How long till your handicap fell?

[Wardy]

Hi Op.

Obviously it depends on how much time and effort you put into it. I'm personally loving golf since I started playing it, so I'm doing all I can to improve.

Been playing 2 years now (1 of which I joined a club and started to play to improve). I was playing every now and then last year, but this year (especially over the summer), I've been playing 9 holes during the week once and a full round of 18 at the weekend.

My stats are as follows:

October 2012: +28

March 2013: +24

August 2013 :          +24

September 2013: +19

October 2013: +16.7

Little chart below from the Howdidido.co.uk website that shows the changes recently:

The recent drop I put down to buying new equipment (having 4 wedges has helped my game a lot), working on my swing and actually practicing chipping and lots of putting.

[inthehole]

49 years old - been playing 3 years now (about 100 rounds per year), following is progress in terms of average score by the end of each year:

1st year end - around 100

2nd year end - closing in on 90

3rd year end - usually shoot between 84-89.

Been in this slot the latter half of this year ... ball striking is pretty solid now, but am clearly stagnating.    For me to go much lower, it's going to come down to putting (for which I clearly have no natural aptitude) a nd perhaps most important - getting chips consistently closer so I don't have to rely on making 5-6 footers for par.      Overall, happy with my progress - things have come down when I realized that I can't afford any OB balls - focused on not over-swinging and keeping the ball in play (hitting way more hybrids /  3 woods off the tee on questionably tight fairways than driver).

[Meltdwhiskey]

I played hack golf w/ my buddies in college for about 2 years and then quit for about 15 years.  Took it back up in June of 2011.  Got my first cap in Feb of 2012 which was a 24.7.  Today it is 15.9. I've played about 40 rounds so far this year and try to get to the range regularly.  Also play the par 3 sometimes before work.  Also have had 5-10 lessons.

[Dave2512]

This time I've been at it about 17 months. When I started in April 2012 the best I could do was pick up on nearly every hole. After few months of practice and time on par 3 courses I starting keeping a handicap. By the time I had enough scores to calculate one I started at 26. With instruction, tracking stats and putting the work in and dropped somewhat steadily ending 2012 at 12.3. I had high hopes for 2013, I believed playing down to 12 in less than a year was better than average. However I had a lot of previous golf experience despite more than decade away. The start of 2013 didn't go as planned and I bounced around in the 12-14 range. With more instruction, several fittings and a change to 2013 equipment I started trending down again a few months ago. At this point I feel stuck so I plan to spend the winter getting back to disciplined practice rather than playing. Looking back I see differences in how I play now compared to just a few months ago. Expectations change as you trend down. I still make a lot of bogeys but the difference is I see how it could have been avoided rather than feeling fortunate I got up and down to save it. Confidence is huge for me. Being able to stand on the tee believing par is out there changed the way I play.

[cipher]

Just months from 12-15 or so to 6.

1 year from 6 to 4.5

1 year from 4.5 to 3.8

[inthehole]

Just months from 12-15 or so to 6.

1 year from 6 to 4.5

1 year from 4.5 to 3.8

Wow - thats the biggest jump in the shortest time I've heard of ... can you give us the secret of your success in dropping from a 12-15 hcp to 6 in a matter of months ?     I thought I was doing decent dropping from 19 to 15 in a year - even that took tons of work ...

[cipher]

Wow - thats the biggest jump in the shortest time I've heard of ... can you give us the secret of your success in dropping from a 12-15 hcp to 6 in a matter of months ?     I thought I was doing decent dropping from 19 to 15 in a year - even that took tons of work ...

I really don't think anything of it because it was not my end goal. @iacas knows of students who have improved much faster than I did.  I also did not really do anything other than just start playing.  I started playing 2-3 times per week and going to the range 1-2 times a week verses just playing once a month or so before.  I just think that playing more had a big impact right away, then it became much harder from there.    I read some things and tried to look for tips as well, that is how I ended up on this site.

[PirateJim]

Started playing Golf since three months. After one month of range and short game practice scored 98 on my first round. This month last 8 rounds have scored an average 87 , being a hockey player may have helped. Currently 32 years old and am wondering if I practice everyday how soon can I be a scratch golfer?

