how good is a scratch golfer and how difficult to be one

alxmorgan

jackhua wrote: »

I really admire people are like him. they would really go ahead to do whatever their dreams are and leave everything behind. even he might not achieve what he set up but at least he tried and he will no regret. (i don't know about giving up his job )

I couldn't just forget about everything and follow whatever the dream is.

so overall, the point is Forget About To Be a Scratch Golfer!?

Of course not. Will you do it ? Probably not
Does it mean you shouldn't try. Life would be boring if everyone took that attitude.

A guy was on here last year saying he wanted to go from 18 to single figures in about 5-6 months. Ridiculed left, right and center. He did it with time to spare.
Haters gonna hate

jackhua

nomunnnofun wrote: »

Best of luck whatever you decide.

alxmorgan wrote: »

Of course not. Will you do it ? Probably not
Does it mean you shouldn't try. Life would be boring if everyone took that attitude.

Haters gonna hate

maybe "goal" isn't a correct word but "dream" in this case isn't that right either.

so still aiming to be scratch golfer no matter i get there or not. still enjoy the game.

the good thing about myself is that i don't get frustrated if i don't get something i want. it will only encourage me to find solutions for it even if there is no solution that is ok. this is life that is designed by God!:D

back to golf, i am still at developing technical skill stage so, just step by step towards the destination. i will look into all the advices and design a most efficient practice system:D and just enjoy it:D

charlieIRL

alxmorgan wrote: »

Of course not. Will you do it ? Probably not
Does it mean you shouldn't try. Life would be boring if everyone took that attitude.

A guy was on here last year saying he wanted to go from 18 to single figures in about 5-6 months. Ridiculed left, right and center. He did it with time to spare.
Haters gonna hate

Here is the thread alxmorgan in on about

Rodrigo

Jackhua, you'd be a far more successful wind up merchant than you'll ever be a decent golfer.

levitronix

ajcurry123 wrote: »

Anyone genuine might find this interesting. Similar quest is being sought.

www.thedanplan.com

This guy has devoted over 2 years to golf, full time, gave up job, got a mentor/coach etc

Apparently he's at 5 HC now, but that's a US HC (Casual rounds count I believe) so I think you could add a good few shots to that.
I stopped following it a long time ago, he was circa 7 or 8 HC but was shooting mid 90's in his competition rounds.

Haven't followed it since, I think he should start looking for a job.

i like checking the updates on the dan plan, but the work and time that guy puts in is crazy, its pipe dream for everyone else. Youd be better to chase the dream of the one good round where everything clicks.
I think any single figure handicap golfer has the ability with a bit of luck to shoot a level or sub par round and feel like a scratch player for a day
Because if you break it down all youd have to do is hit one good shot on each hole be it a great putt you drain or a pitch you knock dead or recovery shot

levitronix

gorfield wrote: »

Give something a try that the odds are more in your favour, most shops sell the euro millions these days.
The golf forum is turning into a joke with all these ridiculous threads that are clearly wind ups.

Just curious whats your typical week like, ie practice time and time playing ? Back in the day almost 20 years ago i had the pleasure of playing with you a whole bunch of times in the boys and youths i know back then everyone played almost everyday when school/college finished, but with work and famliy things change.

ForeRight

levitronix wrote: »

i like checking the updates on the dan plan, but the work and time that guy puts in is crazy, its pipe dream for everyone else. Youd be better to chase the dream of the one good round where everything clicks.
I think any single figure handicap golfer has the ability with a bit of luck to shoot a level or sub par round and feel like a scratch player for a day
Because if you break it down all youd have to do is hit one good shot on each hole be it a great putt you drain or a pitch you knock dead or recovery shot

This is true.
My two best rounds are a level par and a -1 on two days when I was dropping putts from everywhere. Other than that I hit anything from +3 to +10 depending on how I play.
The effort and monetary costs of getting down to scratch just ain't worth it for a bit of personal satisfaction.

levitronix

ForeRight wrote: »

This is true.
My two best rounds are a level par and a -1 on two days when I was dropping putts from everywhere. Other than that I hit anything from +3 to +10 depending on how I play.
The effort and monetary costs of getting down to scratch just ain't worth it for a bit of personal satisfaction.

best this year me
-2 9 hole practice
-1 9 hole in comp
+3 practice 18
+5 comp 18
all my cutts have been just steady golf in comps with high CSS
So im still chasing the perfect one but lately im thinking its not coming this year

Addictedtogolf

ITS TOTALLY IMPOSSIBLE.
You either have the gift or not.
You can spend a million euro on coaching but never get near scratch.

