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What Keeps You From Being A Scratch Golfer?

There are a number of factors why my game isnt where I would like it to be. For me it comes down to having a consistent and repeatable swing on each and every shot, and that I do not have. Range time/practice time plays in to that a good bit, and when there are times you go a week to 10 days without even seeing a driving range but only getting out for a quick round of 18, your game will struggle.]

Practice time, practice time, practice time.
 
I really don't know yet. My game is still at the stage where I have so much to learn that some days I feel I could get to scratch easily and other days it seems like I'd have better odds of hitting the lottery. If I ever wanted to have any chance at being scratch, I think I'd need to start with the basics and get my swing consistent.
 
Here's another one; Not playing equipment that fits my game.

After struggling with irons and my driver for years, even though I didnt do a live fitting, I utilized shaft fitting tools provided by various companies and found that there were alternatives to what I was playing that could greatly improve my game. Since changing my equipment to something that fit me a bit better, I have noticed better scores and better consistency. I go through equipment like no other, and I think for a long time I wanted what I "thought" would work rather than something that fit my game.
 
My list includes everything mentioned in previous posts.

If I could improve only one thing that would get me closer to a zero handicap it would be PUTTING.

With age and injury I really do not hit the ball far enough to be very good but if you let me play from tees that give me the same second shot club as the pros would have (can you imagine?) it would be putting that would limit my scores.

I can hit the ball straight; I play short irons pretty well; my chipping and sand games are good; but my putting, at its best, is not good. It is largely mental, I think.
 
I'd say my iron play. I don't hit enough GIR to be scratch.
 
Add me to the list of people who have said time and money. If I had the time to get to the range almost daily and play more than once or twice a week, my game would probably benefit...and even more so if I had the money to take the multitudes of lessons that are definitely necessary for me to be anywhere close to scratch.
 
I am pretty sure being scratch is just not in the cards for me, no matter how much time and effort I put into the game. Probably my biggest downfalls are mental game/confidence (the ability to rebound after a string of bad shots or a bad hole), my wedge game, and general swing inconsistencies.
 
According to the GHIN definition, A "scratch golfer" is a player who can play to a Course Handicap of zero on any and all rated golf courses. A male scratch golfer, for rating purposes, can hit tee shots an average of 250 yards and can reach a 470-yard hole in two shots at sea level. A female scratch golfer, for rating purposes, can hit tee shots an average of 210 yards and can reach a 400-yard hole in two shots at sea level.

What keeps me from being a scratch golfer? Inconsistency in my swing. Scratch is When everything is working and inconsistency is low I can get to 3.5 index but that is a looooong way from scratch. I probably will never get any lower than 3 or 4 (if I ever get back there again) partially because of physical degradation which, unfortunately, comes with age.

I'm not sure that I could ever have been a scratch golfer even I had possessed a good swing. I'm a fairly good ball striker with pretty good eye-hand skills but scratch requires extraordinary physical skills along with a decent swing, lots of work and lots of play. The percentage of golfers with physical abilities to be scratch is pretty low in my estimation. In other words, golfers can work on every aspect and get as good as they possibly can be and still not be scratch golfers. I think most could get into single digits and many can get down below five but never be scratch. Scratch is a good goal to work toward but it ain't ever happening for most of us.
 
It's either my driver or my Greens in reg. I believe I have the short game and the length to get there, but I get myself into trouble off the tee and don't hit enough greens in reg to get to scratch.

If I could fix one instantly, I'm not sure which I'd choose. Probably the driver because I feel like I'm close with the approach shots. I'm making them when the balls teed up, and I'm only missing by a little in general so I am still getting up and down, but fighting a snap hook with the driver or playing a huge fade/slice to guard against it is frustrating.

I used to be a very consistent driver until my length really increased this year. Now, I fight a snap hook, I can't hold a fairway and I'm chipping out to save the hole on my home course which is a fairly tightly lined tree-lines course. Some of the issue might be equipment. Since I switched to an R11, I've never felt like the swing has the feel, sound or weight that I want. But, I'm in so deep financially on the club I just keep hitting it.
 
For me the main thing is time. Though I'm putting more time into golf than I ever have, it's still a drop in the bucket compared to most of you single-digit guys. I have a sympathetic wife, but that sympathy only goes so far. She's not willing to play golf widow while I spend all my free time at the course. So, there's a delicate balancing act of golf and family responsibilities.

I also have to assume natural ability plays into it too. I've been playing golf my whole life and haven't spent much time in the 80's. There are people on here who took up the game a year ago and are in the 80's. I think given enough time and lessons I could groove a scratch swing, but apparently there's some people to whom it just comes much easier.

As for what in my game stops me, there's three major things: not enough GIR, not enough short game when I miss the GIR, and inability to recover quickly from a bad shot (often due to not enough short game).

GIR is just a lack of long-game consistency problem. Sometimes it takes me three to get on because of a crappy tee shot. Sometimes it takes me three to get on because of a short or pulled approach.

Then when I am hitting my third (or fourth on a par 5) onto the green, my short game just isn't good enough to get me into makeable range often enough.

