Can anyone be a good golfer i.e. 5 handicapper with the right coaching ?

Louisc

The answer to the question is probably "no", some people have no hand eye cordination, and are in poor physical condition or have some impediments.

But can most people become a decent golfer with the right approach ?
I see some guys at my club who have been practicing/playing all their lives, and they are not very good.
They have crazy swings (worse looking swings than Jim Furyk), and very poor technique/no coaching.
Obviouly practice isn't everything.


I'm 36, Would it be possible to become a decent golfer at this relatively late age. I have a lot of time, and I'm very keen.

I heard Padraig Harrington never really played golf seriously until he was 14 or 15, which is amazing, considering Tiger Woods was on National Television playing golf when he was aged 3 as a prodigy, he was born to play golf.
Also Greg Norman and Nick Faldo didn't really play golf until about the age of 15.

JCDUB

No. A lot of people with all the time and practice in the world could get to a decent standard I reckon, definitely single figures.

But there are a certain percantage of people who I can safely say will NEVER make it to anything near single figures.
I am not talking about people with physical disabilities or anything, just people with absolutely no natural aptitude for the game.

But who cares really?If you enjoy the game then you're a success at it, sport is a recreational thing for 99.99% of players (ie not the pros.)If you're having fun then you're onto a winner.

Famous45

But who cares really?If you enjoy the game then you're a success at it, sport is a recreational thing for 99.99% of players (ie not the pros.)If you're having fun then you're onto a winner

Never a truer word spoken.

jimbling

Nope, not anyone. Definitely a decent level of hand eye co ordination is required.


But once the basics are there, most people can achieve a low handicap.... they just don't try.

It amazes me all the time... hearing players complaining about their game. When I ask what they're doing about it to improve they just say "Well I'm playing often". That's all well and good, but without the right attitude and actually trying to learn about the game you wont get much results.

This guys achievements are astounding and show what can be achieved when you put your mind to it.

Par72

Louisc wrote: »

I'm 36, Would it be possible to become a decent golfer at this.

I definitely think it is possible assuming you are reasonably athletic (e.g have a good range of motion and good hand-eye coordination).

I started playing golf when I was 16 and it only took me two years to get to single figures. I think this would be possible even if I didn't start playing golf until I was older.

I have a friend who plays off 6 and she only started 3 years ago aged over 30.

Golf is one sport you don't have to be young to play well.

Kevinmarkham

Louisc, and anyone else who wants to achieve their great golfing ambition, here's something that may help - you may have heard his book mentioned by Sam Torrance on the last day of the Open on Sunday:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dream-Challenge-Break-Par-Year/dp/0856408417/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1248179273&sr=1-1

Louisc

Kevinmarkham wrote: »

Louisc, and anyone else who wants to achieve their great golfing ambition, here's something that may help - you may have heard his book mentioned by Sam Torrance on the last day of the Open on Sunday:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dream-Challenge-Break-Par-Year/dp/0856408417/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1248179273&sr=1-1

I don’t want to go off thread, but the guy who wrote the book referred to in your post also wrote 2 other books

“Wake Up and Smell the Profit: 52 Guaranteed Ways to Make More Money in Your Coffee Business” and
“The Coffee Boys Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up and Managing Your Own Coffee Bar”

This makes me skeptical. Do you think that this guy likes writing books, and making profit writing books ?

Did anyone see him breaking par, or do we just take him at his word ?
I suspect his next book will be “how to go the moon in a hot air balloon which I built in a weekend”

jimbling

Kevinmarkham wrote: »

Louisc, and anyone else who wants to achieve their great golfing ambition, here's something that may help - you may have heard his book mentioned by Sam Torrance on the last day of the Open on Sunday:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dream-Challenge-Break-Par-Year/dp/0856408417/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1248179273&sr=1-1

eh, same dude I linked to.

Louisc wrote: »

I don’t want to go off thread, but the guy who wrote the book referred to in your post also wrote 2 other books

“Wake Up and Smell the Profit: 52 Guaranteed Ways to Make More Money in Your Coffee Business” and
“The Coffee Boys Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up and Managing Your Own Coffee Bar”

This makes me skeptical. Do you think that this guy likes writing books, and making profit writing books ?

Did anyone see him breaking par, or do we just take him at his word ?
I suspect his next book will be “how to go the moon in a hot air balloon which I built in a weekend”

lol, so someone is sceptical in your mind because they worked in another industry for 15 years and wrote some books about it?

Do a bit of research and read up about him*. There was a huge number of people involved in the project. And yes, someone did "see" him breaking par.



