If you could cut your handicap in half but it can’t get lower for 10 years - Would yo

[alf174]

No that would take the challenge and the fun out of it.

+1 absolutely

[CG031]

If I was a +2 and could go to a +4, I might take that deal, because always unconditionally shooting 4 under would pretty much guarantee a spot on the PGA tour.

Umm, No. +4 handicap means you could go

try to make the tour. I have a friend who is a +3 and even he hasn't even thought of trying Q-School. +4 wouldn't "pretty much guarantee a spot on the PGA Tour." Anyway, getting back on topic, no, I wouldn't. I'm a 10 handicap having been playing three full years now...I feel has though I have a lot of improving to do. I think I can get down to a 7 or 8 by the end of 2009, which I'd be more than pleased with, and then hopefully to a 3 or 4 by the end of 2010. Those are my goals, but we'll see what happens with it.

[anthonykim3]

umm no way i am to high still if i was plus 3 or 4 yeah

[Ghost Runner]

I say no; I'd like to think I could get there on my own, and then some, in 10 years.

[Range King]

What really got me addicted to the game are all the little breakthroughs, changes that work and rewards on the course.

I am pretty sure, if I stop improving, the game will lose a lot of its fascination for me. I am very much enjoying my way from hcp 36 to hcp X.

[mtsalmela80]

Umm, No. +4 handicap means you could go

So you have to shoot better than -4 per round at the qualifying course? And you mean to tell me that -16 over the course of a tournament is still not good enough to compete in the PGA? What are they winning with then, -30?

[shades9323]

No chance. I started playing in February of this year, and I started taking lessons for about two months before ever stepping foot on a course (I shot a 160 my first round!) Since starting earlier this year, I've brought my score down to the low 80s for a good round, and low 90s for a bad round. My handicap just went down to 13. I play or practice about 30 hours a week, and I drop an average of 1-2 strokes per week now.

You must:

a. be single b. have no other interests

[alf174]

No chance. I started playing in February of this year, and I started taking lessons for about two months before ever stepping foot on a course (I shot a 160 my first round!) Since starting earlier this year, I've brought my score down to the low 80s for a good round, and low 90s for a bad round. My handicap just went down to 13. I play or practice about 30 hours a week, and I drop an average of 1-2 strokes per week now.

At this rate, you'll be the next Tiger next year.

[2bGood]

You must:

c. not count all your strokes

[Leftygolfer]

I voted yes. A 5 is a good player and would be happy if I expect to shoot in the 70's all the time.

[daviddunn]

I am married, but my wife is starting to become less accommodating than when I first started(I could use a genie to help fix this).

I don't have any other real interests, I play or practice during my free time, even if this means grooving my putting stroke for 30 minutes before bed. Obviously it's getting harder and harder to improve, gone are the days where I could drop 10 strokes off my average score in one week, so I don't expect I'll be Tiger, I'm just happy going out and having confidence in my swing.

I'm not sure why you assume I don't count my strokes properly-- Why not assume that I've put a lot of time, effort, and money into improving my ability, and it's actually working.

[Thaddy]

Absolutely. I've been playing to a 10 handicap lately and would love to be a 5 for the next 10 years. It'd be nice to enjoy the game with friends and shoot well at the same time.

[CG031]

So you have to shoot better than -4 per round at the qualifying course? And you mean to tell me that -16 over the course of a tournament is still not good enough to compete in the PGA? What are they winning with then, -30?

Just because your a +4 handicap doesn't mean -4 each round. It varies on the course...If you're a +4, you have a very very legit chance at making the tour - if you're a +4 I'd say go for it and try, but you are not even CLOSE to being a sure thing to make it.

Have you ever played in a tournament? Tournament and Q-School pressure is INTENSE. If you can't shoot low or mid 60's during you're rounds at you're home course, you don't have much of a chance to make the PGA Tour... Also, the course that you qualify on is probably a lot harder than your home track, as well. I remember in Paper Tiger, the courses were very hard that you had to qualify on, so shooting -4 each day wouldn't be all that easy. Like I said, if you can shoot mid 60's quite often in your regular roudns (obviously not all the time), I'd say go for it and you have a legit chance. If you're shooting around -2 to E you pretty much have NO CHANCE at making the PGA tour.

[2bGood]

I am married, but my wife is starting to become less accommodating than when I first started(I could use a genie to help fix this).

IN 6 months you went from not golfing to a 13 hdcap and you continue to drop 1-2 strokes off your cap each week. Considering your handicap is based on an average of your 10 best scores to drop 2 strokes in one week means you must be posting a hell of allot of rounds each week and those rounds happen to be 2 strokes on average better than your best 10 ever. Sorry I find that hard to believe. So in three months you'll be scratch?

To keep the pace of improvement like that is close to unheard of even with practice. I can believe the part where you got to 13 in 6 months but droping 1-2 strokes a week???? At any rate don't let my opinion offend you, as if this is true it good new for golfer everywhere.

[2bGood]

Just because your a +4 handicap doesn't mean -4 each round. It varies on the course...If you're a +4, you have a very very legit chance at making the tour - if you're a +4 I'd say go for it and try, but you are not even CLOSE to being a sure thing to make it.

We are in magic genie land here, pressure has nothing to do with it. Jusy a numbers game. of the course rating was say 76 the +4 guy would be even par give or take a stroke (not good enough for the pga)

[Knockglock]

No , definitely not. To not make any progress for 10 years would not be very fun. I'd like to continuously progress, even if its extremely small baby steps.

[MSchumacher]

No, the journey would be part of the fun for me

[daviddunn]

IN 6 months you went from not golfing to a 13 hdcap and you continue to drop 1-2 strokes off your cap each week. Considering your handicap is based on an average of your 10 best scores to drop 2 strokes in one week means you must be posting a hell of allot of rounds each week and those rounds happen to be 2 strokes on average better than your best 10 ever. Sorry I find that hard to believe. So in three months you'll be scratch?

Sorry, I understand where you're coming from now, I should have made myself a little more clear in my original post. While I do post between 3-5 rounds per week, there's no way I can drop my handicap by 1-2 strokes per week at this point. I was referring to my average score based on 3-5 rounds per week, specifically my "best" round of the week is on average 1-2 strokes better than my best round for the previous week.

As an example, in the past 45 days, I went from 15.5 to 13.0 handicap. I think you'll agree that this is a lot more realistic than what you originally thought I said. Anyway, the whole point behind me even saying any of this, is that you can indeed cut your handicap in half (let's say go from high handicap to mid handicap, using my situation as an example) with a lot of *meaningful* practice, lessons, and time spent out on the course. No need for a "genie", or sacrificing any improvement for the next 10 years.