My journey to scratch!!

[garyinderry]

Quick tip my man.


Put an actual link to your page when advertising. People are lazy.


Good luck in your quest. Its only worth following if you have lots of content.

 

[Diamond]

Good thread.
Some people need that push to hit their targets especially on those dark winter nights (and mornings) so whatever floats your boat.

I am a year into my golf journey so maybe I will want to become a scratch golfer after 4 years, in the meantime I will work on my swing and try and win a competition or two.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Good luck

I’m a 3 handicap, I don’t practice enough and am not dedicated to the sport. You’ll need both to succeed. As well as talent and a good golfing brain.
I play with a lot of potentially good golfers who can’t think there way around a course. I often wonder how many shots I could save them just by advising on shot choice.

Play with the best players at your club & have playing lessons, and learn what shots to hit and when.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

We have watched the young 16 yr old lass at our club progress from a beginner in group junior lessons to where she is now off +5.4 and it is telling but not surprising the dedication and time she spends practicing. It’s not difficult for any of us in the club to see that as she is always there, and if not on the course, having a lesson, or on the practice ground- she will be on the putting green - for hours it would seem. With ONE ball. No second go at any putt - no range or direction finding with the first ball and celebrating holing the second or third. Every single putt on the practice green is considered and given the attention it deserves as if it was the putt to win the Open. With her total commitment and determination she is giving herself a chance, and so next year or year after I think she has been snapped up by one of the US sports universities or colleges. But by God it’s mind-boggling the time and effort she is putting in.

 

[AliMc]

We have watched the young 16 yr old lass at our club progress from a beginner in group junior lessons to where she is now off +5.4 and it is telling but not surprising the dedication and time she spends practicing. It’s not difficult for any of us in the club to see that as she is always there, and if not on the course, having a lesson, or on the practice ground- she will be on the putting green - for hours it would seem. With ONE ball. No second go at any putt - no range or direction finding with the first ball and celebrating holing the second or third. Every single putt on the practice green is considered and given the attention it deserves as if it was the putt to win the Open. With her total commitment and determination she is giving herself a chance, and so next year or year after I think she has been snapped up by one of the US sports universities or colleges. But by God it’s mind-boggling the time and effort she is putting in.

One of the best tips I was given (for me anyway) was to practice putting with just one ball, as you would on the course, putting has always been one of my strengths

 

[bobmac]

Good luck

I’m a 3 handicap, I don’t practice enough and am not dedicated to the sport. You’ll need both to succeed. As well as talent and a good golfing brain.
I play with a lot of potentially good golfers who can’t think there way around a course. I often wonder how many shots I could save them just by advising on shot choice.

Play with the best players at your club & have playing lessons, and learn what shots to hit and when.

Playing pro-ams was often a nightmare, watching guys playing bunker shots off their back foot, 3 woods out of thick rough, silly shot choices etc and of course I wasn't able to ''coach'' them at the time.

 

[Shooter McPowick]

Good luck, just followed. I’m @shooter_mcpowick

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I am sure the OP will realise the can of worms his post has opened. I have no qualms about anybody coming here and saying that is their aim. Why not aim big. If they are going to chart the progress on social medial then that content needs to be innovative and interesting and that can take time on its own to do so could be a distraction

I think you should aim for scratch ??

 

[Billysboots]

We have watched the young 16 yr old lass at our club progress from a beginner in group junior lessons to where she is now off +5.4 and it is telling but not surprising the dedication and time she spends practicing. It’s not difficult for any of us in the club to see that as she is always there, and if not on the course, having a lesson, or on the practice ground- she will be on the putting green - for hours it would seem. With ONE ball. No second go at any putt - no range or direction finding with the first ball and celebrating holing the second or third. Every single putt on the practice green is considered and given the attention it deserves as if it was the putt to win the Open. With her total commitment and determination she is giving herself a chance, and so next year or year after I think she has been snapped up by one of the US sports universities or colleges. But by God it’s mind-boggling the time and effort she is putting in.

When I first started in this game about forty years ago, I joined a local club as a junior member. My friends and I used to be there five days a week in the summer holidays, playing a minimum of 36 holes, occasionally 54.

