How long till your handicap fell?

[MonkeyGolfer99]

It's funny, that post you quote was what really got me thinking about it!

I guess in golf you have to expect these plateaus and persevere until you see some signs of progress?  I think with a more consistent short game and less 'blow-up' holes I can maybe get down a stroke or 2 but still think getting under 10 would require a signification change of swing/mentality?!

[inthehole]

It's funny, that post you quote was what really got me thinking about it!

I guess in golf you have to expect these plateaus and persevere until you see some signs of progress?  I think with a more consistent short game and less 'blow-up' holes I can maybe get down a stroke or 2 but still think getting under 10 would require a signification change of swing/mentality?!

same here ... seems so many guys who take the game seriously and play ALOT can get to a 12-16, but never get beyond that (I see myself and everyone I know plateau-ing thereabouts).    Seems to me that to get to a single digit hcp ... you really can't have hardly any blow up holes, maybe two double bogies max a round (seems like 1 double takes 3 pars to even out), and have to make just about all the 3-4 footers.     From a 12-16 hcp to say a 7-9 is light years apart in terms of consistency and especially putting.

[DrvFrShow]

This year I am not optimistic.

[MonkeyGolfer99]

same here ... seems so many guys who take the game seriously and play ALOT can get to a 12-16, but never get beyond that (I see myself and everyone I know plateau-ing thereabouts).    Seems to me that to get to a single digit hcp ... you really can't have hardly any blow up holes, maybe two double bogies max a round (seems like 1 double takes 3 pars to even out), and have to make just about all the 3-4 footers.     From a 12-16 hcp to say a 7-9 is light years apart in terms of consistency and especially putting.

From what I have seen of other players at my club I would say most are between 12 and 16 hcp's which kind of supports that view.  There also doesn't seem that much difference between 12 to around 18 hcp's.  They can all strike the ball pretty well and are reasonable around the green.  Consistency seems to be the biggest factor.

In my first medal comp last month I played with the current club champ (off 5, and was off 2 I believe, not too long ago) and a 10 hcp player.  The difference in ball striking in particular was quite eye-opening for me, and as you say, 3 putts were very rare.  Just when I thought I was getting 'good' I realised I had a very long way to go . . . ;)

How have people managed to 'break the barrier''?!

[GHIN0011458]

Work the hardest on my weaknesses is how I broke the barrier. Playing with better players. Learning where to hit the ball that gives you the greatest room for error off the tee and then going at the center of the green on tough pins. Hitting every ball solid also helps a lot as you're not wasting strokes with a chunk here or there. Another thing is being able to get up and down on the regular. 3 putts are not rare for me at all. In fact, if I didn't have 3 putts I would think I would be playing off a +2 right now.

[MrFlipper]

Work the hardest on my weaknesses is how I broke the barrier. Playing with better players. Learning where to hit the ball that gives you the greatest room for error off the tee and then going at the center of the green on tough pins. Hitting every ball solid also helps a lot as you're not wasting strokes with a chunk here or there. Another thing is being able to get up and down on the regular. 3 putts are not rare for me at all. In fact, if I didn't have 3 putts I would think I would be playing off a +2 right now.

Seeing I am no longer a single digit anymore I thought I'd wait for a genuine golfer to post this

Playing with better golfers is huge HUGE. You see them never in the wrong place, even when they hit it unsolidly. And you find out what it takes, it is no longer some mystical thing when you see it done all the time. You learn so much.

I'd submit this was the single biggest factor for me in my formative years. Find a good golfer whose swing you like and copy them, feel their tempo ooze into your swing, and watch your scores go down. Our ability to mimic doesn't go away as we get older, it just gets harder to find.

[MonkeyGolfer99]

Work the hardest on my weaknesses is how I broke the barrier. Playing with better players. Learning where to hit the ball that gives you the greatest room for error off the tee and then going at the center of the green on tough pins. Hitting every ball solid also helps a lot as you're not wasting strokes with a chunk here or there. Another thing is being able to get up and down on the regular. 3 putts are not rare for me at all. In fact, if I didn't have 3 putts I would think I would be playing off a +2 right now.

Thanks, that's helpful:)  I totally agree about playing with better players and I would say that applies to any other sport as well, from my experience.  I think, in golf terms, playing with lower hcp players has shown me the direction(s) I need to go in (sadly, there are many!) but also, I think it makes you realise it is possible.

Did you have lessons whilst progressing?  And if so, how helpful to you were they?  Just had my first and worked on basics like grip, posture and the 'release'.  I was surprised how 'chicken wingy' I was on the follow through - he compared my swing (by graphic illustration) to a young Mr Mcllroy . . . ha ha!  Don't think Rory will be getting nervous any time soon

Kudos on the hcp btw:)  Don't often get the chance to roll 'kudos' out!

[GHIN0011458]

Thanks, that's helpful:)  I totally agree about playing with better players and I would say that applies to any other sport as well, from my experience.  I think, in golf terms, playing with lower hcp players has shown me the direction(s) I need to go in (sadly, there are many!) but also, I think it makes you realise it is possible.

Did you have lessons whilst progressing?  And if so, how helpful to you were they?  Just had my first and worked on basics like grip, posture and the 'release'.  I was surprised how 'chicken wingy' I was on the follow through - he compared my swing (by graphic illustration) to a young Mr Mcllroy . . . ha ha!  Don't think Rory will be getting nervous any time soon

Kudos on the hcp btw:)  Don't often get the chance to roll 'kudos' out!

I have never had a lesson actually. I just grinded it out and jumped into tournament golf after my first year. There is a trade off- I am hesitant on some instructors as I have seen them say some BS to someone for 30 minutes and call it a day.  I also think there are good instructors out there but they cost $$$$. The best thing about not having an instructor is that when something goes haywire, I had been there before, and I know how to fix it now.

