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What Keeps You From Being A Scratch Golfer?

I'm a firm believer that I could be a scratch golfer but there are only a few things standing in my way:
1) A plan that is realistic, specific, and measurable
2) Hard work... Playing AND practicing with a purpose
3) Effective coaching/mentoring

It's not so much the swing, the short game, or anything else specifically...it's the whole package that needs work but isn't all that far off.
 
Time...............that is something I had plenty of back in college and when I was single. Time is what I could spend playing golf whenever I wanted. Time is what I had when I was bored and was looking for something to do so headed to the range. Time is what I could use to travel and play just about anywhere I wanted.

I have time now, but nothing like what I had back in my 20's and early 30's. However, I plan to to do a good juggling act these next 8 months in trying my best to get there before the Morgan Cup.
 
Amount of time available to practice. Before my son was born almost 2 years ago, I practiced religiously. At least an hour a day on short game, a few trips to the range per week and a round or 2 every weekend.
Now I'm lucky to get in 1 range session a week, 2-3 rounds a month and 20 minutes a day chipping plastic balls in the backyard. And the only putting practice I get now is before rounds and that is not nearly enough. I'd be happy just to get to a single digit handicap but am fairly happy with where I am at now.
 
Money keeps me from being scratch. More money would eliminate the need to work, giving me more free time to play and practice. It would also give me the opportunity to have the best golf coaches that money can buy.
 
I'm more surprised at the reasons people think they aren't scratch or lower hdcp'rs. It's quite telling as to the lack or progression.
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I'm interested to hear more on this. Do you perhaps believe people are not correctly identifying their deficiencies? Or is your surprise that so many seem to identify the same thing?
 
My 100 and in game. If I had the wedge and putter of your average professional I think I'd be scratch. To be below scratch I'd have to take it a step further and get their ball striking as well.
 
hitting greens in reg on long par 4's. i've managed my last rounds out (prior to my accident) to avoid doubles, keep my average putts/round under 31, and getting at least 2-3 birds/round. playing from the back on just about every course and shooting low isn't easy. hitting greens outside 2 hundy is what gets me.
 
Talent.

I know I can play a little bit and if I had better/closer practice facilities I'm sure I could be even better but in all honesty I simply don't think I could ever play that well. Single digit is one thing, but scratch is a complete different level.
 
I would say time for me. I just dont have the time needed to play and practice as much as it is needed to be scratch. However, that is my long term goal once I am done with school and only work one job.

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The easier question for me is what doesn't....Long game is not long enough, miss too many GIR, Horrible with chipping and bunker play...other than that I got it covered...LOL
 
2 things keep me from becoming scratch golfer are: 1. Time. I hate having to stop playing in the winter, and it sets me back a little bit as far as progress. Sometimes takes a few weeks just at the beginning of spring to get my game back on track. 2. My putting. My pace has gotten much better but I can't read greens worth crap and I rarely make anything 10 feet or longer.
 
I would say there are different ways to becoming a scratch player:

A) Be really good at one thing and OK at the rest. Great long game and OK short game or the other way around. You won't find much trouble off the tee or with approaches but you leave a lot out there. You make the odd chip-2 putt/threejack and the odd birdie or two.
B) Jack of all trades. Not great at anything, not poor at anything.
 
Practice and desire. I have all the physical skills but I no longer have the drive or desire. I like being a weekend hacker and shooting some decent scores.
 
Playdough said:
For me its short game, excuses and drive. I feel like I have the talent level to get to scratch or even below that. But I have a hard time finding the drive to work on my short game because, in the end, what good does being scratch do me? I could probably find the time to go practice and work on the parts of the game that are costing me the last 2 to 4 shots i need. But I just find the excuses I need to not go. My G/F pushes me to find the time and encourges me to work go on my game, but I just come up with another excuse to not go. So for me its just really lack of drive in the end..
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Wait a minute. You have a G/F that wants you to play more golf? Marry her immediately!
 
In no particular order:

1- 65 hours a week in the office
2- 2 kids and wife that are more important then my handicap
3- 44 year old body, 25 year old head, 70 year old back

I have the tools but lack the time. There is a game in me that shows up but my practice is 15 minutes on the range before my 1 round a week, simply no way of expanding that without sacrifices to the homelife.
 
I think that lack of time to practice/play is my biggest obstacle. I really think that I have the skill set to be a scratch golfer, but lack of time keeps my from honing my game, which leads to inconsistency.

I'm honestly fine with it, though. I have learned to enjoy playing golf and to not get wrapped up in the pressure of trying to be perfect.
 
I also lack the time to practice. Between work, a wife, and two kids, I spend a lot more time playing than practicing. I also have quite a few hobbies that I unsuccessfully try to balance. In 2013, I am going to lose some hobbies and start bringing my 4 year old son to the range with me.
 
1. Commitment - even though I try to get more and more out of my game every year. I have not found the full time commitment to practice the right way every day.
2. Ability - I'm just not there yet, and I think part of that goes back to number 1.
3. Winter - I've been lucky. In the last calendar year there is only 1 month that I did not play a round of golf. However that is not the norm. Usually it's a good 3-4 months of the year that I don't hit a shot outside.
4. Putting - I don't make enough putts that I would need to make.
5. Distance - while I'm ok with the yardages that I get, it's difficult to make birdies when you are forced to hit long irons in to greens.
 
Other than just not being that good, I tend to be an idiot with my course management among many other things.
 
honestly, I don't think there is a single part of my game that gives me the opportunity to be a scratch golfer. Maybe swagger but that is still pushing it.

I would like to be better but I will not let that cost me the enjoyment I get playing the game.
 
Kobey said:
Wait a minute. You have a G/F that wants you to play more golf? Marry her immediately!
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HAHA..one of these days. I'm a very lucky guy..
 
My swing, I can't help but tinker. Short game is a mess. Putting is a joke. But at least I look like a scratch golfer. Because I have a staff bag.
 
the mental side of the game
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Agreed, this is huge. I think it's a big part of improvement regardless of your level.

I went out to play nine the other day and was hitting the ball well on the range. It was going to be a good day, or so I thought. I doubled the first hole, doubled the second, bogey'd the third and bogey'd the fourth. Needless to say, I was not thrilled and was a bit stunned at my poor play. Since it was slow already I just decided to turn it into a practice round and started hitting multiple balls. While I hit some good shots, my scoring still didn't really improve much the rest of the way around.

It wasn't until I got home later that it hit me what the problem was - lack of focus. I realized that I had just been knocking balls around the course, with no real focus, no real plan. Why I couldn't realize that while I was out there, I don't know. That's something I've got to improve - turning on the focus from the first shot and making sure it remains on throughout the round.
 
I think that people greatly underestimate the amount of time and mental dedication it takes to become a scratch golfer and maintain your game at that level. For me, the time factor is the biggest one. I actually have a pretty good mental game but I just don't have the free time to practice 6 days a week for hours at a time.
 
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