We would arrive about 8am at the club, and one of the club’s intermediate (U35 age group) members would already be there, every day, on the range. When we left late afternoon he would still be there - on the range, or short game area, practicing. His dedication was simply phenomenal.

It’s no surprise that the player in question went on to be one of the best Walker Cup players these islands have ever produced.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think you should aim for scratch ??

I know my limitations and single figures would be sufficient for me thank you

 

[howbow88]

Well, whatever.
It was obviously an example.

Yep, an absurd one

 

[4LEX]

I'm one of the very very few on here who've done what you want to do, so I know what it takes.

It doesn't and didn't involve Instagram, YouTube or whatever other public channel.

Ask scratch players in real life, they'll tell you the same.

Ditto.

If anyone wants to play off Scratch, play with plus handicappers, scratch players and proper players almost exclusively. If you've got a good level of talent, are pretty fit and have golf IQ you can learn so much.

So many different types of scratch player too. Some are powerful and average ball strikers, some the opposite. Some have the long game of an 8 but the short game of a tour pro. It's amazing.

I once told a scratch player his ball must be "30 to 40 yards behind me" as he looked for it when I was off 4, because I had ripped it and he had swung smoothly. I was embarrassed when his ball was found at least 20 yards past me

 

[4LEX]

Disappointed to read this.

I imagine it is a lot easier to get to scratch with the new handicap. Even as a 15 handicapper, in theory I am only 8 rounds away from being a scratch player. How many rounds of shooting level par would it have taken on the old system to get from 15 to scratch?

You'd come down to 4 quite fast regardless especially with the old ESR. It would then take 25 rounds of shooting level par to be off scratch from 4.4.

Much easier now especially with 9 holes off any tee counting. Pick a course with 4/5 par 5's and not so many long par 4's would also help.

 

[SammmeBee]

I know my limitations and single figures would be sufficient for me thank you

I think you mean single figures would be insufficient for you......

 

[PhilTheFragger]

You'd come down to 4 quite fast regardless especially with the old ESR. It would then take 25 rounds of shooting level par to be off scratch from 4.4.

Much easier now especially with 9 holes off any tee counting. Pick a course with 4/5 par 5's and not so many long par 4's would also help.

is that accurate with the WHS system. Surely handicaps are more volatile than before

 

[4LEX]

is that accurate with the WHS system. Surely handicaps are more volatile than before

That's from the old system Phil. Worked out with par as CSS.

The new one I'm not that clued up on! I guess under the new system if you shot level 8 times in a row you'd be off scratch if you played a medium level course

 

[4LEX]

I will. I’ve hit level par 4 times before and have been mid to high 70s a number of times over the last few years without the time to practice. I now have that time available. So I’ll definitely get there. But thanks!

Sounds like you're pretty decent, so fair play. If you've shot level numerous times you can definitely do it.

My advice is play with better players than you
When playing on your own, play every round under comp conditions. Scores never lie over a period
Join the Scratch team at your golf club
Enter as many scratch opens as you can when you start getting lower. Worth the increase for experience.
Driver, wedge and putter should be the best clubs in the bag

Don't have too many lessons. Get the basics right and work with what ball shape you've got

 

[howbow88]

Why was it absurd.

Would you like to shed some light on your experience of getting to scratch handicap?

Nope... Probably not.

You compared getting to scratch, to a Sunday League footballer suggesting they were going to become a professional 4th tier footballer. That would be like any club golfer suggesting that they wanted to get on the European Tour.

What this guy is trying to do may be difficult, but isn't even in the same realm as what you compared it to.

 

[eddie_1878]

Agreed with above, sidekick is quite an interesting channel:-

Golf Sidekick - YouTube

Best of luck with the quest, hope you have great feel and a good consistent swing with clubface control.

Love his channel. Some great tips on course management etc.

I like that he doesn’t really dish out technique advice, he just plays.

 

[howbow88]

Wrong.
Completely wrong.
League 2 has 3 leagues above it, let's average that at 20 players at 20 teams in each league, so 400 x 3 = 1200.

You're saying there are 1200 golfers better than those playing on the European Tour... ?
Genius.

If "scratch" isn't such a big deal, just describe how you got there.

Genuinely laughable. Have a good new year.