Operation Scratch

[colint]

I think it's great to set goals and I'll genuinely be interested to see how you get on.

Me and a mate have set ourselves the target of playing in Q School for the senior tour when we're 50 (40 now). Need 4 handicap to enter. The way we see it is it's an excuse to play as much golf as possible over the next 10 years, as the missus thinks we'll be touring the world as Mr & Mrs golf pro when we hit 50.

So every hour I spend at the club is really for the benefit of HID. Not quite sure she believes me......

 

[JustOne]

I think it's great to set goals and I'll genuinely be interested to see how you get on.

Me and a mate have set ourselves the target of playing in Q School for the senior tour when we're 50 (40 now).

Don't you have to be 55 if you haven't already been on the main tour?

Oops. Don't tell the missus I said that!

 

[ritchieis]

I did it in two years without the aid of a coach or a lesson so if you have it in you physically then I don't see why not.

JustOne, what handicap do you go from to 4 in two years?

I'm just interested as I am going from being a very periodic once a month golfer, to playing twice or three times a week this year and interested to know what can be achieved.

Cheers..

 

[Robobum]

A friend of mine who regularly won his region's PGA order of merit, had qualified for The Open on 8 occaisions and was a regular member of the PGA Cup (club pros Ryder Cup) team.

Went to Snrs Q school year before last and finished tie 15th which only got him a conditional card with limited starts.

Too many top drawer pros on the snrs tour for it to be the old boys' gravy train it once was.

 

[JustOne]

I think it's great to set goals and I'll genuinely be interested to see how you get on.

Me and a mate have set ourselves the target of playing in Q School for the senior tour when we're 50 (40 now).

Don't you have to be 55 if you haven't already been on the main tour?

Oops. Don't tell the missus I said that!

I just checked and it says 50 on this document
http://dps.twiihosting.net/pga/doc/content/doc_528_677.pdf

Maybe the 55 age was just an urban myth...??

 

[Smiffy]

JustOne, what handicap do you go from to 4 in two years?

+5.
He hit a bad patch

 

[JustOne]

I did it in two years without the aid of a coach or a lesson so if you have it in you physically then I don't see why not.

JustOne, what handicap do you go from to 4 in two years?

I'm just interested as I am going from being a very periodic once a month golfer, to playing twice or three times a week this year and interested to know what can be achieved.

Cheers..

From nothing. I played once and got the bug than I played/practiced everyday for 2 years... probably too much playing and not enough practicing.

I've done the handwarmers in pockets, blisters, tears of pain, you name it. Best thing I could have done was video my swing... that didn't happen until 16 years later didn't have a camcorder back then.

I think now-a-days with the RIGHT advice low single figures is do-able for anyone who has it in them physically. The more work you put in the quicker you can do it. Also the internet has made it a lot easier, you can ask for help on forums and watch millions of vids on youtube for free. You just need to know how to seperate the correct stuff from the chaffe.

4 h/cap isn't great at all, you can do it with a lousy swing if you know how to chip and putt. I did

 

[TonyN]

How can we beleive anything this guy says, HE READS THE ENEMYS TRANSCRIPTS!

On the note of coaching, I am working with Steven Orr who graces most front covers of Todays Golfer.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think it'll be an interesting journey but I still think its flawed and that low single figures will be the ultimate result. I agree with JustOneUk that there is a plethora of material around these days that can help and with good coaching and diligent practice single figures for a lot of golfers is possible. However many do not have the time or inclination to put the effort in and thats totally understandable and they still manage to play to a decent standard so all out practice and coaching isn't necessarily the way forward for all. The schedule the OP posted earlier will be nowhere near enough though to make that much of a difference.

 

[Macster]

Have you factored in the messy Divorce equation into your schedule ? It will happen if you are ever to achieve your goals.......

Christ, they're bad enough when you dissappear for a Medal, - one of my pet hates is the inevitable 'so what time are u back ?' question as you leave.....

*shakes head*

That is, unless you have convinced her that the rewards that will be yours once you are Pro will more than compensate her ?

 

[Tiger]

It's been interesting to sit back and watch this thread unfold. We had a similar reaction with Project Scratch. It wasn't even my idea Bogee came up with it, but he seems to have been consumed by the world of work (Matt if you're reading I hope the golf is going well). As the getting down to scratch thing wasn't my idea I can actually see both sides.

For me at least the target, crazy as it may seem, is a bit of a distraction. It's more of a public proclamation that I'm going to set an outrageous goal do you want to come on this journey with me. The way I saw it when Bogee approached me was, somewhere in the world there is at least one person in their 20's / 30's that could pull this off, why couldn't that someone be me, and if not wouldn't it be fun to have a go. Crazy as it may sound I'm just enjoying trying to get better at golf and having people on that journey with me is making it all the more enjoyable. The blog is therefore a conversation about techniques to try, things I've learnt and rounds I've played. There is nothing more satisfying than people posting comments, thoughts, suggestions it's like I've got my own online clubhouse with some great people egging me on. Sometimes they'll disagree but it's only out of a desire to help and I'm still learning what makes the blog enjoyable to read, what people find useful and what's a complete waste of time.