* And just so you know, his original idea started 10+ years ago when he suggested to a local pro that he would right a book about someone doing this if they could find the right candidate. It never happened. Eventually he decided to just do it himself.

soundsham

tried to attatch the audio file but forget how, i know you can do it but anyway

in bob rotella's golf of your dreams audiobook he quotes this story ............
a pro he knows bill davis, has a couple who have a lot of time to improve their golf game,this is their routine
jay & arlene hoffman each hit 300 long shots,595 putts,795 chips and pitches, play 4 days a week,and take 2 days off to rest........
jay who was a 22 handicapper recently played 12 consecitive rounds in the 70's
arlene reduced her handicap from 40 to 12.......... in a few years

i would imagine a lesson every 2-3 weeks also

so if you have the time and money, no kids very little work to worry you,an understanding partner............ any natural skills will speed it up obviously, oh ya probably living in florida or the likes would help too,

p.s keep us updated if you try.......would defo be thread of the year!!!

Myksyk

With regard to the original question I would probably say that 'No, not everyone who tries hard can get to a 5 handicap'. I agree that there is a certain level of 'physical intelligence' required to reap the benefits of even the most comprehensive of training regimes. But serious practice would definitely get most people who actually like the game and are disposed toward improvement to single figures.

The funny thing is there is no mystery here. Improving in golf is the same as improvement in anything ...it requires application, practice and perseverance. I was at a gig by Tommy Emmanuel recently, a magnificent Aussie acoustic guitar player, who after playing some ridiculously difficult piece commented that should you want to learn it, it isn't rocket science, it's just practice, but LOTS of practice. So many people WANT to be good at golf and complain that they're just not improving but when you look seriously at their practice regime there just isn't any reasonable hope of improvement. There just isn't any serious commitment to practicing the required skills. This is fine and well if you're happy where you are in terms of ability and handicap but really people should only complain that they're not burning up courses if they have committed over some years to strict and regular practice and are not seeing steady progress. Seriously, would you complain if you couldn't play a serious piece of music on the guitar or piano when you only sit down with the instrument once a week?

By the way OP, I'm 42 and while I played pitch and putt and a little golf as a teenager I only bought clubs and started really playing the game this time two years ago, joining a club for the first time in January last year. I had a 'provisional provisional' h'cap of 24 with my mates before being given an actual h'cap of 18. I am now playing off 11 and I have every intention of playing off single figures within the next year.

John_Richardson

Louisc wrote: »

I don’t want to go off thread, but the guy who wrote the book referred to in your post also wrote 2 other books

“Wake Up and Smell the Profit: 52 Guaranteed Ways to Make More Money in Your Coffee Business” and
“The Coffee Boys Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up and Managing Your Own Coffee Bar”

This makes me skeptical. Do you think that this guy likes writing books, and making profit writing books ?

Did anyone see him breaking par, or do we just take him at his word ?
I suspect his next book will be “how to go the moon in a hot air balloon which I built in a weekend”

Throughout the challenge I was met with relentless "it can't be done" and then when it was over I had people doubting that I was as bad as I said to begin with.

Being accused as being someone who just likes "writing books" is a cracking one though.

I'm not quite sure why I'm bothering to reply to you (in case I get accused of being "someone who likes writing on forums") but here are the facts

- control round of 103 - played and signed by a PGA pro.
- final round of 70 - witnessed and signed by club manager who was once asked to sit on PGA Ireland board.

To answer the original question...

One word - yes.

Now I better get back to writing more books. It's the thing I love most really and that book about getting to the moon isn't going to write itself.

whatawaster

I would have to agree with what Ben Hogan stated in his book “5 lessons . . . “ – Anyone of average athletic ability can break 80 (he said in a few months, that may not be realistic for everyone however).

I think if the average 18 handicap golfer spent a couple of hours a week practising pitching and chipping, an hour on putting and an hour on their long game they’d see massive improvements. Maybe a lesson a month from a good pro they trust.

Bob Rotella’s first book – Golf is Not a game of perfect – should be a must read for every golfer – particularly the chapters on pre-shot routines, practice routines and confident putting. They will quickly take shots off anyone’s game if you implement the very simple theory he teaches.

brenlong

I must admit, I'm one of those golfers who's wife is sick of hearing how sh*te I played on a regular basis, or that I started great but fell apart after the 13th or 14th. I also admit that until recently I've been too lazy to just get out there and do something about it.

I've been engrossed in the Bob Rotella books over the last couple of weeks, and they're quite good in helping to shape the correct mindset.

John Richardson.... I only stumbled across your blog today as a result of a google search related to this thread and I must have wasted a few hours of work time reading through your past entries. There are some great nuggets in there and some very thought provoking anecdotes and quotes.

