how long does it take to play in HS golf team?

[geochitown]

I was thinking only to be able to compare himself to other golfers, you know, instead of "by height."

 

[RCGA]

Breaking 90 with no pressure is miles different than breaking 90 to make a team.

 

Unless you have a lot of tournament experience, your tee shots will fail you, which means your going to be spending a lot of your round scrambling from 100y and in.  

 

[Lincoln_Arcadia]

7 hours ago, jrgolfer2021 said:

 

He is not a complete beginner because he has been playing golf since July 2020.  He has been taking private golf lesson once a week with Mike Vechery in Northern Virginia.  He also has been working with a chipping and putting coach every three weeks or so.  He plays racquetball in the winter and soccer in the spring so golf would fit him well in the fall.  He is quite athletically gifted in racquetball.  He usually spends three hours on weekdays a the grass driving range, chipping and putting in Olney Park Maryland.  He plays 18 holes of golf on both Saturday and Sunday.  I just want to get him ready for the tryout in mid August.  Will that be enough?

That sounds quite adequate to break 90.

 

He should be attempting to break 80 given his background.

 

My son had a similar qualification threshold  for his first team. Was not easy for him to break 90, but then again, he was only 12. I think your son should have no problem being 15 and athletic.

 

7 hours ago, jrgolfer2021 said:

This past weekend, he only played 9 holes due to transportation issue so my wife had to drive him to play at the Jefferson golf course in Falls Church, Virginia on both Saturday and Sunday.  According to my wife:

 

Saturday:

hole 1:  Par 4:  par

hole 2:  Par 4:  par

hole 3: Par 3: bogey

hole 4: Par 4: double bogey

hole 5: Par 5:  par

hole 6: Par 4: bogey

hole 7: Par 3:  bogey

hole 8: Par 4: bogey

hole 9: Par 4: birdie

 

Sunday:

hole 1:  Par 4:  bogey

hole 2:  Par 4:  double bogey

hole 3: Par 3: par

hole 4: Par 4: double bogey

hole 5: Par 5:  par

hole 6: Par 4: bogey

hole 7: Par 3:  bogey

hole 8: Par 4: bogey

hole 9: Par 4: double bogey

 

He should not have a problem, and high school typically plays 9 holes until you get to state level competition.

 

Even if he does not actually score below 90, the scores reflected above are quite decent. The doubles will likely be overlooked.

[heavy_hitter]

16 hours ago, leezer99 said:

They’ll need a handicap if they’re going to play in any USGA events. 

Let's be realistic.  If you are wondering whether or not they can break 90, they will not have the cap to gain entry into USGA events.

[heavy_hitter]

16 hours ago, geochitown said:

why not?

What is it used for in HS matches?  Nothing.  In my 10 years now of navigating the junior golf ranks, I have never been to a tournament and have heard anyone talking about a handicap.  Only thing that matters is the score.  Only reason you need a handicap is for USGA events.  If you are worried about not being able to break 90, not going to gain entry into the USGA events with a handicap that poor.

[JeffreySpicoli]

I’m still curious as to why the OP started this thread given his PGA teacher saying he’d easily make the team.

 

Why pay for weekly lessons at $200/hour if you don’t trust the teacher’s opinion on something like this?

[heavy_hitter]

18 minutes ago, JeffreySpicoli said:

I’m still curious as to why the OP started this thread given his PGA teacher saying he’d easily make the team.

 

Why pay for weekly lessons at $200/hour if you don’t trust the teacher’s opinion on something like this?

I agree.  Pretty odd thread.

[jrgolfer2021]

1 hour ago, JeffreySpicoli said:

I’m still curious as to why the OP started this thread given his PGA teacher saying he’d easily make the team.

 

Why pay for weekly lessons at $200/hour if you don’t trust the teacher’s opinion on something like this?

I trust the instructor opinion but it does not hurt to get opinions from others as well. 

 

He just got home from his 9 holes round this morning at Jefferson golf course.  He said that he is +2 on every hole with the exception of the last hole which is a par 4 (220 yards) which he eagle the hole. 

[heavy_hitter]

7 minutes ago, jrgolfer2021 said:

I trust the instructor opinion but it does not hurt to get opinions from others as well. 

 

He just got home from his 9 holes round this morning at Jefferson golf course.  He said that he is +2 on every hole with the exception of the last hole which is a par 4 (220 yards) which he eagle the hole. 

 

220 Par 4?

 

I just looked up the course he is playing.  This will give you or him no feel for what he will shoot.  This course is incredibly short.  He will likely be playing 9 hole rounds from 3200-3400 yards.  18 hole course from 6400 to 6800 yards.

