20 Handicapper - What Can I Play To in a Year?

[seanf999]

Hello all!

I'm a slightly different situation to most.

I want to seriously work on my golf game this spring/summer.

I haven't played a huge amount of golf, certainly not consistently, but I've spent years whacking golf balls down the field behind my house.

 

I apparently have a nice swing.

I went to buy a driver and the guy asked what I was playing off, I said I didn't really have a handicap.

He laughed and said 'I would have guessed you're into single figures', great to hear from the guy who coaches the Irish olympic team!

I've since got a handicap, I played 3 games of golf over 3 days and put in a handicap of 20, which I wasn't happy about (frankly, I played shit).

I'm 22 now, on the shorter side but I've always had a solid strike of the ball, irons are my strong suit and I drive it around 260 on average, I had a terrible slice for years that I've overcame (for the most part) recently.

 

Between now and next September, what's a realistic goal I can set for myself handicap wise?
20 to 15? 20 to 10?

I've had lessons, and I've played with a lot of my fathers friends who are good golfers, they all have said I could reach single figures within the year, which sounds mad.

 

My short game is killing me, no doubt about it.

I've spent years driving the ball and firing iron shots down towards the cows, but I've neglected the other aspects of golf; short game, putting, course management and consistent playing.

 

I plan on putting in a score card a week, in my local comp.. and I'll be playing another round of golf every Monday.

Between college and work though the main golfing I can do will be on the range or an hour or two on the course chipping and putting.

But nonetheless I want to consistently put in scores and work on my game.
I just want a realistic goal to work towards.
I mean I want to go to scratch, I'm sure everyone does but you know... be realistic..

 

Edited February 29, 2020 by seanf999
Stupid fat hands

[ChetlovesMer]

If you want to be scratch, make your goal scratch.

[billchao]

1 hour ago, seanf999 said:

Between now and next September, what's a realistic goal I can set for myself handicap wise?
20 to 15? 20 to 10?

It really depends. 15 is definitely realistically possible. 10 is achievable if you’re talented.

I say shoot for 10 and if you end up at 15, be happy with it.

Just now, ChetlovesMer said:

If you want to be scratch, make your goal scratch.

In a year? Some people have done it, but it’s not a realistic goal.

[ChetlovesMer]

3 minutes ago, billchao said:

In a year? Some people have done it, but it’s not a realistic goal.

I'm a fan of setting bold goals. 

[billchao]

3 minutes ago, ChetlovesMer said:

I'm a fan of setting bold goals. 

I used to think like that, but eventually I realized there’s no point in setting goals I never hit. It can backfire psychologically when I lose motivation to do something because I know it wasn’t a realistic goal to begin with, kind of like not putting in the effort because I was willing to accept failure in the first place.

Now I like setting smaller goals and achieving them. It motivates me more to accomplish smaller tasks and challenging myself by raising the bar little by little.

[Mr22putt]

OP

If you showed us a video of your swing we'd have a better Idea on your natural talent.

Considering you're going to college and working...I think you likely won't have the time to truly dedicate enough time to get to a single cap within a year...with work I think 13-14 cap is a realistic year end goal.

I think the goal of scratch is more realistic if and when you become a 3-4 cap......very few people have the natural talent to become scratch.

I've played golf for 52 years....41 years as a 6-8 cap...I knew in my early 20's I didn't have the natural talent to be scratch and wasn't willing to put the time in to get to scratch neither.

Let us know of your progression through the year.

[ChetlovesMer]

6 minutes ago, billchao said:

I used to think like that, but eventually I realized there’s no point in setting goals I never hit. It can backfire psychologically when I lose motivation to do something because I know it wasn’t a realistic goal to begin with, kind of like not putting in the effort because I was willing to accept failure in the first place.

Now I like setting smaller goals and achieving them. It motivates me more to accomplish smaller tasks and challenging myself by raising the bar little by little.

Your point is well taken. What is truly realistic will depend on the OP's natural talent. Whether he's a small step kinda goal setter, or a shoot for the stars kinda goal setter will depend on this personality. 

