how long to get to scratch?

[gogolfing]

Read or get the audio CD called The Golf of Your Dreams by Dr. Bob Rotella. He sets out a program for lowering your scores and goes into the time commitment needed to get down to these levels. I've got the adio CD and listen to it about three times a year to remind myself the type of commitment necessary. With young kids I don't always have the time, but it lessens the frustration of "why aren't I getting better" when you see you need to spend more time but can't find. Getting good overnight is the rarity; Rotella talks about commitment over 3-5 years for most.

[Chilidipper]

Absolutely. That's it in a nutshell for the most part. You have to have the drive, the wallet, and athletic ability doesn't hurt, either.

I couldn't agree more. I was hack when I start around age 17-18 years old. Started taking the game seriously around 21 and then around 24 I started taking lessons more and more for about 1 year. I got my swing down and around 28 noticed my scoring wasn't going down. I mean hell my game looked pretty but didn't reflect that on the scorecard. Bogeys and Double Bogeys are/where still a common occurance. IMO, the game starts from the pin out not the tee box in. If you master chipping, putting and course management that alone would make you someone to be reckoned with.

[Chilidipper]

Funny you mention your putting killing you. I know this guy who isn't very good. Has a very odd swing and picks the ball. Plays a 7 wood in at 180 no kidding but slices it in there and does it damn well. Very very odd thing. One thing though he lives next to a golf range and putts and chips all the time I mean 2-5 times a week hours at a time. He never shoots out of the 80's and he drives it like 220 plays a monster fade and doesnt hit anything higher than a 6 iron. Weird but I think this says it all. The guy is a wiz on the greens. Usually plays a putt/bumpnrun with a 7 iron around the greens like he is putting and is money with his scotty cameron putter.


Like I said if you saw us both at the range you would think I was the better golfer but his scoring is much better than mine.

[artfulgolfer]

Rearden, you asked how fast anyone on this board got down to scratch or close to scratch. It took me 2 years to get to a 4 handicap, 6 months to break 80, and 1 1/2 years to shoot my first par round (as an old fart working full time). IMHO, getting to a scratch handicap in that timeframe (infinitely more difficult than just shooting a par round once in a while) would be very unlikey for anyone unless they have the time and money to dedicate themselves to golf full time and have so much talent that they got into the 70's easily. I only know 1 guy who did this. He's currently on Big Break Mesquite - Josh Warthen. He started playing here in Pismo Beach at 19 years old and was winning local amatuer titles within 3 years. He doesn't even remember ever shooting in the 80's! Now about 26, he's a +3 or +4. Very Impressive.

[vvrinne]

Rearden, you asked how fast anyone on this board got down to scratch or close to scratch. It took me 2 years to get to a 4 handicap, 6 months to break 80, and 1 1/2 years to shoot my first par round (as an old fart working full time). IMHO, getting to a scratch handicap in that timeframe (infinitely more difficult than just shooting a par round once in a while) would be very unlikey for anyone unless they have the time and money to dedicate themselves to golf full time and have so much talent that they got into the 70's easily. I only know 1 guy who did this. He's currently on Big Break Mesquite - Josh Warthen. He started playing here in Pismo Beach at 19 years old and was winning local amatuer titles within 3 years. He doesn't even remember ever shooting in the 80's! Now about 26, he's a +3 or +4. Very Impressive.

To be able to do this you have to be truly gifted. Most golfers never break 90 in their lifetime, not to mention being able to break 80 in 6 months. Most people should be happy if they are able to break 100 in their first season playing.

[Miney]

I am still yet to break a 100 and am just set on doing that for the moment. Since im only young and am always playing with mates who dont take the game too seriously, i lose concentration and always crack under pressure on the last hole to stuff it up and get over 100. Closest it 102 with silly, silly errors.

Atleast, that's my excuse anyway ;)

[g-funk13]

IMO, the game starts from the pin out not the tee box in. If you master chipping, putting and course management that alone would make you someone to be reckoned with.

First time I have heard it put that way. Nice quote, and holy crap is it true!

[geezer]

How long to get to scratch?