If you are going public you do need a thick skin and to be prepared to take criticism (constructive or otherwise). I've found the majority of comments to be useful to my development.

My only comment would be that if you stop enjoying your golf as a result of the challenge you've set yourself, stop the challenge. I am so happy to have found a game that I love passionately that I will be able to enjoy well into my retirement that I won't let anything jeopardise that.

Good luck to you on your quest and I promise (at least for now) there'll be no accusations of plagiarism!

 

[JustOne]

My only comment would be that if you stop enjoying your golf as a result of the challenge you've set yourself, stop the challenge.

Tiger, That's probably the best piece of advice on the thread

I remember when I first started I had notions of turning pro, then it became to just be scratch and eventually it winded up being that I wanted to be able to play a round of golf with good golfers (perhaps the boss and his friends) without making a total tit of myself... I'm still working on that some 14 years later... still can't keep it on the short stuff!

 

[RGDave]

For the first time in ages, I don't actually know how to respond to this post (the O.P. that is).

I could be really harsh and point out it's a lost cause or congratulate you in your ambition to make such a commitment.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I applaud the notion and the belief but question the result. However if he follows the advice and breaks it down into smaller goals then I have no doubt single figures is achieveable this season. Where the OP goes after that though is the question as its been shown by the good golfers on here that losing those extra shots especially as a Cat 1 player is easier said than done. It'll be worth dipping into the blog and seeing how he progresses.

 

[Region3]

Good luck with your goals, however far away they may seem.

As a couple of others have said, the hardest part is losing the last few shots when you only get cut 0.1 a shot.

On the plus side, I would have thought you'd have to play to the level of a +3 or +4 handicap to lose the last few shots so quickly, so turning pro will be more realistic

 

[SammmeBee]

To Jon, Robobum, JoUK and others. The 'About me' page that johnboy17 kindly pasted is flawed. As per my 1st Blog the plan for scratch is a 2 year one. with the 3rd year being to work towards honing a game needed to compete on a pro level. Local Tours etc. When I first posted on this form I said pro in 3 years with an 'INTERIM GOAL of scratch' but did not state any time frames.

I have seen this goal of scratch acheived in a year but that would be very tough going.

I must apologise for the misprint on my profile, but the 1st blog post is the actual introduction to my plan !!!

Local Tours - do you mean like Asian Tour or Euro Pro?

 

[OperationScratch]

So why are you leaving Mid Sussex? Doesn't Neil Plimmer work there anymore? He's supposed to be a Golf Monthly top25 coach apparently, we don't see him here anymore though

Hey, I'm just filling in the form now for the Worthing Open.. might see you there!

I notice you have dabbled with stack and tilt... didn't like it?

1. Neil is great and was my first coach. He got me on the path and helped me when I was establishing the possibility of turning pro one day.

2. I have moved house to alomost a stones throw from Worthing GC and by all accounts it reputed as the best run club in Sussex as well as one of the top condition courses. Being a member of Mid Sussex you may recall the issues with drainage they have meant its adopted the name 'Mud Sussex'.

3. Whens the Worthing Open?

4. I kind of adopted the stack and tilt but got it all wrong in that I just put all my weight on the left leg, straightened the right and all hell broke lose after that. That was some time ago and I am now shifting weight correctly.

 

[OperationScratch]

If you are going public you do need a thick skin and to be prepared to take criticism (constructive or otherwise). I've found the majority of comments to be useful to my development.

My only comment would be that if you stop enjoying your golf as a result of the challenge you've set yourself, stop the challenge. I am so happy to have found a game that I love passionately that I will be able to enjoy well into my retirement that I won't let anything jeopardise that.

Good luck to you on your quest and I promise (at least for now) there'll be no accusations of plagiarism!

Thanks Tiger good to hear from you on my post. I had a look at your blog and its great. I can echo all your comments and hope you do your very best too. With regards criticism as I have not thrown anything like this out there before I was perhaps being a bit naive as to expect I would get a pat on the back from every golfer out there, particularly those that are better than me. Plus I also know the behind the criticism is genuine advice from a band of brothers who all love the game as we do. I have really enjoyed the comments and drawn inspiration as the post has unfolded and others added their own ideas.

 

[OperationScratch]

Thanks R3, those are nice sentiments part of the campaign will be to regularly update the blog. I shall not be adding lots of worthless posts though and questions, thats what these forums are for and they are great at that.

In reply to an earlier comment about this being my first post, I have enjoyed the feedback and plan to have a regular share in ideas, questions, votes etc

 

[OperationScratch]

Local Tours - do you mean like Asian Tour or Euro Pro?

There are many tours around the UK for aspiring tour pros that have not done the PGA training such as Jamega Tour, Midas Tour, Players Tour and 2 more thatare more local to me such as The Lynx Tour and Pro66tour. Dont get me wrong they still attract decent players but there is no Q School for these. I would like to think that a successful run as an Amatuer at EuroPro Tour Q School, making it through to the finals would be a good indication if I have what it takes to officially turn pro and enter some Europro tour events.

As far as European Tour gruelling Q School goes I would be trying to run while still a phoetus if I talked about that now!!!