Me, I'd rather set a bold goal. Rather than risk leaving a lot on the table. 

[dagolfer18]

I would set your mind on improving little by little, for example, 20 to 15, then from there to 10 or 12. I am currently a 19 handicap and have a dream of getting into low single digits, but I’m looking at several years from now. If you want to obtain a low handicap, make that a goal you work towards over the next decade or so. 

Edited March 1, 2020 by dagolfer18

[leftybutnotPM]

23 minutes ago, dagolfer18 said:

If you want to obtain a low handicap, make that a goal you work towards over the next decade or so. 

If it's going to happen, it won't happen in a "decade or so" unless he's 6 years old. People generally reach their potential rapidly.

To the OP:

You asked for honest answers.

Here's my take:

• How about you telling us what you got your handicap down to after a year?
• No-one here has a clue what you can expect. You tell us in 12 months. How would people who haven't seen you play have a clue?
• You aren't currently a 20 handicapper. That's just a number you made up.
• A "nice swing" isn't really that relevant.
• You DON't drive it 260 on average. Occasionally you get one that far in specific conditions.
• Your "short game is killing you". No, your long game is killing you and you don't have a short game at all.
• You have a shocking slice that you'd like to overcome.
• You probably don't know whether your father's friends are good golfers or not.
• Best thing is to play as much as you can and when you practice do it with specific goals that an instructor has advised
• The handicap you achieve will be part of the 12 month journey and certainly the LEAST IMPORTANT PART OF IT.

Edited March 1, 2020 by leftybutnotPM

[Carl3]

If you drive 260 on average then scratch should be possible eventually. By September Shoot for a goal of 10. Get serious and practice all aspects of your game. 

[leftybutnotPM]

10 minutes ago, Carl3 said:

If you drive 260 on average then scratch should be possible eventually. By September Shoot for a goal of 10. Get serious and practice all aspects of your game. 

Oh Gawd - here we go again.

260 yards. Where? When? What fairways? What tailwinds? What altitude? What cartpath bounces?

What is  the real "average"? Do the 300s wipe out the 220s? 

Is 260 really 180. You don't know and neither do I.

You are suggesting that someone without a handicap can get to 10 in 7 months because he SAYS he "averages 260". Wow.

There are many many golfers who can occasionally hit it 260. Scratch is possible eventually for a tiny percentage of those people, and most of them are in their early teens.

Edited March 1, 2020 by leftybutnotPM

[Mr22putt]

51 minutes ago, leftybutnotPM said:

If it's going to happen, it won't happen in a "decade or so" unless he's 6 years old. People generally reach their potential rapidly.

 

This

As per my above post...once I got to a single digit cap as a teen....I knew by in my early 20's I didn't have the natural skill to be scratch...people who excel in sports generally do so fairly rapidly.

[Mr22putt]

27 minutes ago, leftybutnotPM said:

Oh Gawd - here we go again.

260 yards. Where? When? What fairways? What tailwinds? What altitude? What cartpath bounces?

What is  the real "average"? Do the 300s wipe out the 220s? 

 

I didn't want to say so in my 1st post and wanted to wait.....well it didn't take long for someone to post.

I've played golf for 52 years and have yet to meet a 20 capper who can AVERAGE 260....never mind getting their drives often into trouble.

As above I've played as a 6-8 cap for over 4 decades.

In a typical rd using a driver 14 times...I rarely hit a FW off the tee because I'm confident with my driver.

I usually hit 2-4 drives I'm really happy with...4 lousy drives and the other 6-8 drives are ok and keep me in play.

A good drive carries 227-230....a poor drive 210-218...so my avg carry is likely 218-223.

I find most golfers say their best drives as their avg drives....I see those results when I play golf with them.

[leftybutnotPM]

2 hours ago, ChetlovesMer said:

I'm a fan of setting bold goals. 

So, we're just a tad shy of the "I have no backup plan, so failure is not an option" philosophy.

Bold goals are stupid goals if there is no possibility that they will be achieved.

If a 22 year old with a real handicap of 20 got down to 15 within 7 months, that would be tremendous progress.

