impossible answer

[pro_slice]

What would YOU consider to be an impressive time frame for someone to go from never playing golf, to getting handicap of less than 10

assume a couple of lessons are taken for learning the swing and the person has a decent level of coordination (ie not retarded)

interested to see what answers you lot come up with...

 

[Robobum]

As per the title, impossible to answer really. Guy a) plays once per week and takes 2 years, but guy b) plays every day and takes 1 year?? Hard to make a comparison.

But, assuming average Joe plays or practices 3 times a week then I would say 18mths would be pretty handy.

 

[Imurg]

Like any learning process, we all pick things up at different speeds. Average Joe may become a great driver in 6 months but his short game may take 2 or 3 years to get to the standard.
So yeah - impossible answer. To be honest, if you get to 10 it doesn't really matter how long its taken, its still an achievement

 

[Ste_Denial]

i couldnt care how long it takes me, i enjoy playing now so if i improve and get to 10 then it will just add to the enjoyment

 

[JustOne]

What would YOU consider to be an impressive time frame for someone to go from never playing golf, to getting handicap of less than 10

1 year would be good. I got down to 4.1 in about 2 years of solid play and practice having never played previously. There was a guy in a magazine once who set himself the target of shooting level par within a year and he achieved it - albeit he did hit something like 50,000 balls at the range, play twice per week and have a decent coach. So I guess the answer to your question would be that it depends how often the person plays....some might take a lifetime of playing once per week and never get there.

Regards...

 

[RGDave]

I'd say 18-24 months would be really good going.
It took me about 4 years, the last 2-3 were serious lessons and practice and gaining experience....
Youngsters with talent often take up Golf at 13 or so and are under 10 h'cap (sometimes under 5!) in only 2 years or so.

 

[Paul2009]

I started nearly 2years ago and I'm at 10.3 at the min. Practice once a week now so im well pleased, however theres people who could do it much quicker than me

 

[Herbie]

To give you an idea of how varied the learning curve can be.... I know a chap who started to play when I did who made 9 h/c in a year, he has never bettered it in 30 yrs, in fact I think he is 14 now

I also know a chap who took over 6 yrs to go steadily through the learning process just to get to 16 h/c, but in the following 8 to 10 yrs has got down to 5 h/c.

So how long is this piece of string going to be?

 

[Basher]

I've been playing for 2 years now and my handicap has not gone down!!!
Crap golfer perhaps?
My game has improved recently but this is down to practise. My practise and playing time has been, shall we say limited since taking up this great game.
I fully intend to get out on the course and practise ground MUCH more this year. I feel confident that with concentrated time and effort anybodies handicap will come down.

 

[CrapHacker]

I read somewhere not long ago that the majority of players improve over the first 3 years. After that, most stagnate. So if you haven't got there within 3 years, you most likely wont.

But as mentioned, loads quicker than that is definately possible.

 

[Imurg]

We all want to improve, but we have to accept that there will come a time and a handicap where we will reach our best. For some that will mean +handicaps, for others breaking 100 is as good as they are going to get. Look at Murph - he's been on 11/12 for 20 years. I know guys who have been playing every week for 30 years and are stuck on 26. And we have guys like Carpe and Farney who come down quickly and will continue. I've only ever improved my handicap by 7 shots over 15 years!

So I think improving is not the be-all and end-all of golf. Play the game, enjoy it. If you're good enough you will improve. If you've reach your heights - accept it and play.

After all this is a game.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I agree with Ian, some players will simply not be able to get below a certain handicap. That doesn't mean they are afailure or a bad golfer, just that they've reached their physical (and arguably mental capacity) for the game.

I like to think that because of the handicap system (I'm not starting the "it favours higher handicap debate") everyone at least has an opportunity to be competitive in club competitions whatever level they reach.

What I do think, is that once a plateau has been reached, it is possible to maintain that level, albeit through regular practice especially around the shortgame.

In answer to the question, it would depend on the quality of the coaching and how well the information was taught and then practiced. It would need regular practice and playing and dedication to a good short game.

I think realistically I'd expect to see a mid-teen (maybe 16) handicap after the first season but it then becomes much harder to make the progress in the 2nd season. If it hadn't been reached at the end of the 2nd year I's say it was unlikely to happen immediately but still not impossible to achieve.

There was a story of a guy from Northern Ireland (may have been the republic) I read last year that gave himself a year to get to scratch and he has written a book about it (think it was also in TG). Can't remember anymore about it than that though

 

[Farneyman]

Here a link to Johns page, the guy who went to scratch in a year. Worth looking at the free chapters.

http://scratchtoscratch.wordpress.com/

 

[Imurg]

So it took him 2000 hours to get there - that's 5 hours a day every day.
Therein lies the reason most of us will never get a sniff of scratch. Including a game I'm lucky if I get 5 hours a week.

 

[JustOne]

Here a link to Johns page, the guy who went to scratch in a year. Worth looking at the free chapters.

http://scratchtoscratch.wordpress.com/

Thanks for that link - that's the guy I was referring to in my post above.

I love this part of the intro

Countless meetings with experts (some incredible – some utterly useless)
A huge variety of daft training aids

And this post sums up a lot of peoples attitudes quite nicely...
http://breakparblueprint.com/blog/?p=163

For everything good you do, there's always someone there to knock you.

 

[viscount17]

I don't believe that you can put a time limit on it, unless it's a measure of how long you are prepared to give to anything new.

There are those with a high degree of natural ability who will progress quickly and those who will have to work harder and longer just to stand still, and every other combination in between.

It's going to take me a while (I started late), so what, I'm enjoying the journey.

 

[AliB]

It's going to take me a while (I started late), so what, I'm enjoying the journey.

Well said, viscount. we all need targets of some kind, but no one should feel inadequate (polite version)because someone has done it quicker - too many factors - age, health, natural hand-eye co ordination and athletiscism, motivation, no. of lessons, time to practise, attitude of spouse/partner, weather over the season ... I could go on!
When I started just completing 18 holes on a 'real' course (rather than par 3) was an achievment.
n the other hand, if you're determined to make under 10 in a year and are prepared to give it all your time and resources, you can probably do it in your allotted time through sheer hard work - if that's wehat you want. maintaining it could be just as hard.
(Phew - clearly in philosophical mode - I blame lack of golf)

AliB