Finally, I often let bad shots turn into blow up holes. I had one the other day on a par 3 third hole. I had played the first two holes at even par and was feeling really good. I hit my tee shot short right, but was in good position to pitch on and make bogey at worst. I thinned the pitch onto the back edge of the green. That should not have been a big deal. I still should have 2-putted for a bogey. However, I walked back to my ball frustrated and wanting to hurry and not hold our group up. I didn't really pay any attention to the amount of slope of the green, so although I hit a well-struck chip, it was 50% too far and rolled all the way off the front of the green. Now REALLY frustrated and even more conscious of holding up the group, I try a quick chip off a tight and wet lie without making sure I have everything correct to execute that very difficult shot, and of course, chili-dip it. Finally, I putt on but blow the ball past the hole, leaving myself a difficult sliding downhiller, which I miss, and tap in for my lovely 7 on a par 3. Now I've ruined everything good I did on the first two holes, essentially going double, double, triple.

Now, I'm not saying that 7's on par 3's are a common occurrence for me, but the point is, that shot after my bad second shot was SO important, and I didn't give it the focus it demanded. Had I just made a decent third shot, the absolute worst-case was a double-bogey. What I do do far more often is to let a bad shot turn a bogey into a double or triple.

On the positive side, I'm doing better about taking hero shots out of my game, and that's helping my scores come down.
 
I'm pretty suprised by a lot of the responses so far, I really expected a ton of positive replies.
 
Well, aside from the obvious lack of skill and talent, I primarily am held back by my swing. More specifically, I don't take the club high enough at the top of backswing, which leads to throwing the club at the top and some inconsistent results. It also occasionally leads to a reverse pivot. It was something I worked on at the tail end of the season, and hopefully I'll continue to fix that issue.

~Rock
 
Like many others have mentioned. Time to practice and play is the main thing holding me back. I have all the shots and golf game needed at times​ but in order to be able to do that consistently I just need more practice and playing time.
 
Inconsistency in ball striking and tee shots, most likely the product of lack of practice time and some bad habits (need lessons badly)
 
Trout Bum said:
I'm pretty suprised by a lot of the responses so far, I really expected a ton of positive replies.
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I'm positive that lack of talent is a major reason for me! If I had decided to get serious about it 25 years ago maybe, but it's too late for me. If I win the Powerball on Wednesday, I'll have a better shot.

So I guess it's talent, time and money. Mostly talent!
 
For me it is simple time... both for practice and playing. This lack of time leads to two categories affecting my scores:
1.) Shor game - (putting and chipping). I average 1.94 putts/round and my up/down percentage is 31%
2.) Blow-out Holes: I average 1 penalty stroke per round, 1 double-bogie/round and 0.5 "other"/round. This is a result of the those 3-to-4 really bad swings I may have putting me in this position.
 
I'm not really surprised Trout. I think people, for the most part, are bring honest with themselves. It's hard to devote the time and energy if other things are going on in one's life.

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.
 
The only thing stopping me is the limited amount of time I can spend practicing.
 
JB said:
Let's assume you are playing the appropriate tees and your equipment is all working for your game. What keeps you from being a scratch golfer? Do you struggle with the golf swing? Your short game? Something else getting in the way? Do you just not think its possible? What are your thoughts?
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Golf is hard. Hah!

Honestly, the last three holes on my golf course. If I took the percentage of rounds where I was at par or below par heading into those three holes and dropped handicap based completions onto them, I think I'd have a solid shot at being a scratch golfer, they are just extremely difficult. Not a single green has a reasonable bailout and it often leads to the destruction of promising rounds.

That, and my putting, which I am working hard to get better with. I can generally keep my putts around 32-33 but to get that extra boost into the high 20s would be a wonderful difference maker.
 
Canadan said:
Golf is hard. Hah!

Honestly, the last three holes on my golf course. If I took the percentage of rounds where I was at par or below par heading into those three holes and dropped handicap based completions onto them, I think I'd have a solid shot at being a scratch golfer, they are just extremely difficult. Not a single green has a reasonable bailout and it often leads to the destruction of promising rounds.

That, and my putting, which I am working hard to get better with. I can generally keep my putts around 32-33 but to get that extra boost into the high 20s would be a wonderful difference maker.
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Those last 3 holes SUCK! They are beautiful to look at and experience but they are scorecard killers.
 
For me it comes down to the amount of time I get playing and practicing. Playing a round every couple weeks and maybe getting to the range once a week isn't enough to build the muscle memory I need to bring the driving range swing onto the course for 18 holes.
 
Well I cant speak of scratch but certainly can talk what keeps me from getting 10 or under vs shooting 90 and 94. It the same most others have said. Time and money and just eliminating the atomic bomb holes. It really kills me because i dont just shoot a 91 with playing boggey golf. When having a better day I end up with bunch of pars and even a bird or two but its mixed in with the tripples and even quads in between.

If I could only manage bogs and doubles all day i'd say "hey I just cant be better at this" but thats not the case. Its knowing I'm good enough and can hit well enough to par holes in every round and bird one here and there that kills me. I just fall apart on enough holes like as if i never hit a ball in my life.

I ceratinly cant shape shots real well or have any really greenside stopping power but I can hit long as any and not always but strike as good as any from most spots. Then just like that, right in the middle of anything its Bam!! a 7 followed by a 9 then by a tripple again and then magicically a par. Just recently - Shot a 90 but had 10 pars and a bird. Can u believe that. The other 7 holes had those atomic bombs mixed in.

Consisatncy comes from playing and practicing. Some people need more of it than others at certain things and same true in golf. But time and money as soooo many say is the main reason. Some is also mental. The old saying "you need a clear head to play golf" does help or destroy a round as well.
 
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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