Comments? Discussion? Qualifying for a Nationwide tournament by 2011.

[CrazyXGolfer]

I did not go and read all the way though this topic because there is soo much negitivity. If it is your dream and you poor your heart and soul into it, you will have a chance! But you believe you can do it! If you have any doubt in your mind, you will be blocked mentaly and thats not good!

1 year is very little time to do it Imo, I would think 3 years might be a good goal. I honestly don't really believe those last 7 strokes were hard. Ive been playing for just over 1 year now and ive gorne from 26 HC to a + somthing hc in just over 1 year. (I say + somthing because my handicap has not updated from todays round witch will put my handicap better then par)

Right now I play alot of golf with a +3 handicap who travals around playing competitions and I also play alot with the club pro. There games are still much better then mine and I have so much room for improuvement! Thats why I say 1 year is a very short time period your goal.....

But keep beleveing and anything is possible!

[zeg]

Seriously, a lot of people being •••••••s and then pretending it's "reality." Sorry, calling someone a fool (or whatever) for asking such a question and contemplating giving it a shot isn't injecting reality, it's being an •••••••.

Reality is simply that the odds are very very low.

But, like I said before (in what may have been the first positive statement in the thread), you would tell the same thing to any one of the guys on tour (whose name is not known to non-golfers) when they were starting out. The guys on the tour started off worse than you at some point and they got to where they are somehow, so it is possible. As someone said, you're going to have to throw everything into it to get there, and that's not even going to make it likely to happen. But if you don't, then it won't. If you have the resources, absolutely do it. Forget the negativity and naysayers and give it everything you've got. Realty says you probably won't make it anyway, but I think you're unlikely to regret having given it a shot. I know I wish I had the resources to give it my all (and my chances are far, far worse than yours).

[shades9323]

sorry.....i am not trying to sounds like my sh*t dont stink, but not jealous in any way shape or form

You're NOT trying to sound like you s don't stink? Could have fooled me.

He isn't talking about making it on the Nationwide tour. You don't think with some more practice you could go out and shoot a 65 to qualify for an event?

[iacas]

Seriously, a lot of people being •••••••s and then pretending it's "reality." Sorry, calling someone a fool (or whatever) for asking such a question and contemplating giving it a shot isn't injecting reality, it's being an •••••••.

Frankly, I don't see a lot of that. I think you're over-stating the negativity.

But, like I said before (in what may have been the first positive statement in the thread), you would tell the same thing to any one of the guys on tour (whose name is not known to non-golfers) when they were starting out. The guys on the tour started off worse than you at some point and they got to where they are somehow, so it is possible.

They didn't do it in a year, zeg. Big difference.

-------- So here's the thing, OP, about dreams and goals. Realistic goals - even slightly unrealistic goals - are great. They're a great way to stay motivated and if you get behind, you always feel like you can make up ground. Unrealistic goals are a quick way to crush your dreams and spirit and have you contemplating how big of an idiot or a loser you are. Set manageable, reasonable goals. Not unreasonable ones. I don't care if your goals have only a 5% chance of coming true. Heck, even 1% is okay in this context - but 0.00001% is well below what I'd call the limits of even slightly unrealistic. If you're not careful, unrealistic goals will lead to crushed ego, feelings, etc.

[walk18]

Play in every tournament you can. If you don't score well there's no shame in that, the experience is invaluable. I just shot 80 in my club championship and didn't come close to winning, but I'm not ashamed about it because I know that 99% of golfers would not have the courage to even step on the first tee of a competetive golf tournament. So what I'm saying is if you're not afraid to fail the sky's the limit.

[enis750]

You're NOT trying to sound like you s don't stink? Could have fooled me.

ME???? maybe...but i doubt it - might have the skills....MAYBE (probably not) but i know i dont have the head for it

HIM....no chance

Frankly, I don't see a lot of that. I think you're over-stating the negativity.

basically same thing everyone has been trying to say to this guy......but i get sh*t on????

to the OP: dude - we know your not trying to make it on tour--I and other have read and understood this from the beginning yes you want to try and qualify for ONE Nationwide tournament...we get it as Erik (who is a friggen teacher) and other's have stated trying out for 14 spots, when 10 are available AND shooting mid-60's in tournament conditions....seriously think about this man.....65, 66, 67????? have you ever golfed w someone who has shot this? i havent until recently - ZERO, I mean ZERO mistakes were made..... your handicap is what you shoot 25% of the time, not everytime you tee it up so on average, you are just barely breakng 80 (on a course that is rated 72/par 72) Think about that 25% of the time you barely break 80 and you wanna tee it up w the big boys???? ok dude obviously you can make it let me join the rest of the people in here to "cheer you on" - GO FOR IT YOU WILL QUALIFY!!!! PS - when you shoot triple digits, embarass yourself in front of hundreds of people and want to quit this game.....i wont say i told you so best of luck

[muggs]

Let's call this thread for what it is, a dude trying to brag about dropping his handicap quickly...

If you think you can play on the Nationwide after only playing seriously for 2 years, you're nuts, or maybe you just really don't have a clear idea of how good those guys are.

[brgolf]

Original poster: Some of the responses you may find predictable, negative or postive- that was to be a given with this topic. The actual probability of you qualifying for the Nationwide Tour event is probably the salient point in all this. It's very very low.

However what makes you even more open to negativity is that you have given little indication of the bit that is in your control- your willingness to sacrifice. If you had said you will give up your job, a large chunck of your social life etc I would say- be the best you can be. But what you described was a path to a 7.8 Handicap which although in a quicker than average time barely registers as impressive. It doesn't say a jot about how easily you will get to scratch.