How long is a piece of string?

[Shindig]

I am still yet to break a 100 and am just set on doing that for the moment. Since im only young and am always playing with mates who dont take the game too seriously, i lose concentration and always crack under pressure on the last hole to stuff it up and get over 100. Closest it 102 with silly, silly errors.

Stop adding it up. It's one thing to find out what your score is after the 9th, but after that, don't keep a running score in your head. Write the number(s) on the scorecard, put it back in your pocket, and keep going.

I used to have this problem. The course I was playing had a 480-yard, wide, par-5 to end the course. There were times that I'd look at the card and say "wow, I need only a 7 to break 100!" (and then I'd make an 8 or a 9). The second time I stopped tracking it, I made a bogey on the final hole for a 95. If you insist on scoring goals towards the end, try to play the last 3 holes in a total of 4-over-par, regardless of how you did the rest of the day. If you can do this consistently, it will make the remaining scoring goals no harder than they are, because you'll know you can do this. Playing with folks who don't take the game seriously, as long as they aren't purposefully distracting you, can be fine. Just use the extra time to visualize your shots before hitting them. Long story short - adding up your score, even score so far, is going to take you away from the moment, and away from your goals.

First time I have heard it put that way. Nice quote, and holy crap is it true!

There's a story of a man whose wife wanted to take up the sport. He had her spend a year chipping and putting before she could go to the range and learn the full swing. Her first time on the course, she scored quite well. I have no idea where I read this. But it seems to make sense. I'm pretty sure my playing of par-3 courses first helped when I moved up to executive, and then up to regulation courses.

[Rearden]

Thanks for all of the responses. It's interesting to hear the different perspectives about progress. I know its a nebulous question to ask "how long" I was just curious as to how quickly those on the board have made it. I would like to become a scratch golfer, but I am more intersted in testing my potential as a golfer, as I am with all things in life.

This is a great board, and there a lot of very knowledgeable golfers on here. Thanks for your insight into the journey.

cheers
MJ

[buggyman]

I started playing golf at 21. I never shot in the 100's and only remember shooting in the 90's a couple times. I was a 7 hcp after the first 6 months to a year. A 4 after two years and a +2 my third year. BUT it took practicing everyday, and playing everyday. I was in the military so golf was actually cheap ($20 a month for membership, unlimited golf). I worked part time jobs at ranges so I could hit 500-1000 balls a day.

Family and life got in the way and I quit for 5-6 years. Started playing again about 5-6 months ago and couldn't break 85. Practiced for about a month or two and am back down to about a 1, only playing 3-4 times a month. Practice is good, but bad technical practice does very little. I used to tape myself and compare to pros swings. Only ever took 1 lesson and didn't have a good experience. SHORT GAME, SHORT GAME, SHORT GAME...... I CAN'T say it enough. Chipping and putting practice is FREE but most don't do it enough. Try for a month to chip and putt for at least 30 minutes a day. I bet you knock off 5 shots the first month easy.

[KIDDEREK]

Most golfers never break 90 in their lifetime, not to mention being able to break 80 in 6 months. Most people should be happy if they are able to break 100 in their first season playing.

Is it that difficult to break 90 in a lifetime? This is my first season and I almost broke 90. I probably would have if I didn't count each stroke towards the end to ensure that I break 100. btw, I am quite happy that I finally broke 100. It was a lot tougher than I thought it'd be.

. . . which leads me to . . .

I started playing golf at 21. I never shot in the 100's and only remember shooting in the 90's a couple times. I was a 7 hcp after the first 6 months to a year. A 4 after two years and a +2 my third year. BUT it took practicing everyday, and playing everyday. I was in the military so golf was actually cheap ($20 a month for membership, unlimited golf). I worked part time jobs at ranges so I could hit 500-1000 balls a day.

As someone said before, I'm not saying the above didn't happen, but it's very difficult to believe and certainly far from the norm. To never shoot in the 100s and only a couple of times in 90s is pretty impressive. No matter how much practice you get, I can't imagine not shooting in the 90s consistently before lowering your score.