There is no way for one answer to fit all. Certainly a 32 year old with natural athletic ability who gets regular decent instruction and who has the discipline and resources to practice every day should be able to become a pretty darn good golfer over the course of the next year or so. However, getting to be a scratch golfer may never happen, or so I believe. Real scratch golfers are a rare breed. Doesn't mean you can't of course. But I would suggest setting an intermediate goal of 6 - 8 handicap. That puts you pretty solid into the "good golfer" category and from there you can probably better evaluate what you need to do to shave off those last strokes.

[Artimas]

I've been playing for 2 seasons. I'm definitely striking the ball better than when I started, but my handicap remains around a 28 and hasn't really changed.  I lose tremendous numbers of strokes due to a bad short game that's not improving as well as suboptimal course management.

I've recently become very frustrated that my h-cap is unchanged over 2 years despite lessons, semi-regular play and practice. It's gotten to the point where I often think about quitting and finding something else to occupy my time. Seriously.

[mailman]

Well I started playing golf in March this year and in my first medal comp in April I carded 116! To be honest I really didn't have a clue what I was doing and didn't even know what a Medal Competition was when I signed in with the starter! I then scratched around in various competitions, improving but not getting the handicap down! Then in the August medal comp I got to the 17th tee on a gross 80, having so far played the epic round of my life and eyeing up not only my first sub 100 BUT my first sub 90 round. Sadly Real Life (tm) intruded on my epic round and 20 shots later I carded my lowest medal round of 100 but more importantly I also achieved my first handicap cut :) The next day I played in a stableford comp and scored 38 points and got another massive handicap cut down to 27.2! I was over the moon :) Last Sunday I played in my last medal comp for the year and carded a 99 but it was the old woulda, coulda, shoulda as I had three 8's on the par 4's and a 6 on one of the par 3's and three 3 putts! So over the course of the summer I shaved off nearly 20 shots so next year my goal is more control and to consistently score in the mid to low 90's and to get my handicap down towards 20. The problem I have is the disastrous blow up holes that always seem to come in sets of three or four! I've had a couple lessons which have helped and in also trying to play smarter and think more about course management as my home course isn't long (6300yards off the white tees) but most of the holes will punish you harshly if you end up in the wrong place! Finally driving distance. My best is 345 yards, which ended up in the centre of the fairway! Sadly my worst is only a couple yards which happens more regularly than I care for! Regards Mailman

[PirateJim]

I've been playing for 2 seasons. I'm definitely striking the ball better than when I started, but my handicap remains around a 28 and hasn't really changed.  I lose tremendous numbers of strokes due to a bad short game that's not improving as well as suboptimal course management.

I've recently become very frustrated that my h-cap is unchanged over 2 years despite lessons, semi-regular play and practice. It's gotten to the point where I often think about quitting and finding something else to occupy my time. Seriously.

Sound's like you know exactly what needs fixing.

There are many thousands of golfers that get a lot of pleasure just hacking their way around the course on Saturday drinking beers with their buddies.  There's nothing wrong with that, and it sounds better to me than just quitting, though there are other things you can do to entertain yourself if you don't want to play golf any more.  Semi-regular play and practice probably won't take you but just so far.  You have to decide if that is far enough.  However, the short game is something you can fix if you choose, and good course management is mostly about avoiding trouble, and going ahead and taking your medicine once you are in trouble rather than trying stupid hero shots to make up for the last one.

[TJBam]

Keeping my tee shots in bound and learning to be patient with chips and putts.  Getting up and down lowered my HCP the most.  I went from around 25 to 18 by keeping my tee shots more in bounds and shaved a ton more off as soon as I learned how important that greenside chip is.

Edit: And I STILL suck!!

[WUTiger]

I was the first golfer in my immediate family, and played with an odd mix of clubs during gradeschool (early 1960s). Had a wooden-shafted 5i in the bag, and other eras too. Always shot above 100.

Halfway through high school I finally had a set of modern (for then) R-flex irons and woods. Summer after senior year I broke 90 for the first time. In junior and senior year, dropped about 12 strokes. Also, it took me until late high school before I was really big enough to use men's clubs. (Wasn't on HS team, just played).

