Is This Normal?

[flguy]

Next May will mark 2 years of playing golf and I've got my handicap down to a 14.8. I was just wondering is this normal for an average player who has been playing this long? or am I a bit behind, or ahead?

[chilly]

From what I've seen, I'd say that's normal progress. I'm a 17.5 as of yesterday's revision and have been playing since May, I have no doubt progress will slow down now. Hard to really say what the normal rate of progress is, so much depends on whether you get lessons or have time to practice, how often you play, how many months out of the year you can play, etc.

[Fourputt]

Hard to really say what the normal rate of progress is, so much depends on whether you get lessons or have time to practice, how often you play, how many months out of the year you can play, etc.

This is the real key. It's hard to pin down "normal" because that depends so much on your circumstances. I know guys who have played for 4 years who can't break 100. They don't really play seriously, and they play at most once a week, with occasional layoffs due to winter weather, etc., so their "normal" progress is measured differently.

How much you practice and play, what instruction you've had, natural athleticism, and mental approach all factor into your progress. I'm not sure that I could really pin down a definition of "normal" in this context. My index is 11.5 and I've been playing for 35 years. Not trying to scare you, but I'm a better than average player, just never made the step up to a single digit handicap.

[flguy]

Well I only get to practice only 1-2 times a week and Play 1-2 times a month. I've also had about 6 lessons, which really has brought my game a long way. Unfortunately I don't ever get to practice or play as much as I really want to. After this semester of school I really want to spend more time on my game and continue with lessons when I actually have some extra money.

[ThomasG]

It took me longer than that to break 100.

[rjfan91]

It's fairly normal. It's also normal for it to flare back up before coming down. Once you are around a 14 index, it becomes a little harder to shave off strokes. Or so I'm told....

[anthonykim3]

i was and 8 after one year of playing if that helps after 2 i am now a 4.8 but i also play 100 rounds a year

[wedge player]

i was a 5 in two years and 2.8 in 4 so my progrss has been super fast yous is also very fast

[DavidFehertysBike]

It depends. I didnt start handicapping myself until last season, but i was shooting in the low 80's after my second year. I guess that would be around a 8 or 9 handicap depending on course slope. Generally, the quicker your short game and putting progress, the faster your HC will drop. Once you get into single digits it becomes harder to drop, though. Its taken me the next 3 years to drop from what i suppose was an 8 handicap to the 2.8 i am now.