What is it About Golf....................

[GB72]

That makes people think that a commitment to practice and lessons means that they will become scratch golfers.

Please note first of all that this is not aimed at anyone in particular in any way and it just a general comment on the belief that hours on the range and in lessons gives some sort of entitlement to reach scratch, the 28 to scratch in a year blogs etc that appear pretty much every summer.

Look at any other sport, rugby, football, cricket etc and I can pretty much guarantee that no amount of training, lessons or any other assistance will get me to the higher ranks of the amateur game. Yet, when it comes to golf, the most technical, difficult and mentally challenging sport that I have played, it is assumed that hours of practice will be rewarded by reaching the ever elusive scratch handicap. Age, fitness, mental toughness and natural ability do not seem to come in to the equation, the assumed situation seems to be that if you spend hours practicing under the watchful eye of a PGA pro then the ability will come.

I know that there is self belief etc but it is just something that I have never understood that people seem to assume that putting the hours in will mean that they can reach a goal that 99% of all people to ever have picked up a golf club will never get to.

 

[Tongo]

I suppose the fact that you can quantify your progress by a falling handicap perhaps encourages such goals. In other sports there isnt the same, easy to use barometer as the handicap system. You know your ability by the level that you are playing at but its not quite as specific.

However, the general train of thought that a person will become a scratch golfer through practice, lessons and desire is bizarre. Ability still plays by far the biggest part and most people simply wont have the ability to be that good.

 

[turkish]

You should read bounce by Matthew syed and outliers by malcolm gladwell.

If you have the correct mindset and get the right practice and lessons and tons of it you should drastically improve. Whether you'd reach scratch is another thing.

They estimate you need to practice(not just practice- top not practice and coaching) for 1000 hours a year for 10 years before you could ever "master" anything. Obviously physical aspects come into that too.

But yeah to do in a year is a bit much too expect but with right effort a drastic improvement could be made IMO

 

[Rooter]

This afternoons trip to the range now cancelled.

 

[Dan2501]

Mine's not. I'm going to drop from 28 to +5 by the end of the week. Follow my progress on my blog.......:smirk:

 

[pokerjoke]

That makes people think that a commitment to practice and lessons means that they will become scratch golfers.

Please note first of all that this is not aimed at anyone in particular in any way and it just a general comment on the belief that hours on the range and in lessons gives some sort of entitlement to reach scratch, the 28 to scratch in a year blogs etc that appear pretty much every summer.

Look at any other sport, rugby, football, cricket etc and I can pretty much guarantee that no amount of training, lessons or any other assistance will get me to the higher ranks of the amateur game. Yet, when it comes to golf, the most technical, difficult and mentally challenging sport that I have played, it is assumed that hours of practice will be rewarded by reaching the ever elusive scratch handicap. Age, fitness, mental toughness and natural ability do not seem to come in to the equation, the assumed situation seems to be that if you spend hours practicing under the watchful eye of a PGA pro then the ability will come.

I know that there is self belief etc but it is just something that I have never understood that people seem to assume that putting the hours in will mean that they can reach a goal that 99% of all people to ever have picked up a golf club will never get to.

I don't see this myself where do you get the assumption from.

I practice a lot but I know I have no chance and I know it.
I just think practicing makes things more natural when out on the course,
once of course the thoughts about what im doing go away and it becomes
second nature.

 

[FairwayDodger]

I think it's just an obvious goal that some people aspire to.

The difference between golf and the other sports that you mention is that the goal criterion ("scratch") is easily quantifiable via the handicap system rather than being largely subjective.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I'm of strong belief that how much natural talent a person has will restrict them on the limit to how good they become

Coaching is enhancing and honing that natural talent to maximise it

People can practise and practise all day long but the improvement will be dictated to how much natural talent that player has.

People will find their natural level in any sport and I don't think they will go further than their natural peak

 

[Region3]

I know there's been a few cases of people wanting to get to scratch, but I think the exception rather than the norm.

This is how I see it.

Cat 4 golfers want to get to a shot a hole.
High teens want to be Cat 2.
Low teens want to be single figures.
Single figures want to be Cat 1.
At Cat 1 - unless they are extremely talented - the next goal is always just 1 shot lower.

 

[Hacker Khan]

That makes people think that a commitment to practice and lessons means that they will become scratch golfers.

Please note first of all that this is not aimed at anyone in particular in any way and it just a general comment on the belief that hours on the range and in lessons gives some sort of entitlement to reach scratch, the 28 to scratch in a year blogs etc that appear pretty much every summer.

Look at any other sport, rugby, football, cricket etc and I can pretty much guarantee that no amount of training, lessons or any other assistance will get me to the higher ranks of the amateur game. Yet, when it comes to golf, the most technical, difficult and mentally challenging sport that I have played, it is assumed that hours of practice will be rewarded by reaching the ever elusive scratch handicap. Age, fitness, mental toughness and natural ability do not seem to come in to the equation, the assumed situation seems to be that if you spend hours practicing under the watchful eye of a PGA pro then the ability will come.

I know that there is self belief etc but it is just something that I have never understood that people seem to assume that putting the hours in will mean that they can reach a goal that 99% of all people to ever have picked up a golf club will never get to.