Whilst I probably won't get away with the complete amount of dedication to do it in 12 months, I intend to make a real effort to at least put in a regular amount of constructive practice. Proper practice, not just whacking balls toward a distance marker. I've been flitting between a 20 and 22 handicap for 4 years now, and at 34 years of age it's got to the point where I'm just fed up and embarrassed. One day I'll go out and burn up the course, the next I just want to burn the clubs. I know I'm better than that!

Louisc

John_Richardson wrote: »

Throughout the challenge I was met with relentless "it can't be done" and then when it was over I had people doubting that I was as bad as I said to begin with.

Being accused as being someone who just likes "writing books" is a cracking one though.

I'm not quite sure why I'm bothering to reply to you (in case I get accused of being "someone who likes writing on forums") but here are the facts

- control round of 103 - played and signed by a PGA pro.
- final round of 70 - witnessed and signed by club manager who was once asked to sit on PGA Ireland board.

To answer the original question...

One word - yes.

Now I better get back to writing more books. It's the thing I love most really and that book about getting to the moon isn't going to write itself.

I'm embarrassed now John at my inappropriate comments.
At least people on this thread stood up for you, I'm the one left looking foolish, and I appologise.
I was clearly wrong in suggesting that you may not have achieved what you actually achieved......
It was a wonderful achievement by the way, I did see your photo on the web, you do look more sporty than the average person, and of course you weren't starting from absolute zero, 103 is not such a bad score.
.
Also I see on the web a lot of favourable reviews of your book, the irony of all this is that I will probably buy your book.

Jasonw

I wouldn't say I was 'athletic' or posessed great hand -eye co-ordination. Last person to be picked on 5 a sides and all that. For what it's worth I'll tell my story.

5 years ago I played society golf with work where I could scrape 36 points playing of a 22 handicap. I enjoyed it and when I picked up an injury which meant I couldn't compete at my regular sport I decided to take the next step and join a club.

I was working away in Belgium at the time and was speaking to my boss over a few beers enquiring what club to join etc when I said that I'd like to play off single figures within 5 years. This caused a reaction of 'impossible - can't be done' from the 16 handicapper.

A couple of months later I joined a club and was given a 16 h'cap. This was the norm no matter what the 3 cards said as they had been stung before. From memory the cards were between 20 and 24 over par.

After 6 months of not being able to play to this handicap I sought professional help. I handed a pro I knew 200 notes for 8 lessons up front and he got my basics right. I moved down 5 shots in the first season and went from 11 to 8 in my second season. I maintained it around 8 and 9 last year before changing my approch to practice this year. mainly more emphisis on short game putting and chipping which is now paying off and I got cut to 7 last week.

My aim when I started was to reach 6 but now I don't see any reason I couldn't play off 5.

Good luck with it and as Dr. Bob says " A person with great dreams can achieve great things"

PS Fair play Louis - that took balls.

John_Richardson

Hey Louisc - no problem.

It was a very petulant response from me. And as you say I got a lot of support which I didn't acknowledge properly.

I'm going in to a meeting (with a guy who makes moon balloons - ) but will respond fully later.

Appreciate your response.

One thing though - I wasn't sport beforehand and lost a stone and a half during the challenge since I knew I had to work on my fitness as much as anything else. Plus I have arthritic hips...

But so does Tom Watson!

Cheers

John

soundsham

i began playing when about 29 done a bit of hacking for a year previous in a society,went from 18hcap to 7 in 5 years generally 2 shots a year down...
I had a few (3-4) lessons in 2nd year but few would have played more than i did in the first 3yrs i.e. 3-4 times a week, i would not have practised the amount required as i prefered to get out and play a few hole after work or at the weekend, but i have no doubt 5 handicap or less could be reached,especially if you had a proper practice and playing routine

i would have been better than average(self praise i know;)) at most sports i played, and played most of em, no star though,none more than golf will wreck your head at times but i know plenty guys would and do come down quicker and being sporty, younger and fitter would all be a help

now thats just me and i'd safely say plenty guys here have stories to tell,but hopefully you will be encouraged take the sport up and where you go from there is up to you, not what anyone here tells you.

sorry rambled on a bit there......:o, so the answer to your question is yes

f22

My 2 cents worth and in my opinion the answer is no. To play to mid to low single digits requires certain levels of skill and abilty that only a smaller percentage of people have. Hand eye coordination is a huge part of competitive golf and in my opinion it's something you're born with, although I'm in no doubt it can be improved. A large percentage of golfers I know excel at many other sports too.

I would estimate that with alot of work and dedication as little as 20 percent of golfers could reach that target, considering the average handicap is something like 16.4 worldwide.

soundsham

i would agree 100%, but if you follow what you youself say is required and do the same as those 20% you can get there

f22

Slightly confused so I'll clarify, 20 percent of golfers have the potential/ability to play to 5 or less IMO.