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Where's your ceiling? And how long?

robmypro

robmypro

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I was thinking about my golf ceiling today (how good can I eventually get?) and figured I am probably not alone. I almost broke 100 (101 and 100) so I think it is safe to say I will eventually break 100. If I take some lessons and continue to progress, I think in a year or two I might be able to break 90. Given my age and available time to dedicate to my obsession, I think anything better than that might be pushing it. My personal best might one day be 85 or so at my home course. That's probably it. I will never be a scratch golfer or break par for 18, but that's okay. I feel it is about enjoying the journey, and not so much about the destination. Besides, the day I hit 85 I will probably try in vain to get back there for years after. I guess I choose to enjoy the ride up the mountain because the other side won't be great once I get to the top. So my ceiling might hit in a few years, maybe a bit more. I am 51 so after that physical issues might slow any progress.

What is your ceiling? Why do you think that's as far as you can go, and how long do think it will take you to get there?
 
I didn't keep an index this year but played similarly to last year and I think I finished at 4 then. I typically only play once per week and never practice so I'd like to think that I could get to scratch if I were to apply myself.

But being that I'll probably never try for it, it's just me dreaming out loud. I think it would take 2 or 3 seasons of great effort to get there.
 
So far the best Ive ever shot is in the mid 80s. I can shoot low 90s right now on a good day with birdies and pars sprinkled in but Im still trying to eliminate the blow up hole or holes. My short game is probably holding me back the most right now but I think I can at least break 90 regularly if I am able to play at least as much as I do now. Once I get fitted, hopefully with practice I can get at taste of the high 70s on occasion. I would be content with just being a bit more competitive with my regular grouping. It really all depends on commitment on my part though. The more I commit the better Ill get and the less I commit then I doubt Ill make any giant strides forward.
 
I believe I could hit scratch with enough work. I was close last year and felt this was my year. I went backwards after some swing changes and never got back to my game from last year.

My last round out was absolutely terrible for 11 holes. I think I was 15 over. Then I just stopped caring about golf altogether and said it was my last round of the year. I played the final 7 holes in 1 over and it could have easily been 2 under if a couple putts fall. That's basically my season in a nutshell. When I stick to the swing changes I play well. When my old habits creep in, I'm dead.
 
I hit mine at around age 30 (23 years ago). You would think given todays technology in golf I would still be pretty good, but the fact is it is not all about the equipment. It takes a good bit of natural ability to be a low handicap or scratch player, plus huge amounts of time working with a great teacher and time on the range.

I still love to play, but I topped out long ago. I no longer have the time or the desire to hit hundreds of balls on the range. While I love the new high tech clubs in my bag today, I still play as well with many of the 20+ year old clubs I still own.

When you find a single club that looks right, feels right, sounds right and gets the job done, never let it go. I have hung on to the clubs I played my best with and even though I've owned lots of clubs since, the old tried and true still do the job.

I'd say 85 is a great mark to shoot for. Work hard and find a great PGA teacher and work hard. It will come.
 
If I had the time, I could get to a zero. As it is, my practice consists of swinging an orange whip in the living room and working on my putting stroke. That's all I have the time to do right now.

If I was back at the country club I was a member of several years ago, I'd at least have the time to keep the game sharp as they had a really nice full range and decent short game area.
 
I think I can get to under a 10 handicap. Score-wise, a 74 from the whites (my best score on each nine, combined) is scoring goal.

Thought I might get close to both this year, but ended up working too much.
 
Great question. I believe I can get to single digits (currently a 16.5) and I will break 80 by next year (current pb is an 82). I think I can get to a 9 within 2 years with some lessons and learning how to keep the ball ahead of me instead of chasing.
 
I wish it wasn't so but with the health problems that come with age my best is probably past me. I still hope to come out and shoot a good score now and then. If I could get back a decent driver game, I have no doubt that I could break 80 on a good day. The big stick will have to come around for that to happen.
 
I don't think that I have reached my full potential but I just don't have the time to practice like I did a few years ago when I was a +2 hdcp. I am still a plus hdcp but my scores are more erratic and my short game is starting to fall apart.
 
I am capable of single digit handicap golf, and I WILL get there next year. Mark my words. Much better than that though, not sure. I'm pretty confident I'll never get to scratch. But I would think if I really busted my rump I could get to around 5. Keeping it up would be very difficult though.

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I don't get to play or practice as much as I would like to and have shot in the mid to upper 80s most of this year. I think once I can get some free time once I finish school I can get to single digits or to a 10
 
I think I could get down to a consistent 6.0 if I ever manage to get a handle on my tee game and play about the same amount (once/week). I'm thinking it will take 2 years to get there realistically speaking but I'm hoping it takes a little less time.
 
Im currently scoring in the 90's on a variety of courses. I tend to have 3 or 4 blow up holes which I need to eliminate. I think in reality mid to high 80's should be achievable by the end of July next year which is my current goal.
 
I think high single digits is achievable for me, but I need to get in shape and get my swing right. I am working on both, but a long way to go as at this point I would put my game at about bogey to slightly worse.
 
I think that I can get sub 2 and maybe scratch if I could find some consistency and get out of my own way. Comes with loads of practice time, which I haven't had.
 
If I am not scratch by the end of 2015 I will be supremely disappointed. I intend to hit that mark and carry it well into my late 40's.
 
I believe I can be a mid 70s golfer. Maybe even next season post multiple scores on the range.

The real goal is to add a THP HOF tag to my credit.
 
I typically shoot in the 80's now, but I've had one 79 and enough low 80's to know that getting into the 70's is possible. I doubt I'll ever have enough time to get down to scratch, but I'm OK with that.
 
I don't really know where the ceiling is. The reason I say that is because I'm not 100% sure of what's behind the least consistent parts of my game. I should take some lessons on a regular basis but don't really have the time and cant justify the expense right now. I'm sure most of it is me but I think some of it might be my clubs as well....but cant say for sure as I've never really ever been properly fitted or had a swing analysis done. I don't really know how much better I'd play if my clubs matched my swing vs. me adapting to the clubs I have.

I know if I can get off the tee consistently, it'll shave 4-5 strokes off my score. Improving my directional control with the irons would probably give me another 3-4 strokes. (wild 2nd shots are where most of my blow-up holes come from) That would put me in the high 70s. My putting is typically OK...it can be better but it isn't as much a game killer as the other problems I've described.
 
PB - 78. Most rounds are high 80s / low 90s. I think my ceiling is to reduce those average round numbers by a max 10 shots.
 
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I can become a single digit, I need to play play play. A course membership is going to help make that possible.
 
I truly believe that, if I have the time to play and practice more, I could be a single digit player in a year. That would be my ceiling, and I'd be happy with it.

I went to 20 in 9 months of playing golf without a single lesson, and the number of times I visited the range can be counted with one hand. My short game is solid, and the thing that is keeping me from posting good numbers is my long game (woods, long irons). If I can find the time to work on that, I see no reason why I shouldn't be able to reach it. It would take at least 8 shots of my rounds.
 
Right now I am trying to break 100. I suspect my ceiling is about 85, which will probably take me a few more years.
 
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