Is a scratch or low single digit HCP realistically attainable without tuition?

[Spitfisher]

With natural ability? Sure. My golf bud has never had a lesson, athletic ability includes playing high school baseball, and plays to about an 8 now.

I would fall into this catagory, very athletic in other sports, not muscle bound by any stretch of the imagination, never had a lesson, never had fitted clubs till recently, I'm 6'3" I found the range and even putting greens boring, except for a couple of shots now an then. I use a base ball grip, I only hit the ball 220-245 and play 6600 yard home course. Often I go from car to tee box, the only thing I do before teeing off is pull the head cover off. A bad or mediocre round is 80-82 In order to be scratch, there has to be a gift, a talent and an athletism involved, Yes lessons and practice can help develop and discover these. I am not condoning this, but I do believe natural talent can get you there with out all the wiz bang teaching methods, some work some don't. Some of my playing partners have been taking and paying for lessons for 10 years, with only a stroke or 2 change from when they first started. I don't have the heart to tell them that. Course management and knowing your strengths and weakeness plays a critical role in going low. There is often advantages to getting tips such as grip and alignment. I find alignment is the biggest and most common fault of a mid handicapper to become better. Enjoy the game, If scratch or close to scratch happens great, there is no real guarenteed shortcut.

[vangator]

I believe it is ball striking. To score effectively, a player must be able to hit the ball roughly where they aim it. If they can't, they'll never score. My son-in-law went from a 120's his first year to high 80's - low 90's in one year. He's athletic. Four year letterman in college football. Initially he would try to kill it. I have him to the point he's hitting a lot of fairways and getting the ball close to most greens in two. Keep the ball in play. I'm paranoid about losing balls. On water holes, I play a "water ball", but I never end up losing them. But I know if I teed up a brand new ball it would go into the middle of the lake. :-) I can only recall losing 2 balls in 20 rounds in my 9 hole league and one ball during my 18 hole rounds in the last few months. I played the Innisbrook Copperhead course (PGA Valspar Championship) with one ball. I'm not a great ball striker but I do get it going in the general direction I'm aiming at. I've heard Hogan (and others) say you have to eliminate one side of the fairway. I either hit a draw (good) or a hook (maybe good). That really helps. BTW, the OP mentioned topping fairway woods. Don't try to sweep them. Pinch them off the turf with a slightly negative AoA. They end up going straighter too.

[Golfingdad]

I, myself, made what felt like the biggest personal leap this year (from a 5 or 6 handicap who couldn't break 80 in tournaments to a 2.3 who actually played to a 2.1 in the biggest tournaments of the year)

You have no idea how encouraging this is to me.

just by playing and practicing every single day over the summer.

This part, not so much.

Seriously, though, I will continue to practice and play as much as I can (which ends up being about twice a week at the range plus some mirror work at home for 5-10 minutes also a couple of times a week) and play, probably on average, once every three weeks or so.

I've consistently improved each year in the last couple so if I can keep that up, then I'll be happy.  Doesn't even have to be a lot - if I go from 5.9 to even just 4.9 I'll be pretty ecstatic.

[zipazoid]

Hi;

I did learn by myself (watching vids, TV, reading books, and at the range observing very good players).

I did try a lesson once long ago, but as the teacher wanted me to switch righty (it was supposed to be easier, more club to choose...ect) i quit the lesson after 10 minutes.

As golf is (was) a bit expensive, my budget went to playing rather than lessons, and i think that if you are normally gifted, a single Hdp is really easy, but being a real scratch player is a totally, far far away different world...

On my point of view, it is way more easy to get from 36 to 10 than from 5 to 0.

To play single digit (and 0 for sure) what you really need first is TIME, PRACTICE (once a week minimum, every week, in almost any weather conditions,

every kind of shot, long and short game, putting, bunkers...) and REGULARITY

But if you can afford it, and you find the right Pro to help you, (stay away from free tips of average golfers) even if you are really gifted, it will always go faster and smoother with a good Teacher than alone.

Reagards

Good for you. If I had $10 for every time someone told me to switch to righty...

And the funny part of it was, it was after they watched me hit a few balls & saw how solid my swing was & the quality of the shot - "Have you ever thought about playing right handed?" - Uh, no. Have you ever thought of playing left handed? To me it was such a ridiculous question. I'm left-handed. Duh.

[flopster]

I'm with shorty on this, there is way too much out there, if I were the OP I would get an older golf instruction book and learn the basics through it there are just too many wild theories out there to trust any single one. If I were to suggest anything though I would say Harvey Pennicks little green and little red books would be good, Jack Nicklaus Lesson tee has great illustrations just ignore the ball flight laws in it. If a person can learn the basics very well then that alone will get them into single digits.

[Tical1969]

.................Then we could both buy a big house on Augusta National :o)

[Lihu]

.................Then we could both buy a big house retire on Augusta National :o)

Fixed that for you. . .

[Tical1969]

Fixed that for you. . .

Thanks :o)