As already mentioned, read Bounce by Mathew Syed, it's a great book and says a lot about how people become good at sport and other things. The gist is that purposeful practice is the way people excel at anything and natural talent is vastly overrated, sometimes used as an excuse (you should never tell your child that they are not just cut out for something as that will reinforce negative mindsets) and it will only take you so far, and in a lot of cases not very if you don't practice properly.

An example is that top level batsmen can anticipate where a ball will go not through some natural gift, but from hours of practice so they subconsciously can work out where the ball will go by the way the bowler moves and delivers the ball out of his hand. Same for top level tennis players, they can return serves at over 100 mph not through any magic mojo or lightning quick reactions, but because through practice they can anticipate where the ball will go by watching how the server moves up to the point the ball leaves the racket.

I think the problem a lot of these people who want to go to scratch is that the practice is fit for purpose, if their purpose is to get to scratch.

 

[IanG]

Maybe I'm wrong - and as I've never done it I can't back this up, but I'd assert that everyone with average physical condition and ability could get to single figures (9.4) IF they took golf seriously, listened to a pro and practiced diligently.

I wouldn't make the same statement about getting to cat 1 or better.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

I don't think natural ability comes into it particularly until you get very low. Natural ability might limit the speed at which a person is able to progress, but I think it only stops progression altogether once into single figures and possibly below 5. Hard for me to know exactly where as my natural ability has lead to some pretty slow progress to date...

EDIT: I started writing this prior to IanG's reply - I agree completely.

 

[patricks148]

Maybe I'm wrong - and as I've never done it I can't back this up, but I'd assert that everyone with average physical condition and ability could get to single figures (9.4) IF they took golf seriously, listened to a pro and practiced diligently.

I wouldn't make the same statement about getting to cat 1 or better.

I don't know, some will never make it no matter what they do.

There was a guy at my old club could not get below 10 (9.5), practiced everyday, played in 3 comps a week and was a not bad striker of a ball. Gave up all together in the end, now does running...

 

[IanG]

I don't know, some will never make it no matter what they do.

There was a guy at my old club could not get below 10 (9.5), practiced everyday, played in 3 comps a week and was a not bad striker of a ball. Gave up all together in the end, now does running...

I can imagine that next cut must have reached epic proportions in his head and mess-up him up. He's so close I cannot believe it was impossible for him. Maybe a lesson to two from a different pro, a change of putter or something would break the curse and get him over the line.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

I don't know, some will never make it no matter what they do.

There was a guy at my old club could not get below 10 (9.5), practiced everyday, played in 3 comps a week and was a not bad striker of a ball. Gave up all together in the end, now does running...

Practicing everyday only works if practicing the right things. Very difficult to work out what that means though, and it's taken me a number of different pro's to move in the right direction from a lofty 20 handicap at the start of 2014.

 

[User62651]

Agree the targets are wholly unrealistic but maybe as golf is more skill based than speed or strength and can be played for much longer at a high level than more energetic sports then some people believe they can do it. You don't have to be an 'athlete' to be a good golfer.
Of the golf clubs I've been a member of the number of players on scratch or better is usually about 2 or 3 out of a membership of 300+. Not sure if there's an exact stat but that would make it under 1% so those odds, whilst very long, are not silly odds like winning the lotto jackpot! Can be done but you need natural ability in bucketloads.

 

[patricks148]

I can imagine that next cut must have reached epic proportions in his head and mess-up him up. He's so close I cannot believe it was impossible for him. Maybe a lesson to two from a different pro, a change of putter or something would break the curse and get him over the line.

I think he had lessons from a few guys, I think it just got too much frustration wise.

I personally didn't ever have any goals when i started and it wasn't till, a guy i know getting to single figures and thinking well if he can do it anyone can.

I was never really that bothered, i even told the wife i would give up once i got to Cat1... lets hope she never comes on here

 

[Tiger]

There are two types of people in the world. Those with a fixed mindset - you are what you are. And those with a growth mindset - if I work really hard at something I will get better.

Now the golfer with the growth mindset doesn't think practice can turn him into Rory McIlroy in the same way the rugby player with a growth mindset doesn't think he can turn into Brian O'Driscoll or a growth mindset sprinter believing he can become Usain Bolt.

But with enough training, dedication and application the rugby player will feel he can be a starter in the 1st XV and get player of the year, the sprinter will believe they can run sub 10.5 and the golfer will believe he can get to scratch or single figures.

 

[Hobbit]

There are a number of ingredients needed to make a cake, and the same applies to golf. Miss any of them out, or get them in the wrong proportions and the result might still be a decent golfer but it won't be a scratch golfer.

 

[JohnnyDee]

Agree with most of what has been said and Scratch is "a big ask"

True story now.

My good friend, playing off 8, got remarried to a girl who'd never played golf until about 6 years ago. She never got any bad habits as she was Pro-taught from day one.

Starting at 36 she was down to single figures in about 3 years. She is dedicated beyond belief and practices every day. She's now down to 3 and still working harder than ever.

She may well get there and I really truly hope she does.

My point being that as a former international sportsperson with an amazingly dedicated regime, tons of ability, skill and belief she's still not got there in 6 years. Her achievements to me are nothing short of miraculous and proof that correct technique, amazing dedication and practice will pay massive dividends.

But it also shows what a tough call getting to really scratch is.

Should add that she has never declared that she will get to scratch. She just carries on quietly attempting to get better in the most modest way.