 

A good score on that course from a decent tournament golfer would be -6 on the 9 holes.  I would be worried if he isn't even par on that course.

 

https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/sites/parks/files/assets/documents/golf/jefferson/jefferson 3 panel proof 4.pdf

[JeffreySpicoli]

14 minutes ago, jrgolfer2021 said:

I trust the instructor opinion but it does not hurt to get opinions from others as well. 

 

He just got home from his 9 holes round this morning at Jefferson golf course.  He said that he is +2 on every hole with the exception of the last hole which is a par 4 (220 yards) which he eagle the hole. 

If his teacher says he will make the team, what are you hoping to learn here?

 

Also, sounds like the youngster is playing on an executive course. Are you saying he double bogied 1 through 8?

[Kcct82]

I believe in USKG local tournaments, 7 year olds play roughly 220 par 4’s.

[RCGA]

Shooting +16 for 9 holes on an executive course with no pressure isn't even close to breaking 90 in a completive round on a "real" course above 6300y when your playing partners are potentially shooting mid 70s.

 

The best thing you can do is take him the course they're using for tryouts and play him for $1 a hole, no mulligans, no favorable drops in the fairway, and you keep his score. 

[JeffreySpicoli]

1 minute ago, RCGA said:

Shooting +16 for 9 holes on an executive course with no pressure isn't even close to breaking 90 in a completive round on a "real" course above 6300y when your playing partners are potentially shooting mid 70s.

 

The best thing you can do is take him the course they're using for tryouts and play him for $1 a hole, no mulligans, no favorable drops in the fairway, and you keep his score. 

But, but, but, he shot +14 (8 doubles, 1 eagle).  Is that good enough?  😉

[jrgolfer2021]

27 minutes ago, RCGA said:

Shooting +16 for 9 holes on an executive course with no pressure isn't even close to breaking 90 in a completive round on a "real" course above 6300y when your playing partners are potentially shooting mid 70s.

 

The best thing you can do is take him the course they're using for tryouts and play him for $1 a hole, no mulligans, no favorable drops in the fairway, and you keep his score. 

The school has normal tryouts at Riverbend CC golf course which I am not a member and it is expensive to join.

 

1 hour ago, JeffreySpicoli said:

If his teacher says he will make the team, what are you hoping to learn here?

 

Also, sounds like the youngster is playing on an executive course. Are you saying he double bogied 1 through 8?

 

yes, +2 from hole 1 to hole 8.

[JeffreySpicoli]

1 minute ago, jrgolfer2021 said:

yes, +2 from hole 1 to hole 8.

Something isn’t making sense.

 

His teacher says he’ll easily make the team but he just shot 49 for 9 holes on an executive course.

 

I’m having trouble getting my head around this.

[kcap]

My suggestion would be to play a normal course (not executive course).  Even if he shoot in the 100s, who cares.  You will get a good feel for his skill and he will know what to work upon.  You don't need to practice on the same course as the tryouts.  Find any muni/county track and ask him to play 18 holes a day. 

Going from 100 to under 90 is easy.  Going from 90 to under 80 is also not that hard and can be achieved over a summer.  Going from high 70 to low 70s is hard but I do not think your son is shooting towards that goal.

 

[Lincoln_Arcadia]

3 hours ago, JeffreySpicoli said:

I’m still curious as to why the OP started this thread given his PGA teacher saying he’d easily make the team.

 

Why pay for weekly lessons at $200/hour if you don’t trust the teacher’s opinion on something like this?

I have noticed that folks from this region don’t trust many people at face value. They live amongst high ranking government officials LOL

 

My parents currently live in Potomac. I have to love their neighbours, and the only ones I trust are an elderly Indian couple whom I’ve known since my University days. 
 

6 minutes ago, jrgolfer2021 said:

The school has normal tryouts at Riverbend CC golf course which I am not a member and it is expensive to join.

 

yes, +2 from hole 1 to hole 8.

The scores and his potential show he’ll likely be one of the better performers on his team given enough competition.

 

Don’t worry. Sounds like he’s going to do quite well.

[heavy_hitter]

12 minutes ago, jrgolfer2021 said:

The school has normal tryouts at Riverbend CC golf course which I am not a member and it is expensive to join.

 

 

yes, +2 from hole 1 to hole 8.

 

Take him to Greendale Golf Course in Alexandria.  Will give you a better idea.

[farmer]

4 hours ago, JeffreySpicoli said:

I’m still curious as to why the OP started this thread given his PGA teacher saying he’d easily make the team.

 

Why pay for weekly lessons at $200/hour if you don’t trust the teacher’s opinion on something like this?

Passive brag.