[MonkeyGolfer99]

I have never had a lesson actually. I just grinded it out and jumped into tournament golf after my first year. There is a trade off- I am hesitant on some instructors as I have seen them say some BS to someone for 30 minutes and call it a day.  I also think there are good instructors out there but they cost $$$$. The best thing about not having an instructor is that when something goes haywire, I had been there before, and I know how to fix it now.

Fair play! I'm guessing the competition element helped you focus?

I was hesitant about getting lessons, one of the reasons being what you say there. To be fair the guy was on the European tour for around 6 years and , I think, had a top 20 finish at the Open once so he certainly knows how to play the game!  I'm open minded really; just felt that for me to make quick progress, or move on, a lesson or 2 could help.  I'm quite proud of what I have been able to achieve by myself but am beginning to get impatient;)!

[Patch]

I started out as a 22 hdcp. Probably took 5-6  months to break 90 on a consistent basis. Once I was playing in the 80s consistently, I started working on my short game every so often, mostly back yard stuff.  It took me a few years to break 80 consistently. The last 6 months of those few years was basically practicing, and playing 7 days a week. A very good tip from the local range pro helped with my long game, that, when coupled with my already decent short game kept in the mid single digit hdcp range. From a 22 to a 6 probably took me 6-7 years, where I stayed for a few years.

Family life happily took away my from golf time. Raising our two daughters into the good people they are today was the best thing I have ever accomplished in my life. I did not miss playing golf. At some point I took the game up again, and found I was back to low double digits with my hdcp. That's when I decided to practice the game backwards, from putting to driving. In a few months I was back to a  6 again. Again I was playing, and practicing quite a bit. Stayed there until in the wink of an eye I wound up in an ER almost dead.

Started playing again, regularly, about 9 months ago. I was in the 16-18 hdcp range once I could play 18 holes at least once a week. I am now at a 10, and expect to be a 9, or lower with in the next month or so. Right now the weakest part of my game in my putting, simply because I don't practice my putting at all. Maybe a few putts on the practice green before I tee off, but that's about it. right now I am averaging 34.3 putts per round. I use to average 29.8 putts per round before all the BS took place.

My goal is to eventually get to an 8 hdcp, which I feel is what my game will be capable of.

[rkim291968]

Took up golf at age 48.  Took a golf group clinic (8 sessions in 2 months) before venturing into a 9 hole course.   Practiced or played at least 5 times a week.

Year 1 - 4: Handicap steadily went down, once going as low as 12 for one month period.  Was a solid bogey golfer.

Year 5 - 6: Handicap went back up, peaking at 23.   Changed clubs, started weight workout, and taking individual lessons.   Currently going through a total swing change.

[ponyboy]

Playing off 8 handicap now. Working towards my goal of getting to scratch. [quote name="PirateJim" url="/t/65725/how-long-till-your-handicap-fell#post_909033"] There is no way for one answer to fit all. Certainly a 32 year old with natural athletic ability who gets regular decent instruction and who has the discipline and resources to practice every day should be able to become a pretty darn good golfer over the course of the next year or so. However, getting to be a scratch golfer may never happen, or so I believe. Real scratch golfers are a rare breed. Doesn't mean you can't of course. But I would suggest setting an intermediate goal of 6 - 8 handicap. That puts you pretty solid into the "good golfer" category and from there you can probably better evaluate what you need to do to shave off those last strokes.[/quote]

[mcanadiens]

I started about four years ago at age 35. Progress has been made, but it's been a bit slow and painful

Year 1 informal and terrible. Average scores between 120-130

Year 2 Still not playing strictly by the rules averaged 100-120 (did break 100 for the first time

Year 3 Started playing by a reasonable approximation of the rules, averaged 90-105 with a couple of real stinkers mixed in

Year 4 First official handicap, a 19.1 But it went up June 15 and looks like its going up again July 1. Sort of spinning my wheels so far this year.

[inthehole]

Seems after almost 500 rounds, ive peaked at 12 hcp. - whatever improvement I see is coming slow and hard now - would just like to see single digit hcp one day ...

[BuckeyeNut]

The most important variable is how much golf do you play rather than how many years.   Do you play 100+ rounds a year or 20-30 per year?  To really see any meaningful improvement, a golfer needs to play a lot. This is why there are so many casual golfers that have played for 20-30 years and they still suck at it.

[MyrtleBeachGolf]

The most important variable is how much golf do you play rather than how many years.   Do you play 100+ rounds a year or 20-30 per year?  To really see any meaningful improvement, a golfer needs to play [U]a lot.[/U] This is why there are so many casual golfers that have played for 20-30 years and they still suck at it.

I have to agree here, my best progress in golf was in the year between my marriage and my first kid. During that year I was playing 2-3 times per week and my index went from 18 down to 10.9.

[Jeremie Boop]

I'm not totally sure how many years I've played all together. I never took the game seriously enough to try and improve until just over 2 years ago. Even then, and still now to some extent, I never fully committed to the work it will take to really make serious improvements. This year I'm making a much more concerted effort to make substantial and lasting changes. My goals are modest, what I want from this year is to get to bogey golf, or 18 HC. From there I'll shoot for 2-4 off each year until I reach a point where I'm no longer able to improve with the amount of time I have available to dedicate to the game. The thing I've learned is not to put the pressure of improving over enjoying playing. That is what my problem was last year, I wanted to improve so badly that I let it stop me from having fun.

[inthehole]

until I reach a point where I'm no longer able to improve with the amount of time I have available to dedicate to the game.

This is an interesting point ... I think we all have a peak at which we eventually reach our best hcp based on time available to dedicate to the game.