GreeBo

Addictedtogolf wrote: »

ITS TOTALLY IMPOSSIBLE.
You either have the gift or not.
You can spend a million euro on coaching but never get near scratch.

other than shouting, do you have any other points to back up your assertion?
if you can't even make a single point in favour of your argument you are automatically helping the other side imo.

Addictedtogolf

GreeBo wrote: »

other than shouting, do you have any other points to back up your assertion?
if you can't even make a single point in favour of your argument you are automatically helping the other side imo.

Because it cant be done for the average golfer.
Most guys get 18 and then get down to 14-13 and that's it..unless ur a junior with lots of time

GreeBo

Addictedtogolf wrote: »

Because it cant be done for the average golfer.
Most guys get 18 and then get down to 14-13 and that's it..unless ur a junior with lots of time

why cant?
just because the average golfer isnt off scratch doesnt mean it cant.
the average golfer doesnt put in the same effort as a scratch golfer.
ino you dont know who can and cant until they put in the same effort.

Dubflier

How many official GUI hcaps are there and how many are scratch and below.
I used to have the pleasure of playing with a guy that hovered at scratch to +1 and no pun intended he was playing a different ball game than me. I was playing off 6/7 at the time.

GreeBo

I think you missed my point.
how many of these people are practicing at the same level as the scratch golfers?
otherwise you are comparing apples with fudge.

Dubflier

GreeBo wrote: »

I think you missed my point.
how many of these people are practicing at the same level as the scratch golfers?
otherwise you are comparing apples with fudge.

No I wasn't missing the point but if you think practice alone is going to get you to a low hcap your sadly mistaken. I would say every low hcap player I've played with started in their teenage years if not earlier, golf is one of the most fickle games to be involved in. Just look at the Irish Open, the amount of top Irish house hold names that didn't make the cut. I posted early in this tread some of the ingredients required for the scratch player there were many more that could have been mentioned. I played to a decent level for many years and have some understanding of playing off single figures.The best of luck to the OP and hope he enjoys his time on the course.

Russman

Getting to scratch and staying off scratch are two different things.

Most of the very low handicappers I've played with/against in Senior Cup, Barton Shield etc haven't been hugely different from a decent 4 or 5 handicapper to be perfectly honest (not them all, but a big portion). The main difference I've seen is that, with the good ones, their bad shots are a whole lot better than a 6 handicapper's bad shots.

If someone playing off 3 hits a good shot its going to be much the same as a scratch player's good shot. Its the "bad" shots that are the difference IMHO.

Also its often overlooked because its very subtle, but chipping to 2 feet and tapping in, say, two or three times more in a round than chipping to 5 feet and missing is often the bulk of the difference. Its very easy to think "...well, I hit a good drive, ok second, pretty ok chip, I just missed a putt that I'd normally get, careless, no worries..." and forget that that missed putt counts just the same as a drive or iron or any other shot.

With regard to actually getting to scratch.................short game, short game, short game and then go back and do more short game.

alxmorgan

Addictedtogolf wrote: »

ITS TOTALLY IMPOSSIBLE.
You either have the gift or not.
You can spend a million euro on coaching but never get near scratch.

Ridiculous post IMHO. Firstly what exactly is impossible ? For someone to take up the game in their 20s/30s and get to scratch ?

A golfer in this parish did just this in two years.

The fact is most don't put in the requisite amount of time to achieve the goal. How they can you say it is impossible ?

Do I think I could get to scratch if I devoted sufficient time to it (took up he game in my 30s and am a mid handicapper) ? I'm not sure. But I am sure of one thing - I'm not going to go making black and white statements like you have without anything to back it up.

Almaviva

alxmorgan wrote: »

I'm not sure. But I am sure of one thing - I'm not going to go making black and white statements like you have without anything to back it up.

Dont if you dont wish to. adictedtogolf is still right though.

ForeRight

I know for a fact I could get to scratch.

If I out the time is of course. Practice practice practice lessons lessons lessons then more practice.

Expensive to do and also time consuming to do.

