Pipe Dream or Possibility?

[MattljDuke]

Hopefully not too much useless background info, so here goes:

I'm a 23 year old who has sucked at golf my whole life until recently. Started playing at age 12, and never saw much improvement. 18 months ago I struggled to break 100. Broke 90 for the first time last July, and broke 80 for the first time this morning (shot a 79, and somewhat sloppily, 5/13 FWs, 9 GIR, 34 putts, 4 threeputts).

I've gotten down to an 11.0 handicap. Seeing slow yet measurable improvement has been a true joy, and golf has become more enjoyable every month. I play a round almost every week, hit balls at the range once a week, and practice putting at home almost every day.

I want to keep improving, but I want to make a realistic, but challenging goal, and just wondering if this is within the realm of possibility.

So the goal is: within one year, reduce handicap to 6 and play at least one round at 2 over par or better.

Thoughts well appreciated! Thanks!

[Big_M]

going from 11 to 6 will be twice as hard as going from 18 to 11... that being said, anything is possible.

I was maybe a 15 in HS when I played daily... played a little bit from ages 18-25, but not much. Started playing a lot at age 26 and developed my swing... here's about what my progress looked like.
26 - went from 20 down to 13
27 - went from 13 down to 10
28 - went from 10 down to 7.5
my goal this year is 5.0

[Lemay427]

When I started playing at age 12/13 I went from a 20+ handicap to a 7-9 handicap in one year. It took me from age 14-18 to get to a 2-3 handicap and then I quit golf after high school. I took the game back up at 23 and started back at a 5. Right now I am a 2.9 at age 26.

My goal is 1 for this year but that will be harder than me going from a 20+ to a 7-9 in my opinion.

[David in FL]

Assuming the requisite core talent, it's absolutely possible to drop the 5 strokes off your index if you devote enough time and energy to it........I'm not sure that playing once a week and practicing once a week will get it though....... One round at +2 or better may be harder, but individual rounds can happen or not depending on how the planets align.

Be aware though, as you drop strokes off the index, each subsequent stroke gets progressively harder. As Big_M said, moving from 11 to 6 will likely be much harder than moving from 18 to 11 was. Congrats on your 79, that's a huge milestone, but to play off a 6, you're going to have to get to the point where you're pretty disappointed whenever you don't break 80.

Good luck!

[Slim 11]

As others have noted, it is harder and harder to lower your handicap as you keep getting better. I didn't play any kind of serious golf until a few years ago. I was high 20's, maybe even 30+ hc. Just playing regularly, getting my clubs fitted and a few lessons and I was down to where I am now (between 12 and 15).
I track all my scores and graph them in a spreadsheet and can see the dramatic improvement, but over the last year that has slowed. Now it is a matter of consistency and getting rid of the one or two bad shots that lead to a high scoring hole.
It can get frustrating when you reach that spot (and i am sure it is different for everybody) where the big improvements (leaps and bounds) disappear and you have to accept just small gains in your game, but keep at it.

[Honea72]

As a higher handicap you can tell yourself no 3 putts and drop several shots or say just get it on the green in 3 and 2 putt. But has you drop into the low teens and into the single digits you have to consistently be hitting shots that give you a good chance at birdies and pars. Also dont get flustered with handicap because youll start pushing way too hard to get the birdies and pars and youll play worse. But yes its a great possibility good luck

[TomDonS]

Hopefully not too much useless background info, so here goes:

Look bud this is my opinion but the irons you are using are BEYOND your ability. Get something more forgiving, Update the driver, get fit for your sticks and you will see vast improvement. But the irons gotta get put away until you have some idea of Ball Striking on a consistent basis. I dont even play the 67 long irons at a +2. Just a suggestion

[MattljDuke]

Look bud this is my opinion but the irons you are using are BEYOND your ability. Get something more forgiving, Update the driver, get fit for your sticks and you will see vast improvement. But the irons gotta get put away until you have some idea of Ball Striking on a consistent basis. I dont even play the 67 long irons at a +2. Just a suggestion

Yeah, I agree with you. I got the 67 irons mainly to improve feedback so I could improve my ballstriking, and it certainly has helped. When I switch back to my old Titleist DCIs, I notice the immediate improvement in consistency, but bad habits tend to creep back in. That said, my ballstriking is better than my handicap suggests. But not at forged blade level though. My putting has been the slowest to come around. Thanks for all replies!