Will I ever be a great golfer?

[dkolo]

It is quite a lot, but I think I could be shooting under par in the next 2 months. I'm regularly shooting bogey's on holes simply because of my short game. If I'm able to improve on my putting and my chipping accuracy, I definitely think I could do it. I've been practicing putting for about 5 hours every day.

I had a whole explanation typed out, but I think this sums it up more succinctly.

[a456bt]

1. Go from 100's to under par in two months is pretty much impossible. You're going to get frustrated real fast if you set unattainable goals like this.

2.Don't practice putting 5 hours a dayhttp://thesandtrap.com/t/58816/65-20-15-practice-ratios-where-to-devote-your-practice-time

I highly disagree with this persons statements and don't believe you should be basing your beliefs on a single article. The ideas this article is portraying is quite pessimistic and I would actually be interested in listening to him explain to me how he got to his conclusion, outside of the article. The reason he gives for not practicing something more, such as 20-foot putts, is that it would be good enough without any more practice. This is a direct quote from the article - " If you're making half of your six footers (on bumpier, slower greens than those seen on the PGA Tour), that's all you need to play golf on the PGA Tour, so time spent practicing 20 footers ( which are made about 14% on the PGA Tour , so you should expect to make about one in ten) is time better spent doing something else." Why stop at being good enough to be on the PGA Tour? Why not the best in the world? Annika Sorenstam once dedicated 6 weeks of full days practice to just putting, simply because she wanted to be the best at it. When Tiger Woods was a teenager his coach would find him putting in the morning when he came in to work, and at the end of his 8 hour shift, Tiger was still putting. I don't like to go by the belief that if it's good enough, there are better things I could be doing. If when I'm practicing I know that I am improving myself in any aspect of the game of golf, that's time worth spending. He also mentions at the top about how he's charted many PGA players' training habits, but this doesn't apply to the high handicapper at all. PGA professionals are at a level that requires a whole different type of practice. Sure, Tiger only practices putting 1-2 hours a day now , but he didn't used to. I answered this earlier, but how much do you think Tiger Woods practiced putting 15-20 years ago? I can almost guarantee you it was astronomically different. PGA professionals spend small amounts of time on things because they only need to make small adjustments on many things, but others need to spend tremendous amounts of practice on anything and everything. He also talks about how you could be spending your time not putting yourself in the position of a 20 foot putt, instead of practicing 20 footers, but this just sets you up for disappointment. As anyone who plays the game of golf knows, something is wrong is always bound to happen no matter what. So when that 20 foot putt happens to come along because you did mess up, why gamble on wether that putt is going to be the 1 out of 10 that you make? I'm sorry if my message seems angry, I just don't believe you should be telling people to just settle with OK, why not be the best you possibly can be?

[a456bt]

I had a whole explanation typed out, but I think this sums it up more succinctly.

Watch me

[dkolo]

Watch me

OK.

[a456bt]

OK.

I'm sorry, I didn't try to be rude.

but really, I'll probably start my golf vlog soon, and then you really can watch me ;D. I truly believe I can do it.

[dkolo]

I'm sorry, I didn't try to be rude.

but really, I'll probably start my golf vlog soon, and then you really can watch me ;D. I truly believe I can do it.

I wish you nothing but the best, but it's a massive undertaking that seems a lot easier than it is because you can always think back on a round and visualize where you could have shaved a stroke or two effortlessly off your score on most holes. But it ignores that a lot of things that happen in golf are probabilistic in nature and dictated by fundamentals of your swing.

Most people put time frames of 5-10 years for a 23 HC to scratch jump. I'd just suggest you take on more manageable and reachable goals.

[SavvySwede]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SavvySwede

1. Go from 100's to under par in two months is pretty much impossible. You're going to get frustrated real fast if you set unattainable goals like this.

2.Don't practice putting 5 hours a dayhttp://thesandtrap.com/t/58816/65-20-15-practice-ratios-where-to-devote-your-practice-time