Coming out of military several years later, I dropped more strokes, shot 77 twice, and often scored in the low 80s. Starting in my mid-30s, scores have crept back upward.

[ponyboy]

Broke 80 today. My current driver swing speed stands at 111mph. 270carry. Want to get down to scratch by dec2015. Currently @15 with playing 11months.

[Grndslmhttr3]

Started 8-9 years ago, and reached single digits last year. I'd say it was about 2, maybe even 3 years after I started playing that I could break 100 consistently. Another 2-3 to break 90 consistently. Seems like my progress has been pretty slow compared to a lot of people here, but sure enough there has been progress.

[clearwaterms]

Started 8-9 years ago, and reached single digits last year. I'd say it was about 2, maybe even 3 years after I started playing that I could break 100 consistently. Another 2-3 to break 90 consistently. Seems like my progress has been pretty slow compared to a lot of people here, but sure enough there has been progress.

I think it took me more like 4 to break 100 regularly (and I still have rounds when I don't) and that was probably last year when it happened.  I don't break 90 regularly and have never broken 80 (but have broken 40 a few times)

[MonkeyGolfer99]

Great thread Ladies and Gents:)

My first post so here goes . . .

I've played golf for years on and off but only in a very casual way.  Being English I grew up with football, no one in my family played or really cared about golf, but it was something I enjoyed and really wanted to play more.  Got into martial arts in my 20's and that basically took up all my time and energy sports wise.  Didn't touch a golf club for over a decade . . .

Anyways, long story short, in August last year (2014) I was fortunate to be able to play lots of golf due to teaching holidays and having moved to a new city and close to a golf course!  I got the bug big time and have played at least once (usually twice) a week since then and made 1 - 2 trips to the range/practice area.  I joined the club in October and got my first official handicap of 18 in November, which I was extremely pleased with.

My lowest score to that point had been 90 (par 72) when I was still in school!

I broke 90 for the first time in September 2014 (an 84, and yes, I was beaming for weeks!!)

At the start of August I was happy if I broke 100 (on a reasonably challenging course) now I get a bit sulky if I don't break 90

I've won a few 'Sunday League' games (and pocketed some cash!! - Bandit has been a term thrown  at me;)  I won my first 'proper' club competition a few weeks ago, scoring 44 points using stable-ford rules.  My total number of shots was 82.  As a result my handicap went down to 16:)

I had my first lesson last week which seems to have set me back a bit, which I expected, but feel that I need this input now as I have basically stalled over the last few months having average scores of 87.

FWIW - I would put my progress down to honestly evaluating my rounds and identifying my weaker areas.  Yes, putting and chipping!!  And then focusing my practice on these.  Also, as others have mentioned, I played a more 'percentage' game and aimed for the 'safer' shot rather than trying to blast every par 5 in 2 or lay up instead of trying to make a 200 yard approach to a well protected pin.  I also used to have a 'Sha . . . .k' as a bad shot that would pop out every now and then (it still can, mind!!) so I spent lots of my range time working out why this was happening and then trying to adjust for it.  Mirrors really helped!  You tube teachers like Mark Crossfield, MTI and Me and my Golf I also found to  have lots of useful drills and good explanations on swing fundamentals in the absence of a personal PGA pro instructor . . .

I feel ecstatic with my progress to be honest.  I would say I have gone from a +26 HC to a 16 HC  in about 6 months.  The reason I looked at this thread though was because it seems a general consensus that getting from around 16 to single figures (which is my aim currently and to break 80) will take a lot more perseverance.

How did people find reducing from a 16 down to single figures, how long did it take and how did you do it?

Sorry for the long post but I hope you fellow golfers can sense the buzz and excitement i have for this game at the moment! Cheers:)

[ghalfaire]

Everybody is different.....Everybody hits brick walls they never think can be breached.....  I've been there and done that.  I've been stuck against a wall for nearly a decade in the past, and then blew it to smithereens.  Don't lose faith....the wall can be broken through.

I agree with this.  Seems as if in the process of lowering you handicap there are spots where the process of reduction really flattens out for a period.  You work and you work and nothing happens then all of sudden you start shooting 3-5 stokes lower.  I find that puzzling but that is how it seems to go.  Probably a brain thing.