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Can I be a scratch 10 years from now?


very handicap
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I've been playing golf for 3 years.  Until now, I'm still playing in the low 90 with occasional high 80s.  Today, while i was playing an exceptionally bad game, a question pop up in my mind..... at the rate i'm going, will i ever be a scratch player a decade from now?

I play at the local course 3 times a week and i don't go to the range.  Without going to a pro for any lesson, will my game get better and becoming a much better golfer?

I know no one can predict future, but can anyone who have played more than 10 years help to share your experience?  Especially if you play 2-3 times a week.

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Originally Posted by very handicap

I've been playing golf for 3 years.  Until now, I'm still playing in the low 90 with occasional high 80s.  Today, while i was playing an exceptionally bad game, a question pop up in my mind..... at the rate i'm going, will i ever be a scratch player a decade from now?

I play at the local course 3 times a week and i don't go to the range.  Without going to a pro for any lesson, will my game get better and becoming a much better golfer?

I know no one can predict future, but can anyone who have played more than 10 years help to share your experience?  Especially if you play 2-3 times a week.



Probably not if you stay the course.

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I'm taking the over (in terms of your handicap in 10 years) although some of my answer would depend on how old you are...if you are in your mid-teens or younger, you have a slightly better chance, but I view it as unlikely unless you are willing to practice on the range and work a lot on your short game.

If you are shooting mostly in the 90s, chances are some lessons with a good teaching pro would help- it might not make you a scratch, but could get you in the 80s more consistently (and possibly lower depending on your athleticism and how hard you are willing to work).

:mizuno: MP-52 5-PW, :cobra: King Snake 4 i 
:tmade: R11 Driver, 3 W & 5 W, :vokey: 52, 56 & 60 wedges
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Hard to say...

You sound alot like me.  I started playing in 94 in college, got to where I would shoot around 92 to 95 ish.  Never could get any lower and dropped the game pretty much in late 99.  Recently got back into golf about 6 months ago.  This time I've taken some lessons and trying to learn the right way, LOL.  Its amazing what all has changed in 10 years in the game.  I found out real fast my 1994 TaylorMade Raylor 3 wood wasn't gonna cut it, LOL!!!

I would say the way to get into low 80 or 70's is to develope a bad ass short game.  Wedges and putting is where alot of strokes can be gained or lost.  That would be my game plan.  Invest in some good wedge and a putter you are comfortable with and pratice, pratice, pratice.

Good luck!!!

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Similar scenario:  You've been playing the piano for 3 years.  You can now play some easy songs that sound OK. You don't practice, or take piano lessons, but you sit down to play 3 times a week. If you continue, will you be able to play professionally in 10 years?

Chances are slim.  Same for golf if you don't want to practice or take lessons.

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I would say the longer you go without lessons or practice the less likley you will get to scratch.  You will simply ingrain poor habits making it more difficult to undo them

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Well, I can tell you from my own experience, as I play about the same amount as you do.  I played a number of years as a junior and learned there, but when I returned to the game a number of years later I had never received any further help from a pro in the form of a lesson.  Now keep in mind I was able to build a foundation as a jr. I have shaved a number of strokes off my cap over the last couple of years but I have reached as far as I can go on my own.  I hover around a 2 or 3 but there is a big gap to a 0 from there, and that requirs work and practice time.

My advise is get a lesson or two and get a base in fundamentals, once you get a base you can work on that on your own by practicing.  If you don't practice or get a lesson chances are slim to make it to scratch.

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Among amateur golfers, 'scratch' is like a unicorn.  It's just not something that most, most, most people will ever get to.  So, out of the gate, the answer is definitely not.  If you were someone who shot 81 in his first round, and could break 80 with a little regular play, then I'd say you were in that rare category of 'natural golfer,' that could definitely get there....with a lot of practice and coaching.  Alas, you appear to be just like the rest of us, so that makes the answer, as you are proceeding now, definitely not.  A massive majority of us are lucky to bust our ass, take a lot of lessons and maybe get into the 'elite single digit' range, like 2-4.  Cutting those last precious strokes to get to scratch is squeezing blood out of the stone.  Makes you realize just how good the pros are.