[Medson]

A few thoughts:

• Ask the coach what exactly he means by "shoot 90 or better". 
• It seems there is a tryout. So need to know which course, slope rating, which distance, etc. Then, you can practice in courses that have similar rating/distance. 
• You said the tryout is at a CC that you don't have access to. Maybe call the club or let coach to call and see if you can play a practice round. 
• Try to enter some tournaments. It is one thing to shoot a score, and it is a completely different thing to shoot a score under pressure. 

[rp4golf]

On 5/24/2021 at 8:58 AM, jrgolfer2021 said:

My 15 years old is interested in playing golf for his high school in Northern Virginia.  He starts playing golf in July 2020, and I got club fitted for the Mizuno JPX-921.  According to the HS golf coach, he needs to shoot 90 or better in order to make the team.  How much practice and coaching will he need for the next three months to shot 90 or better in order to make the team?  TIA.
 

He is not a complete beginner because he has been playing golf since July 2020.  He has been taking private golf lesson once a week with Mike Vechery in Northern Virginia.  He also has been working with a chipping and putting coach every three weeks or so.  He plays racquetball in the winter and soccer in the spring so golf would fit him well in the fall.  He is quite athletically gifted in racquetball.  He usually spends three hours on weekdays a the grass driving range, chipping and putting in Olney Park Maryland.  He plays 18 holes of golf on both Saturday and Sunday.  I just want to get him ready for the tryout in mid August.  Will that be enough?

While I commend your child's interest, and early efforts, I guess what puzzles me is that they're starting so late being as most kids today already have serious tournament experience by the time they're 15. Perhaps they wanted to take up golf because of the pandemic shutting down all sports last year, I don't know. But at best your son is only going to have a year under their belt, which, realistically, odds are will leave them well behind the curve of any of their teammates.
And while being a multi-sport athlete is commendable, with high school sports today it requires off-season practice and play on club teams, so it sounds like golf is blurring whatever goal they may have.
As others have mentioned, just being a range rat, while teaching them to hit the ball (which is good for beginners), in my humble opinion doesn't teach them to play the game. You only get that by getting out on the course. And while getting is weekend rounds does get them on the course, playing that junior/kid's length course is not going to help them improve (really), and I'd guess they'll be overwhelmed on a regulation-length courses your local high school will be playing. And, carding all those double-bogies on a short course is not a good sign,  it's really what they need to eliminate (big scores), and it tells me that they're going for every shot (regardless the circumstances) instead of playing smart shots. Perhaps you should inquire about "playing lessons" where his coach accompanies them around the course explaining what kind of shots to hit, and when to go for it and when lay up and play it safe.

How quickly will they improve, and how much coaching will they need to meet their goal?
There's no answer, really.
There are rare stories of golfers that are shooting around par within a year of taking up the game (but they devote all their time to it), but there are many many more in which golfers play their entire lives and never break 90 (86% break 100, 49% break 90, and only 10% break 80 regularly). So there are skill sets required that some people never garner, no matter how long they play.
And, finally, only having 3 months until August tryouts - well, I wish them luck. But I feel it's a bit of a stretch of them making it this year, so don't set them up for disappointment. Perhaps shooting for next year is a better goal.

[Orange Hog]

Based on his recent performance I think with practice and coaching he could definitely get to sub-90 and make his team.  Having been in his shoes many years ago, the biggest benefit to me was course management.  Guys I played with were always trying to swing out of their shoes and play risky golf.  When I learned to drop the ego, focus on hitting smart shots and work on short game my scores dropped like a rock.

 

Best of luck to him!

[hoselpalooza]

once your son has a repeatable swing with a reasonably consistent miss, breaking 90 will simply be a matter of managing his attitude and plotting his way around the golf course.

 

golf sidekick has a bunch of relevant videos on youtube i believe could help you and your son. e.g. 

 

 

[jrgolfer2021]

Updated:  I just got back from Jefferson golf course with my son  for another round of golf this afternoon, and apparently he did so much better this time around with bogey free and -5 under.

 

hole 1; par 4:  birdie

hole 2; par 4: birdie

hole 3; par 3; par

hole 4; par4: par

hole 5:  par 5:  birdie

hole 6:  par 4: birdie

hole 7; par 3; par

hole 8; par 4:  par

hold 9; par 4: birdie

 

He said he didn't do anything different this time around than in the morning session.  My wife will take him to play at Glendale golf course in Alexandria tomorrow.

[Lincoln_Arcadia]

23 minutes ago, jrgolfer2021 said:

Updated:  I just got back from Jefferson golf course with my son  for another round of golf this afternoon, and apparently he did so much better this time around with bogey free and -5 under.

