Question for the low handicappers...

**Chris5573** · June 9, 2008

I currently have a 7 handicap, and I wanted to know how long it took you low-handicappers to get from a 7 to where-ever you are now. If some of you are a 5 or so, did it take a year to get from a 7 to a 5? I know the amount of time it takes each person to drop varies and depends on the person's talent, the amount of golf they can play, practice time, etc...just trying to get a general idea. If some of you are close to scratch, is a 7 handicapper several years away from this level? Do you think that a 3 handicap is still miles away from scratch? In my case, I'm not sure how low I can get it...in all honesty, I think me getting to scratch is unrealistic but a 5 could be possible.

**Ben** · June 9, 2008

In my case, I'm not sure how low I can get it...in all honesty, I think me getting to scratch is unrealistic but a 5 could be possible.

Why?

Like you say, its all very subjective. My biggest jump in the drop in my handicap came from when I started working at a course. I was a 4 going in, and now I'm where I am. That was 2 years in the making. Mind you I have unlimited access to practice and a golf course. The easiest way to make a real jump is to learn how to and be confident in your putting. Anyone from a 7 to a PGA pro can hit shot after shot to within 30'. It's the PGA pro that makes the putts.

**wolverine318** · June 9, 2008

Shortgame, my brother is a 2, he has been anywhere from a +1 to a 3 over the past few years depending on how much he can play. Howerver I am a 6 right now, I hit the ball just as good as him if not better, but his shorgame is vastly superior to mine. Getting up and down is the difference in a lot of shots. If I hit 12 greens that is 6 up and down chances. I go 1/6 he goes 4/6. I duff a chip, miss a 3 footer in my 5 unsuccessfull attempts and now I shoot 78 but he simply chips an 2 putts for a 72 or whatever.

I think most higher caper dont realize how many strokes they give away with poor chipping and putting.

**Chris5573** · June 9, 2008

Thanks for your responses, guys. I agree that the short-game is the key to lowering the handicap. I have actually lowered mine from a 13 to a 7 over the last year and a half to two years by working hard on chipping, pitching and putting. I also enjoy practicing that part of the game, so it's been enjoyable. I think my biggest weakness is hitting greens in reg. Even when I play well, (for me that's 81 or better), I only hit about 6 greens. I know my irons need improvement. Speaking of that, I play with a set of TM RAC OS-2's which have a lot of offset and are a game improvement iron. I am thinking that I might be better off stepping it up and getting a set with less offset but that still has some forgiveness to it. Several people have told me that the irons I currently play are meant for a player with a 15+ handicap.

**Richie3Jack** · June 9, 2008

I started playing when I was 12 and played religiously each day. So the transition to say about a 7 handicap to a 2-4 handicap was pretty quick. I think it happens when you start to fine tune your short game as you're not missing the short putts as much, you're getting up and down more often and you're occasionally making the long putt. From there, to get lower you start to need to understand the golf swing and the mechanics of the game to take your game to the next level.

3JACK

**JackieTreehorn** · June 9, 2008

I agree it is the short game that pushes people past scratch, but that doesn't mean you don't need consistency in your long game (to stay there!).
For the last 10 years, my handicap varied anywhere from a 2 to a 10 depending on how much I was playing. When I played at a 2, I still had occasional worries about hitting OB or slicing it into the next fairway, but 1) my long game "feel" was on so I usually kept it straight and 2) my short game was real good.

But when I finished school (and had to work!) I could not play more than a handful times of year. I would return to the course and struggle to try to break 80. It was because my long game was not mechanically sound and more of a feel game. Basically I was plateau-ing out at a 2 and not scratch more because of minor flaws in my swing and less due to short game problems.

So if you perfect your short game, I bet you can get right around scratch. But to play scratch and stay there, you need to first have a mechanically sound swing and then a solid short game.

**Crafty** · June 9, 2008

Last year, I went from a 9.2 to a 1.2 from the beginning to the end of the golf season. You and your determination to get better are the determining factors of how low your handicap can get.

**Dent** · June 9, 2008

Im around you, and my handicap drops unbeleivably slow!! I started my handicap 3 years ago at a 12. Last year I was at an 8.6 then near the end of the season I went to an 8.1 From the end of last year to now ive went from 8.1 - 7.5 Thats very very slow.

**BGPro** · June 10, 2008

This may be biased, based on it's my profession... but don't hold your pride so high that you are afraid to take a lesson with a PGA Professional (I'm not saying you are, lol). Seriously, just one or two lessons will help you learn HOW to practice, and help you learn drills and swing tips that you can take to the range, course, and even your bedroom! Otherwise, practice getting up and down... that's the key to success. If you can scramble, you'll grind it out and finish strong. I came into single digits in high school, and now I'm teaching and playing professional golf in various venues... it takes time, but you'll come around.

**joseywales** · June 11, 2008

For me, it was several factors. Three years ago I was a 6 handicap. I decided if I was ever going win my club championship, I was going to have to subscribe to a single swing theory because there were too many ideas floating around in my head. I found a great local pro in my area and decided to totally trust the changes he made in my swing. It was the best decision I ever made and I finished 2nd by 2 shots. After last season, I decided to get stronger physically to be longer off the tee. Over the winter, I made my whole body stronger and have seen major results having shorter shots into greens. One last thing if you are really serious imo.....Put yourself in as many pressure situations as possible and play on the absolute worst weather days that you can. Eventually you will be able to handle any situation thrown at you no matter what the situation. Good luck!

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