turkish
Journeyman Pro
Madadey can I ask how much your friend played and practiced in this time to get that difference?
Is it possible for Mr Average to become a scratch golfer in just 12 months?
- Thread starter ScratchInAYear
- Start date
MadAdey
Money List Winner
Probably played 3-4 rounds a week, couple of trips a week to the range and had quite a few lessons early spring.
Fortunately he is a self made business man so didn't have to worry about fitting in golf around work and his wife had started playing too so he was always at the golf club.
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robert.redmile
Assistant Pro
I'm glad u think it's easily possible! I have to do it!
for my sanity, and bank balance!!!!
for my sanity, and bank balance!!!!
I got from 18 to 5 in a season, 2 more seasons to get to 3.
I had time to practice and youth on my side- no lessons and no t'interweb and using blades.........
...and you try telling the young folk of today that, they won't believe you
I had time to practice and youth on my side- no lessons and no t'interweb and using blades.........
...and you try telling the young folk of today that, they won't believe you
HawkeyeMS
Ryder Cup Winner
I got from 18 to 5 in a season, 2 more seasons to get to 3.
I had time to practice and youth on my side- no lessons and no t'interweb and using blades.........
...and you try telling the young folk of today that, they won't believe you
That's very impressive, but 3 isn't scratch. Why do you think you never made it below 3?
Ethan
Money List Winner
That is not being a scratch golfer. That is having a rare fluke round. Getting to scratch means, to me, obtaining a legitimate playing handicap of 0.
I played with a PGA Tour player who took up golf aged 14. After one year he was off 3, after another +1 or 2. But he was an exceptionally talented player with a family pedigree of professional sportspeople, and very very few people are like that.
For 'Mr Average', the answer is clearly 'You must be joking, mate'. For 'Mr Exceptional' with loads of talent, time and money for good coaching, the answer is 'Maybe'.
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bobmac
Major Champion
If you were off 24.4 and shot 9 under your handicap, you'd be cut to 20.8
If you were off 4.4 and shot 9 under your handicap you'd still be off 4.
Don't forget also the buffer for Cat I is +1
In answer to the ops question 'can Mr Average to become a scratch golfer in just 12 months', my answer would be an emphatic no, not a chance.
If you were off 4.4 and shot 9 under your handicap you'd still be off 4.
Don't forget also the buffer for Cat I is +1
In answer to the ops question 'can Mr Average to become a scratch golfer in just 12 months', my answer would be an emphatic no, not a chance.
Well, having flicked through your FB page, and seen the level of commitment to practicing etc, no. You might fluke something close but it will be a huge huge fluke. Hope you're enjoying the journey tho'.
exactly! I was just saying I wasn't even close and I felt I had a bit of talent but the gap from 3 to scratch is as big a cavern as 20 to 3 imo.
garyinderry
Ryder Cup Winner
Is there even enough time for someone to start shooting the numerous under par rounds necessary to get down to scratch. Think of the poor conditions through the summer you would have to play in and still shoot under. It isn't all sunshine and perfect weather allowing great scoring.
Qwerty
Tour Winner
As Gary said.. Theres just not enough time (not in this country anyway) you'd have to hit the ground running at the start of the season, A scratch golfer knows their own game very well, when to attack when to play conservatively.
Surely you'd need that experience as well as the talent.
Surely it's never been done,the Quickest Im aware of is Greg Norman..2 years.
One of the best to have played the game and double the time were talking about.. it's just not happening.
Surely you'd need that experience as well as the talent.
Surely it's never been done,the Quickest Im aware of is Greg Norman..2 years.
One of the best to have played the game and double the time were talking about.. it's just not happening.
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Nosevi
Head Pro
One of the problems with most of these challenges is that they use the word "scratch" and quite often they have no idea what it means. They often mean a single round to par, they often don't even mean a single round to SSS. In the states where only the best 10 of your last 20 rounds count it would be easier to accomplish but here it'd be impossible to get from a high handicapper to scratch in a year as you'd need to be playing off a scratch player's ability from the off to give it time for your handicap to drop....... but you're not, you're a high handicapper at the beginning.
The other side of the coin is that most have no concept of what it will take for anyone other than a super talented guy or girl to get to scratch level or better (let alone having a scratch handicap) in anything like that time scale. Looking at the google doc earlier in the thread it's pretty obvious that you'd need to put in a heap more work than that in order to achieve that kind of a goal. Sorry to the OP but that's the truth.
I've spoken to several who have tried to do this kind of thing and am in contact with several who are currently doing similar. In part it's to learn from their mistakes if I'm honest (but I do offer to share mine). One thing that stands out with all of them is that an idea of documenting the lot online, letting people see what you are doing, isn't going to help. Many think it'll keep them on track but in reality it doesn't help with the overall goal. Pretty quickly the outward 'image' of what you are doing becomes more important than the goal itself, posting on the blog and 'proving' you are improving takes priority over actually working on your game or fitness, it takes priority over the goal itself.
Look at someone like Simon Thornton (European Tour Player). He was a 7 handicap in his mid 20s having played since his teens when he decided to work seriously on his game 2 years later he was on the Europro Tour and he's recently won on the European Tour some years later. How did he do it? No idea, there was no blog, no book, no interviews. Seems like he got a good instructor, got his head down and worked hard.
The other side of the coin is that most have no concept of what it will take for anyone other than a super talented guy or girl to get to scratch level or better (let alone having a scratch handicap) in anything like that time scale. Looking at the google doc earlier in the thread it's pretty obvious that you'd need to put in a heap more work than that in order to achieve that kind of a goal. Sorry to the OP but that's the truth.
I've spoken to several who have tried to do this kind of thing and am in contact with several who are currently doing similar. In part it's to learn from their mistakes if I'm honest (but I do offer to share mine). One thing that stands out with all of them is that an idea of documenting the lot online, letting people see what you are doing, isn't going to help. Many think it'll keep them on track but in reality it doesn't help with the overall goal. Pretty quickly the outward 'image' of what you are doing becomes more important than the goal itself, posting on the blog and 'proving' you are improving takes priority over actually working on your game or fitness, it takes priority over the goal itself.
Look at someone like Simon Thornton (European Tour Player). He was a 7 handicap in his mid 20s having played since his teens when he decided to work seriously on his game 2 years later he was on the Europro Tour and he's recently won on the European Tour some years later. How did he do it? No idea, there was no blog, no book, no interviews. Seems like he got a good instructor, got his head down and worked hard.
wrighty1874
Journeyman Pro
No.