 

hole 1; par 4:  birdie

hole 2; par 4: birdie

hole 3; par 3; par

hole 4; par4: par

hole 5:  par 5:  birdie

hole 6:  par 4: birdie

hole 7; par 3; par

hole 8; par 4:  par

hold 9; par 4: birdie

 

He said he didn't do anything different this time around than in the morning session.  My wife will take him to play at Glendale golf course in Alexandria tomorrow.

Right, not going to be an issue. Executive course or wherever. Scores like that don’t come easy. As I mentioned earlier, his one birdie on a par 4 is enough to see what he can do.

 

He definitely has the distance to shoot single digits or scratch. 5 under will likely put him into star player category.

 

Years ago, my son played with a similar player, he immediately knew he had potential and asked the coach to let him on the team. Kid could not break 100, but within two months into the first season he was shooting 40 and under and the 5th player. Another season later, he was in the top 3.

 

Its really all about distance and accuracy at that age, or any age. Chipping and putting just takes time to get proficient. The doubles will disappear.

[rp4golf]

On 5/24/2021 at 9:23 AM, jrgolfer2021 said:

This past weekend, he only played 9 holes due to transportation issue so my wife had to drive him to play at the Jefferson golf course in Falls Church, Virginia on both Saturday and Sunday.  According to my wife:

 

Saturday:

hole 1:  Par 4:  par

hole 2:  Par 4:  par

hole 3: Par 3: bogey

hole 4: Par 4: double bogey

hole 5: Par 5:  par

hole 6: Par 4: bogey

hole 7: Par 3:  bogey

hole 8: Par 4: bogey

hole 9: Par 4: birdie

 

Sunday:

hole 1:  Par 4:  bogey

hole 2:  Par 4:  double bogey

hole 3: Par 3: par

hole 4: Par 4: double bogey

hole 5: Par 5:  par

hole 6: Par 4: bogey

hole 7: Par 3:  bogey

hole 8: Par 4: bogey

hole 9: Par 4: double bogey

 

 

 

6 hours ago, jrgolfer2021 said:

Updated:  I just got back from Jefferson golf course with my son  for another round of golf this afternoon, and apparently he did so much better this time around with bogey free and -5 under.

 

hole 1; par 4:  birdie

hole 2; par 4: birdie

hole 3; par 3; par

hole 4; par4: par

hole 5:  par 5:  birdie

hole 6:  par 4: birdie

hole 7; par 3; par

hole 8; par 4:  par

hold 9; par 4: birdie

 

He said he didn't do anything different this time around than in the morning session.  My wife will take him to play at Glendale golf course in Alexandria tomorrow.

Something's not adding up here - going from shooting 15-over to 5-under ??? 🙄

[RCGA]

Sorry, not buying it. 

 

Doubling every hole and then birding 50% (with no bogies!) within days is practically impossible. Even more so for a relatively new golfer worried about breaking 90. 

 

 

[Noles]

At the risk of being curt, there is no way anyone on here can answer this question.  You said he takes private lessons.  Ask that person.

[TripleBogeysrbetter]

On 5/24/2021 at 11:23 AM, jrgolfer2021 said:

This past weekend, he only played 9 holes due to transportation issue so my wife had to drive him to play at the Jefferson golf course in Falls Church, Virginia on both Saturday and Sunday.  According to my wife:

 

Saturday:

hole 1:  Par 4:  par

hole 2:  Par 4:  par

hole 3: Par 3: bogey

hole 4: Par 4: double bogey

hole 5: Par 5:  par

hole 6: Par 4: bogey

hole 7: Par 3:  bogey

hole 8: Par 4: bogey

hole 9: Par 4: birdie

 

Sunday:

hole 1:  Par 4:  bogey

hole 2:  Par 4:  double bogey

hole 3: Par 3: par

hole 4: Par 4: double bogey

hole 5: Par 5:  par

hole 6: Par 4: bogey

hole 7: Par 3:  bogey

hole 8: Par 4: bogey

hole 9: Par 4: double bogey

 

 

That course is to short if you want to eventually play high school.  I don't mean it as being mean, but my daughter played there as a tri match and they didn't count the scores (to short).  She had to play from the back tees.  DM me if you want and we can talk about some courses.

 

 

Look into VSGA, MAPGA, and BJGT junior events.  Sucks but if he isn't playing from 6300-6800 as a 15 yo he won't make the team.  My son just graduated in the area.  We had two freshman that were stand outs that didn't see any action.

Edited May 26, 2021 by TripleBogeysrbetter

[heavy_hitter]

10 hours ago, rp4golf said:

 

Something's not adding up here - going from shooting 15-over to 5-under ??? 🙄

100% Agree

 

Have a feeling this is a troll thread.