Related (sorta) story: a friend of mine said this guy played at his club, the highest ranked senior amateur in the country.  His handicap is like a +5, and I think he shot 66-67 or so at my friend's club (no slouch of a course).  Someone asked him why he doesn't play the Champions Tour.  His response: "I'm not good enough."

Nothing in the swing is done at the expense of balance.

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If you continue on the pace you are on now, probably not.

In my bag:

Driver: Titleist TSi3 | 15º 3-Wood: Ping G410 | 17º 2-Hybrid: Ping G410 | 19º 3-Iron: TaylorMade GAPR Lo |4-PW Irons: Nike VR Pro Combo | 54º SW, 60º LW: Titleist Vokey SM8 | Putter: Odyssey Toulon Las Vegas H7

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If your playing 3 rounds per week now and barely into the 80's then the answer is most likely .......NO

But you might be able to get into the single digit handicap club with a LOT of practice and rounds.

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The problem is, it has to do with more than playing or practicing. Becoming a scratch golfer has a lot to do with your natural talents. If someone is not naturally blessed with some golf ability then chances are they will have to enjoy the game from the mid 80's or worse for their entire life regardless of how hard they work, how many lesson they take, and how often they practice. And there is nothing wrong with that, one saying I like is, "Golf and sex are two things you don't have to be good at to still enjoy doing."  I give junior golf clinics all summer long and I can tell within 5 swings whether or not a child will ever be very good. I can take a kid with some talent and have them hitting balls consistently in 2-3 days. I have had kids for 5-6 weeks during the summer and they never get to the point where they hit it consistently.

I started playing golf seriously about 16 years ago. I have been scratch for about the last 5 or 6, so I guess I achieved scratch status in 10 years. That being said, my father and grandfather were both scratch golfers as well so I guess I come by it somewhat naturally. The first time I played 18 holes I shot 101 and I have not shot over 100 since. I was shooting in the 80's within a year and broke 80 after 3 years. I broke par for the first time after playing for about 7 or 8 years.

I did all that without taking any lessons, but my father has helped me a lot and I take video of my swing and work on things myself. I also play and practice at least 3-4 times a week 12 months a year so I have put in the time as well.

Danny    In my :ping: Hoofer Tour golf bag on my :clicgear: 8.0 Cart

Driver:   :pxg: 0311 Gen 5  X-Stiff.                        Irons:  :callaway: 4-PW APEX TCB Irons 
3 Wood: :callaway: Mavrik SZ Rogue X-Stiff                            Nippon Pro Modus 130 X-Stiff
3 Hybrid: :callaway: Mavrik Pro KBS Tour Proto X   Wedges: :vokey:  50°, 54°, 60° 
Putter: :odyssey:  2-Ball Ten Arm Lock        Ball: :titleist: ProV 1

 

 

 

 

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Golf is not a game where you just naturally get better and better. You need to work actively to improve. Most people plateau after about 3 years and will not improve without serious practice and lessons. They may even get worse as bad habits are ingrained. With the information you have given us, in10 years, I would say that your scores would be very similar to what they are now. And your handicap is not 15 by the way. A great short game is not the way to become a low handicapper. A great shortgame can turn sixes into fives and sevens into sixes. Unless you are a great driver and a very good iron player it doesn't make you a low handicapper. A good short game is more likely to turn a 95 shooter into an 85 shooter. It won't turn a 95 shooter into a 75 shooter.

In the race of life, always back self-interest. At least you know it's trying.

 

 

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Becoming "scratch" will take more than shooting in the mid-80s a few times a week. You will need some dedication, lessons, and practice. I put lessons in there because when you practice, you need to practice the right things.

Cobra LTDx 10.5* | Big Tour 15.5*| Rad Tour 18.5*  | Titleist U500 4-23* | T100 5-P | Vokey SM7 50/8* F, 54/10* S, SM8 58/10* S | Scotty Cameron Squareback No. 1 | Vice Pro Plus  

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Sure.  Play easy courses. .