I started playing 2 summers ago getting my first GUI of 18. Comfortably playing to 5 now and playing about once a week. Never had lessons and don't do the range more than once a month maybe. I don't know all the technical mumbo of the game or the mechanics. I just hit the ball and play as well as I can. Could I get to scratch if I got mental dedicated to it???

Yes I could. 100%! Monetary wise I can't do it.

I'm not bragging I'm just stating facts in regard to myself. I never played junior golf as I always played other sports. All I played growing up was p&p and par 3 and approx 4 games of golf a year with my dad for leisure.

alxmorgan

Almaviva wrote: »

Dont if you dont wish to. adictedtogolf is still right though.

Right about what ?
He didn't even say what was impossible ?

Almaviva

alxmorgan wrote: »

Right about what ?
He didn't even say what was impossible ?

Thats its impossible for any given golfer to become a scratch golfer.
And that you either have it or you dont.

Dubflier

alxmorgan wrote: »

Ridiculous post IMHO. Firstly what exactly is impossible ? For someone to take up the game in their 20s/30s and get to scratch ?

A golfer in this parish did just this in two years.

The fact is most don't put in the requisite amount of time to achieve the goal. How they can you say it is impossible ?



Do I think I could get to scratch if I devoted sufficient time to it (took up he game in my 30s and am a mid handicapper) ? I'm not sure. But I am sure of one thing - I'm not going to go making black and white statements like you have without anything to back it up.

If that lad from the parish needs a cadie for next year for the European tour I'm available.

jackhua

thanks lads!!

pls don't confuse me too much. everyone is talking about how possible/impossible to become a scratch golfer but this was not the idea of the OP.

everyone has their own opinions on Scratch Golfer based on different experience and knowledge. (my experience is limited ) there is not right or wrong about it and no need to argue!

originally, i didn't say that i have planed to be a scratch golf but now, i have a clear mind: I am setting up this goal and try my best to be a scratch golfer. will not quit my job, will not spend millions......... will not be mad!! yes, i am still trying my best to get there but just take it easy. by the way, i will always be happy to play golf even if i don't achieve my goals so pls don't worry about that!:D:D

i will take all the points in relation to improve/develop golf skill. such like short games, swing thought, course management ......(pls let me know as much as u know) but any others i might just ignore.

GreeBo

Lads the lack of actual points being made to back up assertions on here is quite frankly laughable.
Stating that someone is just wrong, without actually putting any facts or backing up your opinion to try to persuade someone else is silly; you cant just shout and stamp your feat.

An 8 year old would win a debate against you with that approach.

levitronix

ForeRight wrote: »

I know for a fact I could get to scratch.

If I out the time is of course. Practice practice practice lessons lessons lessons then more practice.

Expensive to do and also time consuming to do.

I started playing 2 summers ago getting my first GUI of 18. Comfortably playing to 5 now and playing about once a week. Never had lessons and don't do the range more than once a month maybe. I don't know all the technical mumbo of the game or the mechanics. I just hit the ball and play as well as I can. Could I get to scratch if I got mental dedicated to it???

Yes I could. 100%! Monetary wise I can't do it.

I'm not bragging I'm just stating facts in regard to myself. I never played junior golf as I always played other sports. All I played growing up was p&p and par 3 and approx 4 games of golf a year with my dad for leisure.

Id be of the same opinion here as foreright, if you have a half way descent athletic backround scratch is the on cards if you have the time and patience, but it would have to be your full time day job.

levitronix

GreeBo wrote: »

Lads the lack of actual points being made to back up assertions on here is quite frankly laughable.
Stating that someone is just wrong, without actually putting any facts or backing up your opinion to try to persuade someone else is silly; you cant just shout and stamp your feat.

An 8 year old would win a debate against you with that approach.

Chinese 8 year old off scratch !! haha

levitronix

I also think with club improvements in shafts and drivers/balls, scratch now is like a 2 handicap from 20 years ago, so if you got low as a kid, with time and family support you could do it again

uptheroyals

check out projectgolfpro.ie is an irish guy trying to do it, or thedanplan.com is an american guy, theory is 10,000 hours to be an elite player at any sport. the two guys have interesting blogs though

charlieIRL

uptheroyals wrote: »

check out projectgolfpro.ie is an irish guy trying to do it, or thedanplan.com is an american guy, theory is 10,000 hours to be an elite player at any sport. the two guys have interesting blogs though

AFAIK projectgolfpro is tin cup on here

uptheroyals

heres the threads actually

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056827004