Most of all though you've already played only sporadically, stopping playing for this reason and that. It doesn't sound like you have the ability to commit to this.

So in my opinion the few pieces of information you have supplied will cause people to be skeptical.

[Harmonious]

Here's another example of how "easy" it is to qualify for a Nationwide tournament:

Each winter, the Hooters Tour comes to our course. They play from the black tees, 7400+ yards, 75.8/135. It's a pretty tough test at that distance. The winner last year is a member of our club, and shot 14 under (69-68-65). A rough calculation of his handicap using those 3 scores would be +7. He had a good week, to be sure, but he generally shoots under par in other Hooters events, so I would guess that his overall hdcp, if he had one, would be no worse than +5.

He has tried on many occasions to qualify for a Nationwide event. He has been unsuccessful every time.

This is the REALITY of the Nationwide Tour. To qualify for an event, you will have to beat this fellow, along with 100 other equally accomplished players. Bring your A game.

[TourSpoon]

or maybe you just really don't have a clear idea of how good those guys are.

More perspective...I know a guy that plays mini-tours in South Florida and plays out of a club with my teaching friend who was LPGA so I know he is legit (I have never played with him). He routinely makes money in these events and has several course records, one is a 63 on a 7,000 yard course rated at 73.6/143. He made it through the qualifier to play in one Nationwide event.

The original question is what is the probability, which I still maintain rounds down to 0. That is not being negative, but being honest. I have played golf with a PGA Tour player, mini-tour players, various pros, etc. and can tell you that the competition is stiff and that for the dream to become reality you need to be looking at +3 minimum. My brother used to be the assistant pro at The Club at Emerald Hills down in South Florida and they were the Monday Qualifying site for the Doral, Honda Classic and other tournaments and it was playing at 76.1/145 at over 7300 yards. To shoot a 5 under 67 at course rated like this would be insane. With a 7 handicap you could shoot an 85 if you played slightly under your handicap (6.6).

[double_j]

Heck. I would say that a more realistic (but still challenging) goal would be to set your sights on qualifying for your state's mid-amateur or similar amateur tournament (if you're not old enough for that). The index limit for those is usually around 2 or 3.

Having the index to enter those competitions in one year's time would be a significant achievement. Dropping from an 8 to a 3 in one year will be no joke - it will require significant practice and playing time (and possibly formal instruction). Not to mention that in order to have a chance at performing even close to well, you'll need to have index that travels (i.e., make sure you can generally shoot in your index range on courses you've never seen before, etc.)

I know for my game, 6 or 7 feel about the lowest I can maintain by just playing once or twice a week with little dedicated practice time. Any lower than that and I'd have to be practicing constantly to acheive/maintain (I'd basically have to flip flop by scoring from one round in the 70's for every 4 or 5 in the 80's, to one round in the 80's for every 4 or 5 in the 70's).

[sean_miller]

SI’ve shaved myself down to a 7.8 with zero help or lessons in less than a year. If I got a decent instructor and spent some time with video and swing aids what’s the probability of me Qualifying for a tournament by next year?

There are a lot of Men's Open tournaments you can enter with just an entry fee and a verified handicap index. Why don't you make the goal for 2010/2011 entering and placing high in some of those?

Make a plan and stick to it - don't overcommit financially to this dream. Find a qualified instructor, and try your best. Even if you fail, you can look back in 10 years and thank your dad for trying his best to get you excited about golf when you were younger. Good luck!! PS. don't worry about the guys who can't, couldn't, or won't do something for your inspiration and guidance. Look to guys who decided to do something and did it - guys like Ian Poulter. If it's not meant to be, you'll find out soon enough.

[bkoguy07]

The other day I saw on tv a pro hit a 3 iron 260 yards



crazy I just don't see many golfers getting to that level... stuck it to within 10 feet of the pin too.


think about it


its incredible

[shades9323]

ME???? maybe...but i doubt it - might have the skills....MAYBE (probably not) but i know i dont have the head for it

So with more practice, he is never going to be better than you? How can you say he has no chance(you have no information on him other than his hc), but you maybe be able to do it? You are either incredibly arrogant or incredibly idiotic.

[bkoguy07]

So with more practice, he is never going to be better than you? How can you say he has no chance(you have no information on him other than his hc), but you maybe be able to do it? You are either incredibly arrogant or incredibly idiotic.

Maybe we should just wait for a video before we go about assuming either way ...

[enis750]

So with more practice, he is never going to be better than you? How can you say he has no chance(you have no information on him other than his hc), but you maybe be able to do it? You are either incredibly arrogant or incredibly idiotic.

maybe both??? never said that, so quit putting words in my mouth never said i could do it either read before you speak anyways...this thread is getting way off topic and im tired of defending myself to everyone who thinks this guy has a chance best of luck to you OP - prove us wrong if you think your that good man

[double_j]

So with more practice, he is never going to be better than you? How can you say he has no chance(you have no information on him other than his hc), but you maybe be able to do it? You are either incredibly arrogant or incredibly idiotic.

I don't really want to take sides in this tangent argument, but all else equal (and assuming that the posted indexes are true), I would give a 3.1 index a better chance of qualifying

in one year than a 7.8. That said, both players chances would be approximately equal to zero (a fact about which Enis750 is not disallusioned).

[enis750]

I don't really want to take sides in this tangent argument, but all else equal (and assuming that the posted indexes are true), I would give a 3.1 index a better chance of qualifying

finally....someone who doesnt have their head up their a$$

thank you