Don't look at score so much to see how far away you are.  It's not linear.  Improvement in golf comes in very discrete jumps.  You may be shooting 90, one key month later, shooting low 80s.  These jumps are predicated by breakthroughs.  These breakthroughs most often come from lessons and video analysis.  If you aren't doing either, you're going to need to get your breakthrough elsewhere.  My advice is, if you aren't planning on taking lessons, plan on not getting to scratch.  I really think that any athletically inclined individual could get to scratch in a couple of years with a lot of hard work, daily practice, and direction from good mentors.

[ Equipment ]
R11 9° (Lowered to 8.5°) UST Proforce VTS 7x tipped 1" | 906F2 15° and 18° | 585H 21° | Mizuno MP-67 +1 length TT DG X100 | Vokey 52° Oil Can, Cleveland CG10 2-dot 56° and 60° | TM Rossa Corza Ghost 35.5" | Srixon Z Star XV | Size 14 Footjoy Green Joys | Tour Striker Pro 5, 7, 56 | Swingwing

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An opinion from someone on the same side of the question as you.  For a fairly coordinated, athletically talented person, I think you can probably get to a bit better than bogey golf through casual play and occasional practice.  To reach scratch, that means on a typical round at a typical course, you're shooting even par to a couple over regularly.  That seems to me like it's going to take some very concentrated effort.  You need not only to hit most of your shots the direction and distance you intend, but when you miss you need to be able to recover most of the time, whether it be getting up and down or making an accurate shot from a poor lie.  I can see shooting mostly pars and bogeys with an occasional birdie thrown in just by hitting close to the green in regulation on most holes, but averaging near par takes a bit better than that.

In the bag:
FT-iQ 10° driver, FT 21° neutral 3H
T-Zoid Forged 15° 3W, MX-23 4-PW
Harmonized 52° GW, Tom Watson 56° SW, X-Forged Vintage 60° LW
White Hot XG #1 Putter, 33"

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To the OP, shooting in the low 90's and sometimes in the high 80's means you are about a 20 capper, not a 15 capper.

Further if you play 15 in let's say 3 yrs, it is hard to imagine you have enough talent to become a scratch player ...... I would say that anyone wanting to become a scratch player will be an 8 orso in the first season, maybe a 5 to 3 in their second season and about scrartch in their third season......

All others will probably never go even to a single digit capper level.

Besides that it is not playing 3 times a week, but practicing 7 days a week, and play a few rounds per week to bring your practice to the course.

Cal Razr Hawk 10.5 | TM Superfast 3W | Adams Idea Pro Black 20 | MP-68 3-PW | TW9 50/06 + 58/12 | Ram Zebra Putter

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Originally Posted by Gerald

To the OP, shooting in the low 90's and sometimes in the high 80's means you are about a 20 capper, not a 15 capper.


Depends on the difficulty of his course.  A 15 playing to his handicap on a 72/130 course would be shooting an 89, so he should be in the low 90s about 3/4 of the time.

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In the bag:
FT-iQ 10° driver, FT 21° neutral 3H
T-Zoid Forged 15° 3W, MX-23 4-PW
Harmonized 52° GW, Tom Watson 56° SW, X-Forged Vintage 60° LW
White Hot XG #1 Putter, 33"

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Not unless you start practicing more and playing less , you can't really work on things on the course like you can at the range.  I struggled in the 100's and 90's for years, but I was only playing at most 15-20 times a year.  I'm into single digits now, but only after hitting the range more, short game and also playing more rounds (30-50 a year) depending on weather, time, etc.  You really need to switch out at least one of the days you play with 3 or 4 solid 1 hour practice rounds.

In my :nike:  bag on my :clicgear: cart ...

Driver: :ping: G10 9*    3-Wood: :cleveland: Launcher
Hybrid: :adams: 20* Hybrid      Irons: :ping: i5 4-GW - silver dot, +1/2"
Wedges: :cleveland: 56* (bent to 54*) and 60* CG10     Putter: :ping: Craz-e (original blue)

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Note: This thread is 4668 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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