I highly disagree with this persons statements and don't believe you should be basing your beliefs on a single article. The ideas this article is portraying is quite pessimistic and I would actually be interested in listening to him explain to me how he got to his conclusion, outside of the article. The reason he gives for not practicing something more, such as 20-foot putts, is that it would be good enough without any more practice. This is a direct quote from the article - "If you're making half of your six footers (on bumpier, slower greens than those seen on the PGA Tour), that's all you need to play golf on the PGA Tour, so time spent practicing 20 footers (which are made about 14% on the PGA Tour, so you should expect to make about one in ten) is time better spent doing something else." Why stop at being good enough to be on the PGA Tour? Why not the best in the world? Annika Sorenstam once dedicated 6 weeks of full days practice to just putting, simply because she wanted to be the best at it. When Tiger Woods was a teenager his coach would find him putting in the morning when he came in to work, and at the end of his 8 hour shift, Tiger was still putting. I don't like to go by the belief that if it's good enough, there are better things I could be doing. If when I'm practicing I know that I am improving myself in any aspect of the game of golf, that's time worth spending. He also mentions at the top about how he's charted many PGA players' training habits, but this doesn't apply to the high handicapper at all. PGA professionals are at a level that requires a whole different type of practice. Sure, Tiger only practices putting 1-2 hours a day now, but he didn't used to. I answered this earlier, but how much do you think Tiger Woods practiced putting 15-20 years ago? I can almost guarantee you it was astronomically different. PGA professionals spend small amounts of time on things because they only need to make small adjustments on many things, but others need to spend tremendous amounts of practice on anything and everything. He also talks about how you could be spending your time not putting yourself in the position of a 20 foot putt, instead of practicing 20 footers, but this just sets you up for disappointment. As anyone who plays the game of golf knows, something is wrong is always bound to happen no matter what. So when that 20 foot putt happens to come along because you did mess up, why gamble on wether that putt is going to be the 1 out of 10 that you make? I'm sorry if my message seems angry, I just don't believe you should be telling people to just settle with OK, why not be the best you possibly can be?

1. Because even if you become the best putter in the the world you only gain a small advantage on the field. If you become the best ballstriker in the world you gain a bigger advantage on the field.

2. There are only 24hrs in a day, and since there simply isn't enough time to be the best at everything, you'll want to be the best at the most important aspect of the game.

[Lihu]

I'm sorry, I didn't try to be rude.

but really, I'll probably start my golf vlog soon, and then you really can watch me ;D. I truly believe I can do it.

I think you do believe this. . .

I wish you nothing but the best, but it's a massive undertaking that seems a lot easier than it is because you can always think back on a round and visualize where you could have shaved a stroke or two effortlessly off your score on most holes. But it ignores that a lot of things that happen in golf are probabilistic in nature and dictated by fundamentals of your swing.

Most people put time frames of 5-10 years for a 23 HC to scratch jump. I'd just suggest you take on more manageable and reachable goals.

I also doubt that our OP can make scratch in 2 months. Maybe in 1 or 2 years, if he's talented? But. . .there's the catch. If he was talented enough to do this, he should already be shooting a lot better than 90. Maybe he's sand bagging us and is already shooting in the low 80s?

[a456bt]

Oh shoot, did I say 2 months? I'm really tired right now, I meant 2 years, sorry guys. My brain is a little hit and miss haha

[Lihu]

Oh shoot, did I say 2 months? I'm really tired right now, I meant 2 years, sorry guys. My brain is a little hit and miss haha

That's possible. . .

[iacas]

I highly disagree with this persons statements

I assume by "this person" you mean me. That thread is quite long, and we wrote a book, too… You may have seen it in my avatar or the badges of some on this forum.

The reason he gives for not practicing something more, such as 20-foot putts, is that it would be good enough without any more practice.

That's not the only reason I/we give. There's a ceiling, and a 20-foot putt offers very little Separation Value.

Why stop at being good enough to be on the PGA Tour? Why not the best in the world?

Because time spent trying to make 20% of your twenty-foot putts is time you won't spend improving other skills that are far more important at golf than getting really good at missing only 4 of 5 twenty-footers.

Annika Sorenstam once dedicated 6 weeks of full days practice to just putting, simply because she wanted to be the best at it.

Pretty sure that's bogus. And I'm not even going to do a web search for it.

I don't like to go by the belief that if it's good enough, there are better things I could be doing.

Then, simply, that's stupid. If something is "good enough" focus on something that IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. Especially if it matters significantly more to your scoring.

If when I'm practicing I know that I am improving myself in any aspect of the game of golf, that's time worth spending.

Thing is… you don't have unlimited time.

He also mentions at the top about how he's charted many PGA players' training habits, but this doesn't apply to the high handicapper at all.

That was cited as an example: people like to say that PGA Tour players putt a lot. They don't. They know how to butter their bread… you could learn from that.

Sure, Tiger only practices putting 1-2 hours a day now, but he didn't used to. I answered this earlier, but how much do you think Tiger Woods practiced putting 15-20 years ago? I can almost guarantee you it was astronomically different.

I'd take that bet.

