Low Handicappers- How long have you been playing?

[Lump]

This is a question to the single digit players on here.

How long have you been playing / how long did it take you to finally get/maintain a good single digit handicap?

Only reason I ask is today I played with a fellow club member off 5. After asking him how long he's been playing and finding out he's been playing since being a junior some 13 years ago, I was a little bit a taken back. He was very good (and long) off the tee and fairly consistent with his irons. I was amazed he wasn't lower in 13 years of playing.

 

[Imurg]

Been playing seriously for 20 years aged 30
Got to singles after about 5 years, stayed for 5, had a couple of years away from golf and restarted on 13. Got to singles again within 18 months and been there since....

 

[USER1999]

Many people plateau, on what ever handicap. It takes work to change this. What ever the handicap.

It's not a question of time, it's a question of mind set. I played off 12 for 20 odd years. Then I got cut to 9 for 2 years, and have just crept up to 10. I want to get back to single digits, and will. I don't play golf any different to when I played off 12.

My first handicap was 18, and two years later I was off 12. It's not time orientated?

 

[Hobbit]

Been playing since July 1968, and single figures since about the summer of '74 when I was 15. Cat 1 since '75, although I've had a couple of trips up to 6 since being injured in a car accident 7 years ago.

 

[Snelly]

Started playing golf as a club member aged 11 which was 30 years ago. Got to cat 1 by aged 15-16 and have been there ever since.

 

[beggsy]

Start of my 5th season this year don't really practice either too many other hobbies to play down to 9 now

 

[srixon 1]

Been playing for 25 years, started in '88 and made it to single figures in '95. However, my job prevented me from playing for up to 6 months at a time during this period otherwise I could probably have got there sooner. I am now 50 years old and my handicap has never been lower. Hopefully by the end of this season I will have made it to a playing handicap of 2.

 

[rickg]

joined a club for the 1st time in 2000 started at 24......3 years later was down to 13 but then left the club as I changed jobs and didn't join another until 2009. Started again at 13 then got down to single figures in September that year and have been there ever since.

Got to CAT 1 end of last year but crept back up due to playing in winter competitions. Got back again last month, but then up to 6 again when a competition result was deemed a non qualifier.

Will definitely get there again and think I'll be at 4 by the end of the year.

 

[Bomber69]

joined a club for the 1st time in 2000 started at 24......3 years later was down to 13 but then left the club as I changed jobs and didn't join another until 2009. Started again at 13 then got down to single figures in September that year and have been there ever since.

Got to CAT 1 end of last year but crept back up due to playing in winter competitions. Got back again last month, but then up to 6 again when a competition result was deemed a non qualifier.

Will definitely get there again and think I'll be at 4 by the end of the year.

Always best to be positive about your game Rick, I am sure you can do it again.

I see your friend is once again in the Cat 2 bracket:rofl:

 

[FairwayDodger]

Started when I was very wee.... Single figures (in age). Never played very seriously tho, I was a junior for maybe a year or two aged 16/17 but didn't play much and never played off any better than 22 back then.

For the next 20 odd years I played a handful of times a year, fun only, never a member of a club. Didn't so much as swing a club for about 5 years before deciding to play seriously and joining a club in 2011. Started playing off 16, got to 10 by the end of that year, 7 by the end of last year. Currently crept up to 8 with early season rustiness but hopeful of dropping another couple of shots this year.....

 

[peterlav]

Started playing at age 10, first handicap was 15 at age 12, down to 6 at age 15/16, been playing off 5 or 6 ever since, played too many other sports, then work commitments meant I've never dedicated enough time to push to get lower

 

[Andy808]

I played for a year about 12 years ago and got from 28 down to 22 in that year then stopped for 10 years.

Came back to playing and got my handicap back August before last, again 28, but I've been more committed to playing as often as I can and I'm now down to 18. Don't care where I get to or how quickly as long as I keep enjoying playing the game although I know there is a low low score in me somewhere, I think, maybe!

 

[garyinderry]

i played the odd game in the summer as a child. i am former worlds's flattest swing champion 10 years running ! :thup:

joined a club in 2009. started at 18 handicap, went to 19 for one round. got to singles last year.

feel quite comfortable playing to that at any course. most likely be a few shots over that but id say ill drop a shot or so this year with a few good rounds!

 

[Nashy]

Started playing properly at about 14, got to mid teens quite quickly and then seemed to sit at 12 for a while, then jumped to 9. Stopped playing for 12-18 months when I was training and joining the RAF and then started again and dropped again to 8. I stopped for 12 months as I was so frustrated with my putting. Started again and was off a steady 7 then crept up last year.

I only play once a week which doesn't help, if I get out twice a week and have a practice session thrown in a knock it around to 5-6 pretty easily as I don't give away silly shots like I do when I only play once a week.

 

[patricks148]

At 7 I don’t really consider myself as a low handicap.

I started playing in 2006 after previously never having any interest in golf. I was down to single figures within 3 years and have been stuck around the same level, though hoping to get lower this year.
Started having the odd lesson last years and this year moved to a local pro that video’s everything and things have really started to come together. Though I was capable of a level par round when things went wrong it was badly wrong. Gained more power already and was easily the longest driver in the 3 ball I was in yesterday, one on the guys I’d played with before and he hit a long ball.

I got to single just by playing with no lessons, so anything is possible

 

[bobmac]

Can't remember

 

[upsidedown]

Started when I was 40 and was single figures by 45 and still hoping to go lower at 53

 

[duncan mackie]

Many people plateau, on what ever handicap. It takes work to change this. What ever the handicap.

It's not a question of time, it's a question of mind set. I played off 12 for 20 odd years. Then I got cut to 9 for 2 years, and have just crept up to 10. I want to get back to single digits, and will. I don't play golf any different to when I played off 12.

My first handicap was 18, and two years later I was off 12. It's not time orientated?

very similar with about 30 years overall

12 seemed the magic number for a a long time (twice) and each time it took a lot of application, (lessons and practice) to get down to 6 (then back surgery and long break) then 7 14 years later .....currently messing around with swing, equipement and mindset has resulted in a bit of a slide but I'm confident I can hold it together a few times to get it back to a better reflection of capability.

 

[Liverbirdie]

I started in 1989 and was regularly chomping it around Allerton 9 hole pitch and putt for 18 months, mainly along the floor. I then had night school lessons, where about 15 of you get 3 minutes each with the pro, in the main.

Chomping it around in 130's for another year, then started to break 100 after about 3 years playing.

Then played munis for another 10 years with other high handicappers, finally getting down to around 15. I was going to every LFC home match and most away matches then, playing Sunday league also, so only playing for 6 months a year.

I joined a club about 10 years ago, 13 hcap to start, then 12, plateaued on 9 for 3 years then had lessons for the first time, got down to 7 then 6 last year.

I'd say learn to enjoy the game first for 2-3 years (including all the bad scores), don't worry to much about fittings,lessons, swing planes, ball types etc. It will be more enjoyable in the long run, I think.

Then try lessons, a club fitting and then learn to play the game. What would I have done different? The following:-

Had lessons earlier, got fitted earlier, joined a club earlier but I thinking chomping it around a bit first, helps you appreciate how hard the game is, so you enjoy it more when you get decent at it. That's just me though.

 

[JustOne]

Started playing aged 23, got to CAT1 after 1 year, stayed for 6, had a 7 years away from golf then rejoined a club and got 5.5 h/cap

In the first year I played EVERY day. It's not about time - it's about effort.