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What handicap would surprise you a self-taught beginner could attain in 1 year


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> @MtlJeff said:

> Blade, how much did you play at first?

>

> Obviously talent from other sports that can be applied to golf is tremendously helpful, but I still think regular play is necessary. Even a physical marvel probably isn't breaking 80 within a year if they are hitting balls 1-2 times a week and playing weekend golf. Maybe, but man that would be really tough.

>

> Like you, I played good golf very quickly, but I was 23 , couldn't get a date and lived next to a driving range. So I was hitting balls 5 times a week and also playing weekends. I was a former basketball, football and soccer player etc etc so was athletic and dedicated a lot of time to it

>

> I think time is as important as athletic skill. That hasn't been discussed much in this thread

 

I didn’t play any for 6-7 months. But I have room at hime to hit balls so I built myself a wedge range. (50 100 120 135 yds) Then a 200 yard target and then a tee to hit driver off of ( into a tree line on an old pasture fence that lasers 270 ). I hit balls for fun. Practice is really my hobby. Lol. I truly enjoy it. I wrk alone a lot of the time too. So if I take a 15 min break. I’m probably going to hit a bucket. Or at least chip and putt.

 

As for lessons. I didn’t really see the need I hit it pretty good from the first ball. As in I hit the ball. And it flew. lol. I then just figured out how to change the flew part. That was one day. I quickly figured out that hooding they face made it go left. And holding it open went right. Neither were proper shots. But they planted the seed that later included path etc. to hit a real draw and later a real fade.

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Playing 2x/month and range practicing 2x/week, I'd say breaking 90 on a course with a rating of 120 or so would be "surprising" and glorious. Good luck with your journey. :)

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If this is your first year out Pastor I wouldn't chase a bogey handicap, it might take a lot of fun out.

 

Especially if you are not taking any real lessons (an instructor can tell you a fix in 10 mins which might take you 10 years to find).

 

I would set goals of breaking 100, 95, 90, 85, 80 and forget the time limit.

 

in 1 year, playing 2 times a month with no instruction and only youtube/ golfwrx forums... 95 would be pretty awesome.

 

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This guy comes here for some reasonable expectations, even if it wasn't phrased that way, and in typical wrx fashion we have to hear about how everyone was scratch in 3 weeks, how great everyone was at baseball and hockey and whatnot, and how little effort it took because it's so God given as to be Calvinist.

Cue the pushback about how if someone is irritated or doesn't believe that you'd be outdriving champ bailey if only you'd started at age 5 instead of 15, then that person must be a hater or no-talent hacker, who couldn't possibly understand how tough it is to not be taken seriously after such deep humblebragging.

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> @Justsomeguy said:

> This guy comes here for some reasonable expectations, even if it wasn't phrased that way, and in typical wrx fashion we have to hear about how everyone was scratch in 3 weeks, how great everyone was at baseball and hockey and whatnot, and how little effort it took because it's so God given as to be Calvinist.

> Cue the pushback about how if someone is irritated or doesn't believe that you'd be outdriving champ bailey if only you'd started at age 5 instead of 15, then that person must be a hater or no-talent hacker, who couldn't possibly understand how tough it is to not be taken seriously after such deep humblebragging.

 

![](https://media.giphy.com/media/F3G8ymQkOkbII/giphy.gif "")

 

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I stopped being surprised by things back in about '98. Skepticism is another matter...

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I’ll be different. I was a good athlete, small college recruited in three sports (although one of them wasn’t much of a recruitment). Always one of the league leaders in home runs in softball in college and shortly after. I played semi regularly in college and for the next five years. Started playing much more often for probably the next five, but was just so-so. It was probably around 2000 (more than 10years years after graduating college), maybe even later than that that I was finally able to break into single digits. I really don’t remeber why it took so long or what finally was the key to reaching there, I just know it took quite a while for me.


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> @cardoustie said:

> Wasn't Larry Nelson a +3 within 1 year of staring golf in his late 20's

Larry Nelson was definitely very late to the game, and obviously a natural. I think he first played golf in his early twenties and was shooting par or better within a year. Again, I'm pretty sure he was a good athlete and had a baseball background plus some other sports. Sometimes talent isn't overrated...

 

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The OP is 48, I have been hanging around golf clubs all my life, only a handful of people I know who started in their 30s/40s managed to play single figure golf, one was a tennis pro.

I don't know how good you will be, suspect you may be able to shoot 85-90 on a good day however why not just enjoy yourself and don't be too focussed on scoring outcomes.

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> @Justsomeguy said:

> This guy comes here for some reasonable expectations, even if it wasn't phrased that way, and in typical wrx fashion we have to hear about how everyone was scratch in 3 weeks, how great everyone was at baseball and hockey and whatnot, and how little effort it took because it's so God given as to be Calvinist.

> Cue the pushback about how if someone is irritated or doesn't believe that you'd be outdriving champ bailey if only you'd started at age 5 instead of 15, then that person must be a hater or no-talent hacker, who couldn't possibly understand how tough it is to not be taken seriously after such deep humblebragging.

 

? Bad day at the office ?

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TM Sim2 max tour  16* GD  ADHD 8x 

srixon zx 19* elements 9F5T 

Cobra king SZ 25.5* KBS TD cat 5 70 

TM p7mc 5-pw Mmt125tx 

Mizuno T22 raw 52-56-60 s400

LAB Mezz Max armlock 

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> @bladehunter said:

> > @Justsomeguy said:

> > This guy comes here for some reasonable expectations, even if it wasn't phrased that way, and in typical wrx fashion we have to hear about how everyone was scratch in 3 weeks, how great everyone was at baseball and hockey and whatnot, and how little effort it took because it's so God given as to be Calvinist.

> > Cue the pushback about how if someone is irritated or doesn't believe that you'd be outdriving champ bailey if only you'd started at age 5 instead of 15, then that person must be a hater or no-talent hacker, who couldn't possibly understand how tough it is to not be taken seriously after such deep humblebragging.

>

> ? Bad day at the office ?

 

Every day! Lol..

I did get out and hit about 50 out of the trap and another 50 flops to a small target. Got some of my natural bitchiness out. Feeling better now.

But you've got to understand: I was bitchy at an 8th grade level in pre-K. Played varsity bitchy as a freshman, starting b**** actually. Had a scholarship to a division 1 college bitchy program, but blew out my space bar thumb. Now look at me. Next year I'll be the comeback kid at the Augusta of bitchiness...

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Just depends on how committed and how smart/lucky you are to avoid injury. If you can practice a couple of times per week and play every weekend, you'll probably get below 90 on a typical muni setup. If you're just naturally inclined to golf and go play twice a month without practicing, you'll maybe break 100 a couple times. IMO, you should just start with lessons. Find a local PGA pro and get a 5 lesson plan or whatever.

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