Did you play a bunch of rounds and consider it practice? When you first started playing did you know how to keep score properly? I have a friend who broke 100 a bunch of times until I realized he also broke several rules. Another time, I played with a guy who said he was a scratch player. He shot a 15 over. Do scratch players shoot 15 over even on a bad day? 7hcp within 6 months? Is that a typo? Not saying it didn't happen, but being someone who was a superstar at the driving range and was subsequently humbled at the course, I find it extremely difficult to believe this story.

[artfulgolfer]

Kidderick, since my progress was "almost" exactly along the same timeline as buggyman, and I'm twice his age, I can assure you his story is believable. I also rarely shot in the 90's or 100's. I wasn't able to practice as much, but when I did, most of that time was spent on the short game as buggyman suggests. As I shared in this thread too, I've met one young man (who is currently on Big Break Mesquite) who never shot in the 90's and barely spent any time in the 80's.

My game really improved when I started learning to trust my swing on every shot (no fear or anxiety), and when that failed, to immediately let go of any thoughts of frustration, and refocus on making the next shot. You HAVE to think you'll pull off every shot before you take that club back. We've all hit great shots. You just have to convince yourself that you can do it again on the next shot, regardless of what just happened on the last shot. I found that by focusing on and visualizing my intended path and target, and avoiding any swing thoughts (and the lessons that encourage them), that the game is much easier.

[Shindig]

Is it that difficult to break 90 in a lifetime? This is my first season and I almost broke 90.

Varying definitions of golfer, I guess? I suspect the folks who play one day a month with their buddies and have ill-fitting clubs (we all know people with X-flex that should be on R or S) are counting in this poll. I'll bet far more folks on this board have broken any given scoring barrier than the general population of golfers, on account that we care enough about it to spend time talking about it (etc) off the course.

You probably played more this season than many of the people I'm describing play in a few years. There's also the issue of practice. Next time you go to the driving range, walk down the line and make a mental note of which club people are practicing with. Count "driver" and "not driver." Count the total people on the range, and then count the number on the short game areas. It won't surprise you which group is destined to break 90 anytime soon.

[artfulgolfer]

There's a story of a man whose wife wanted to take up the sport. He had her spend a year chipping and putting before she could go to the range and learn the full swing. Her first time on the course, she scored quite well. I have no idea where I read this. But it seems to make sense. I'm pretty sure my playing of par-3 courses first helped when I moved up to executive, and then up to regulation courses.

I've met a golfer who played his entire first year never hitting a club beyond the 5-iron. He's now a scratch golfer. I tried this with my son, who has only played 5 rounds of golf (he's too busy w/ college and work for golf). His 5 rounds have all been between 93 and 102. I'm convinced they'd be higher scores if he'd taken out his driver or fairway woods.

[KIDDEREK]

Varying definitions of golfer, I guess?

Definitely.

I was thinking someone who plays somewhat seriously or someone who wants to break 90. Funny thing, as the summer progressed and I was playing weekly, I stopped going to the driving range. I just took a couple of practice swings (no mat) and just played on Saturdays. My score was pretty much the same all summer until the very end.

[KIDDEREK]

Kidderick, since my progress was "almost" exactly along the same timeline as buggyman, and I'm twice his age, I can assure you his story is believable. I also rarely shot in the 90's or 100's. I wasn't able to practice as much, but when I did, most of that time was spent on the short game as buggyman suggests. As I shared in this thread too, I've met one young man (who is currently on Big Break Mesquite) who never shot in the 90's and barely spent any time in the 80's.

Hmmm, maybe I give myself too much credit.

I def agree with the trust/confidence thing.

[Chilidipper]

I've met a golfer who played his entire first year never hitting a club beyond the 5-iron. He's now a scratch golfer. I tried this with my son, who has only played 5 rounds of golf (he's too busy w/ college and work for golf). His 5 rounds have all been between 93 and 102. I'm convinced they'd be higher scores if he'd taken out his driver or fairway woods.

Driver/Iron selection depends. On Par 4's I always play for 125/150 out and if that means killing my driver to get to that range or nailing a 5 iron I'll do it. I think from the hole in.