.

 

[Cookie]

Thanks for the encouragement - I am using both coaches to start with as I want to get a feel for which one has the time available on a reliable basis, and which one gets behind what I am trying to achieve. Both of them have good reputations but one of them tends to be busy, and he also ignores some of the fundamentals, in terms of close analysis such as grip and back swing angles etc, favouring focus on getting fluidity and tempo etc. The problem with that is that I am sometimes left over-analysing at the moment and sometimes get stuck over the ball. Personally I would favour going into close analysis and getting all parts of the swing perfect, as I am willing to put the time in on the range to groove it in. Sorry, that's a long answer - the short answer is that I will use them both for a few weeks (one I am using more for course management rather than swing anyway) and then decide which of them to properly commit to.

 

[fundy]

all the best, its one hell of a challenge, and the closer you get the harder it gets too

only bit of advice i would offer would be careful not to overdo the coaching, there needs to be an element of natural flair and freedom within your game, especially when you get down low

 

[Basher]

2 words Cookie - "Dream On"

Seriously, have you read the book?

A great inspirational account of a guy who did exactly the same as you are setting out to do. Before you start on your quest, I suggest you read it (if you haven't already.)

Best of luck mate.

 

[Cookie]

Yes I am just three chapters from the end now - the difference is that he just set out to play a par round of golf, rather than get a scratch handicap. This is a point I am totally unclear, on how much harder it is to be able to play a par round, than to get to scratch. Given that the handicap system means that it is harder to get down lower as you come down, I assume it is going to be a question of reliability and consistency as I get down there. I am using 18 months as opposed to 12 months to account for that, and in effect that gives me two full summers and a lot of time this winter on the range.

It is a great book though and it was inspirational - it was that book which made me look into forums, which is already paying off as you just need a bit of support sometimes and someone to talk golf with, when all the normal people are at home doing family things while I am stood in my kitchen with a wedge doing practise swings....

 

[fundy]

The difference between a par round and a scratch handicap is huge, and i mean huge. If youre on the way down youd expect to shoot a par round when a 6 or 7 handicapper youd think (first time round as a kid I shot under par off 9!)

Once you become cat 1 (Hcap 5.4 or lower) you only lose 0.1 shots for each shot under the CSS. That means youve got to be cumulatively 50+ under your handicap from once you get to 5 to be getting down to scracth.

To get from 1 to scratch you are going to cumulatively need to be 10 under par over a series of rounds - its a bit like dieting, the last bits are the hardest bits to lose!!!

 

[Robobum]

Yeah, write a blog. Can't wait to read that.

 

[RGDave]

Good luck. 18 months is a bit optimistic. Do you have a life at all? If yes, give it 3 years and review every year.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It is very, very hard to get down to a scratch handicap and will take patience, dedication and luck. There have been a few on here with the same goal and soon realised how hard a challenge it would be. To be honest, my advice would be to perhaps set a goal of single figures in a year and then reassess from there.

There are some on here that berate any form of blog as they see it as self-engraciating but personally if you want to do one and let us know how you progress and anything tips and secrets that work then I'd be happy to look at it.

 

[Cookie]

Thanks Fundy - I had kind of expected that to be the case.....(gulp). Still, I am genuinely going to put in the time and dedication and if I come out as a low single figure handicapper next year and have put in a par round, I don't think it will feel like a total failure.

The pro I am leaning towards as the guy I want to work with had a guy with similar aspirations to me last year and he got him from a 15 down to scratch in 10 months......so I have some precedent there and I can talk frankly to him and check where I am on track and where I need to put more time in.

I am just looking at how to start a blog now as I would definitely like to do that....

 

[fundy]

One other thing, and this will sound strange probably, but the course you are at can make a huge difference.

Ideally you want to be playing a course where the SSS is similar to the par. You often find very good golfers, at courses where the SSS is say 69 compared to a par of 72, struggle to get it down below 2 or 3, and you often actually hear of very good golfers moving clubs because of this

 

[Cookie]

Good luck. 18 months is a bit optimistic. Do you have a life at all? If yes, give it 3 years and review every year.

Good point on having a life - to be honest I had a nasty split with my ex last year, and my mother passed away after a really long fight with cancer. I decided I wanted to take a bit of time out over the next year and just do something that would give me some focus and a sense of achievement and also something which I might be able to raise a bit of charity money for some of the carers who helped my Mum (I am looking to do a few charity days and am lucky that a lot of my clients are used to entering these for decent sums). I was looking at the London marathon but I hate running, and I genuinely love golf and thought I could use it to get fit as a part of this goal. From a work perspective I get to play once or twice a week as a lot of my clients do relationship management on the course (I manage a financial services company and it tends to be a big part of this sector to play golf to catch up etc which is lucky) and also most of my friends are into golf. So yes, I do have a life is the answer, and luckily a lot of it does tie in nicely with this goal which is what gives me some additional confidence....

 

[fundy]

15 to scratch in 10 mths is truly amazing imo, even the very best kids dont usually come down that much (its hard to play enough qualifying comps to do so!!!!)

Just done some back of fag packet calcs, a 15 handicapper would haver to shoot 5 under his handicap on 20 occasions to get to scratch, thats assuming every round was -5, no 0.1s back etc, so realistically would have to play close to 100 qual rounds in the year to get close, doesnt leave much time to practise!!!!

 

[Cookie]

Yes I was going to give the course some thought as well - I am tied in until the end of this year but may change afterwards, although I am starting to play well. I played two rounds recently, one against a 15 and one against a 16 handicapper - I have come from 25 down to 21 very quickly - but I didn't get any shots against them in a straight matchplay scenario and I beat one of them 2&1 and the other 5&4 - but then I went out yesterday and struck a 91 round which felt like I had hit a bad round. I think the main thing I notice at the moment is my rhythm and timing are getting better every day, as is my club head speed. BUT, it is just a mental thing when I get over the ball because I am making so much progress as to feeling moments of 'should I really be going for this shot' and then stacking it. I think I am going to get to a 14 very quickly with more consistency and then from there is when the hard work will start.

 

[fundy]

gl and keep us updated, see if you can make it to a forum meet at some point too

 

[Cookie]

Will do - I will probably put a post in once a week on progress and anything I have learnt along the way. Like someone pointed out, I don't want it to sound self-engratiating but would rather use it as a method of gaining support and advice, as well as sharing the journey with other golf lovers, as I have now realised how addictive it is.

Yes, please do let me know on the forum meet ups, sounds interesting, thanks.

 

[fundy]

have a look in the arrange a game section for forum meets is one for help for heroes charity next mth though may be a bit far for you