The long road to scratch

[jrsmith1491]

Hello everyone I'm 19 years old 5'6 and pretty athletic I've been playing golf about 3 times a year for 3 years but never played like I have been lately basically everyday. I'm around a 12 handicap and was about a 15 just about a month ago I'm working on my game hard and dropping strokes off my handicap everyday. My short term goal is to reach a low handicap single digits then its off get to scratch. I'm going to track my progress on here and I'm sure a lot of you could careless but some might be in the same boat.

[enis750]

here we go again..........

some advice for you
set a more realistic goal
like trying to get to a LEGITIMATE 9 or 10 in the next year
then MAYBE a 5 or 6 in 2 years
the road from 15-10 is ALOT easier than 10 to 5
then from 5 to Scratch......is a whole new ball game

im not going to be "that guy" that says - GO FOR IT ! YOU CAN DO IT!
because plain and simple......it wont happen

plan on spending alot of money and time on lessons and green fees
and counting every shot, no mullies, no gimmies (putting everything you see)

then come back to us

[jrsmith1491]

I shot a 78 last week and 80 Monday so the 9 or 10 I could be technically right now its all my short game why I'm not scratch now inside 100 I am terrible

[dzdncfsd]

I shot a 78 last week and 80 Monday so the 9 or 10 I could be technically right now its all my short game why I'm not scratch now inside 100 I am terrible

Sad to say but if your short game is terrible like you say I don't see you at a 9. Also two rounds doesn't make all that much of a difference. I'm a 16 and I've had two consecutive rounds 7 and 8 over par. My handicap isn't a 8 now haha.

Just hang in there though and set small goals. You'll see the shots dropping if you just keep at it. And work on the short game!!! That's what separates the 12's from the single digit guys.

[sean_miller]

Sad to say but if your short game is terrible like you say I don't see you at a 9. Also two rounds doesn't make all that much of a difference. I'm a 16 and I've had two consecutive rounds 7 and 8 over par. My handicap isn't a 8 now haha.

Personally it was the long game that got me from a 15 to a 10, and from a 10 to an 8. I neglected my long irons and driving and went back up to a 10-12 in short order. Now that I lose fewer balls and hit more fairways, I'm back down to a 7.

If I had a short game as good as the average 24 capper on this site, I'd be scratch for sure!!

[jrsmith1491]

My main problem is I 3 putt atleast 4 times a round

[sean_miller]

My main problem is I 3 putt atleast 4 times a round

I feel your pain - I had four 3-putts and 2 lost balls and last Sunday (shot an 81 - differential of 7.2).

Do you play the same course a lot or a different one every time out? Practice reading break, rolling the ball smoothly on lag putts, and consistently (without wavering) returning the blade to the ball on the sweet spot on mid-length (4-10 feet) par savers. If it wasn't for some par saving 1-putts, my disappointing 81 would have been a smelly 86. That's 4 index points right there

[dzdncfsd]

Personally it was the long game that got me from a 15 to a 10, and from a 10 to an 8. I neglected my long irons and driving and went back up to a 10-12 in short order. Now that I lose fewer balls and hit more fairways, I'm back down to a 7.

I know what you mean about the 24 and the short game haha. I wish I had a great short game. I'm just too inconsistent. One day I'm throwing darts from 60 yards out and sinking puts like the ball was on a track. Unfortunately those days are few and far.

My comment came more from him stating he had a terrible short game. If you want your handicap to drop you can't have a terrible short game. Especially drop into the single digits. Three putting also needs to be the exception and not the rule. From your comments I doubt your short game is terrible. True you can't be losing balls on every hole or chunking every other approach shot but still the short game has to be better than terrible.

[jrsmith1491]

It depends I play the 3 courses quite often switching it up its sad tho I can drive the ball 280 on a 390 par 4 and still end up with a bogey lmao but I've really cut down the boys just by playing safer golf and laying up to a club I'm confident with

[Quinn07]

I am not scratch so I don't know what it takes to get there; good luck on your journey. I have been able to come down from a 15 handicap to about 8 handicap now (depending on what course I am playing) and I will say this: the three most important clubs in your bag are the driver, wedge and putter. I would say in that order for this reason:

- If you can't hit your driver anywhere or keep it in play, you are going to be hitting 3+ off the majority of the tees. Tough to score when you only have one or two shots for the hole to make par.
- If your short game is good with your wedges, you can miss greens get it close and possibly still make par. Your short game will ultimately make your putting better because you will have putts that are closer to the hole...hopefully you can get it in from there.
- The times that you hit the green and you are a good distance from the hole, being a decent putter will allow you to get down in 2 other than 3 most times. When you have the 10 footers you will start to make a few more.

I am not saying to neglect your irons, but I think to get better you need to focus on these clubs. Just a thought...

[jrsmith1491]

I agree the wedge and the putter are going to be my focus point the next month or so bad thing is I live in Indiana golf is almost done for the year

[MJP]

I think I have pretty good feel for the game. My short game is pretty solid. Putting could always improve, but I'm always getting my short game shots within 5 feet unless its extremely short sided. My long game needs work for sure. I should be hitting the ball farther than I do and not with this ball flight.

That said, what would get me down to scratch is more birdie putts of 15 feet or less. I get up and down a lot, but I don't make a lot of birdies.

To get to scratch I'd say you have to hit 9/18 greens (and make only pars/birds) and get up and down 7/9 at least on average (depending on how many birdies you made, maybe 2 per round maybe 3). Because you can't count on your long game to take you 15/18 greens or your short game 15/18 up and downs. Gotta be SOLID at both.

[Dartguy]

My main problem is I 3 putt atleast 4 times a round

I'm with you on the short game, mostly putting. This year I played 4 times, and three were scrambles. The only real round I played, I shot 76. But the putting was terrible. I had only one 3-putt, but I had 14 BIRDIE PUTTS!! And I made.....1 birdie! The 3-putt was on the par 5 18th for par!

I couldn't imagine what I would have shot if I were a decent putter. Maybe 69 or 70. And it has always been this way for me. Hit 10-12 greens in regulation and end up with one birdie. But I do find that I don't make many doubles, just a lot of 2- putt pars and bogies. Nothing wrong with having a goal. I wish you luck. Just put in as much time on the putting green as the range.

[Stretch]

I think I have pretty good feel for the game. My short game is pretty solid. Putting could always improve,

A couple of interesting stats for you.

2010 PGA TOUR SCRAMBLING AVERAGE DISTANCE TO HOLE: 1) Luke Donald, 6'9" 2010 PGA TOUR SCRAMBLING: 1) Dean Wilson, 68.18%

[jamo]

Try the blog feature instead.

[alo1984]

If I had a short game as good as the average 24 capper on this site, I'd be scratch for sure!!

You're one of those "I gotta see it to believe it!" type guys aren't ya?

[sean_miller]

You're one of those "I gotta see it to believe it!" type guys aren't ya?

I probably am. Aren't you?

Unlike the average The Sandrap 16-36 handicapper, I don't average < 15 feet from the pin from 100 yards, I don't struggle with too much backspin on my pitch shots, I haven't mastered lag putting, I still occasionally lip out from < 3 feet, and I prefer to get my ball rolling as soon as possible because I don't trust my ability to make the ball hop and stop from the fringe.

[alo1984]

I probably am. Aren't you?

Pretty much.