So when that 20 foot putt happens to come along because you did mess up, why gamble on wether that putt is going to be the 1 out of 10 that you make?

Because making 1 out of 10 or 2 out of 10 is about the best you'll ever get, even if you spent an unlimited amount of time practicing putts of that length.

As you get older you'll understand the idea of "opportunity cost" more. It applies here.

I'm sorry if my message seems angry, I just don't believe you should be telling people to just settle with OK, why not be the best you possibly can be?

If you want to be the best putter in the world at 20-foot putts (and let's include 15-25 foot putts as being in that range), and you want to make 20% instead of 15%, since the average golfer has about six of those per round, you'll save a full stroke every 60 holes of golf you play! Sounds great! Sign me up!

Add 20 yards to your driver and you'll save nearly a full stroke EVERY ROUND even if you're on the PGA Tour already (you'll save over 2 strokes if you shoot in the 90s, currently, and add those same 20 yards).

You didn't really seem to read that thread with a very open mind. Suffice to say we've thought long and hard about a lot of the stuff we wrote there, and your very, very quick responses show a lack of understanding.

You're young, so that's all totally fine … but consider reading and thinking about what I've said here, too, please. It's to your benefit in the end.

[Vinsk]

Oh shoot, did I say 2 months? I'm really tired right now, I meant 2 years, sorry guys. My brain is a little hit and miss haha

Get the book "Lowest Score Wins" from which you took an excerpt from. If you're serious about golf it's a must read.

[a456bt]

"Annika Sorenstam once dedicated 6 weeks of full days practice to just putting, simply because she wanted to be the best at it."

Pretty sure that's bogus. And I'm not even going to do a web search for it.

A book written by Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriot (Ex-coaches of Annika), called "Every Shot Must Have A Purpose", includes foreword by Annika herself. It is there that she describes in her own words that tremendous commitment. Look the book up, it's actually really great, it explains the idea of VISION54 and GOLF54. I'm sure you've heard of the names if your knowledgable in coaching, they are quite well known.

[Shorty]

Oh shoot, did I say 2 months? I'm really tired right now, I meant 2 years, sorry guys. My brain is a little hit and miss haha

On what do you base this belief?

A hunch? a gut feeling? Because you believe in yourself?

You don't know whether you'll be able to break 90 regularly within 2 years, so why bother even speculating?

Chances are you will be able to break 90 regularly in two years, but I can tell you that going from 100 to 85 regularly in two years is going to be about 1/100th as impressive as going from 75 to 70 in two years, so let's not get ahead of ourselves.

You will not, I repeat NOT be shooting under par in two years.

You are implying that you have the same basic athletic and physical gifts as Greg Norman.

I can tell you that the guys like Norman (and there aren't many like him) may have got to scratch in 18 months, but they would have been shooting in the high 70s after 6 months.

This thread is rapidly going the way of all others of similar ilk.

My recommendation is to set yourself up for success, not failure. You are digging a huge hole for yourself.

And guess what? I would back myself from 20 feet against any putter out there, amateur or pro.

What does that mean? It means that the separation between me and the best putter in the world is statistically insignificant in terms of overall scoring.

If I could make myself the best putter in history from 15 to 25 feet, it would make my scoring better by a fraction of a shot a round.

BTW, there are experienced teachers and golfers here taking time giving you FREE advice. Ignore them at your peril. Most of it makes sense.

[a456bt]

Wow, seems like everything that comes out of my mouth is just stupid, isn't it?

[Shorty]

Wow, seems like everything that comes out of my mouth is just stupid, isn't it?

Pretty much.

Do you want to become a good golfer or do you want people to lie to you?

[a456bt]

I never asked people to lie to me. I believe everything I'm saying is being mis-constrewed. Everyone keeps acting like I want them to tell me everything is going to be fine and I'll be rich and famous. Where did you get that notion from?

[Shorty]

I never asked people to lie to me. I believe everything I'm saying is being mis-constrewed. Everyone keeps acting like I want them to tell me everything is going to be fine and I'll be rich and famous. Where did you get that notion from?

Forget the fame and wealth bits. That's not happening.

You wrote (or meant to write):

"I think I could be shooting under par in the next 2 years"

You don't like it when people tell you the truth. It upsets and offends you.

The statement above is absurd, and you have to accept that.

Currently you aren't breaking 100 consistently.

You believe that you may be one of the most gifted people ever to pick up a golf club. Again - I'll refer you to the quotation above.

Become a legitimate 10 marker in three years and you'll be doing very well. But 10 is closer to 24 than it is to 3.