I'm not talking about someone who says they "gave themself" a handicap of 20 and then in three months time played 14 holes on a course that might be playing at 5600 yards and "gave myself pars on the last four because it was raining and I was hitting it well. That was a 78, so I'm now a 6 handicapper".

How about this for a goal?

I plan to find an instructor who can help me develop some achievable goals and who can give me some drills and lessons to help me maintain my focus achieve these goals?

NOTE:

There has NEVER been a thread on this site where someone has set a goal to be scratch or whatever where they have demonstrated ANY improvement.

And, for the umpteenth time, I'll say that NONE of these guys have EVER seen a really good player hit a ball.

Anyone who has ambitions to get to a really low handicap omly needs to play 6 holes with a genuine plus handicapper or 2 seconds on the driving range at a professional event and know that it's a bit like saying "I am buying a guitar when the snow melts. Do you think I can play like Eric Clapton by Christmas?" It's just silly.

Edited March 1, 2020 by leftybutnotPM

[ChetlovesMer]

13 minutes ago, leftybutnotPM said:

So, we're just a tad shy of the "I have no backup plan, so failure is not an option" philosophy.

Bold goals are stupid goals if there is no possibility that they will be achieved.

If a 22 year old with a real handicap of 20 got down to 15 within 7 months, that would be tremendous progress.

I'm not talking about someone who says they "gave themself" a handicap of 20 and then in three months time played 14 holes on a course that might be playing at 5600 yards and "gave myself pars on the last four because it was raining and I was hitting it well. That was a 78, so I'm now a 6 handicapper".

How about this for a goal?

I plan to find an instructor who can help me develop some achievable goals and who can give me some drills and lessons to help me maintain my focus achieve these goals?

NOTE:

There has NEVER been a thread on this site where someone has set a goal to be scratch or whatever where they have demonstrated ANY improvement.

And, for the umpteenth time, I'll say that NONE of these guys have EVER seen a really good player hit a ball.

Anyone who has ambitions to get to a really low handicap omly needs to play 6 holes with a genuine plus handicapper or 2 seconds on the driving range at a professional event and know that it's a bit like saying "I am buying a guitar when the snow melts. Do you think I can play like Eric Clapton by Christmas?" It's just silly.

I write this in the most loving way possible... You know, there are plenty of decaffeinated brands on the market now that taste every bit as good as the real thing. 

[Mr22putt]

20 minutes ago, leftybutnotPM said:

NOTE:

1) There has NEVER been a thread on this site where someone has set a goal to be scratch or whatever where they have demonstrated ANY improvement.

2) And, for the umpteenth time, I'll say that NONE of these guys have EVER seen a really good player hit a ball.

 

1) Sorry you are wrong.

Diece...he set a goal to dominate the MacKenzie Tour within I believe a 2 year window.....and he DID show improvement.....he shot 91 in his first GTA Am tour event and then IMPROVED and shot 85 in a 2nd event months later.

2) I had on quite a few occasions when I've been playing well after 5-6 holes and my playing partners who I have never met will ask me if I'm a scratch golfer and if my drives were 270 yards....my reply...."Obviously you've never played with a a REAL scratch golfer before....there's a huge difference in my 7 cap game vs. scratch and my that drive I just hit is maybe about 240 yards.....lol.

[leftybutnotPM]

25 minutes ago, Mr22putt said:

 

Diece...he set a goal to dominate the MacKenzie Tour within I believe a 2 year window.....and he DID show improvement.....he shot 91 in his first GTA Am tour event and then IMPROVED and shot 85 in a 2nd event months later.

LOL.

But there was never any real discussion about the conditions, so my bet is that the 91  was better than the 85, so he probably went backwards. 

 

39 minutes ago, ChetlovesMer said:

I write this in the most loving way possible... You know, there are plenty of decaffeinated brands on the market now that taste every bit as good as the real thing. 

And much tastier than Kool-Aid. 

Your advice is to set unachievable goals. Makes sense......😕😀

Edited March 1, 2020 by leftybutnotPM

[David in FL]

You’re a 20.

If you do it yourself...

...  20.