How long did it take for you to get "good"?

[biscoe]

"Good" is such a subjective thing. I am rated in the 940's and win events among my old guy peers but don't really consider myself all that "good." YMMV.

I started to get "better" when I learned to practice rather than just play rounds all the time- not a matter of a timespan but a matter of being focused correctly.

 

[Central Scrutinizer]

I'll never forget one of my young friends who can bomb.... he was having a hard time playing in tournaments, I said...let's just focus on par.."but I can birdie...", forget it... force yourself to just go for par.

I played in my first singles event of any kind since 2006 this summer (a fundraiser for a pair of local touring pros, unsanctioned). Was paired with a young guy in his first or second year of playing who could out drive me by a good 50 feet.

He was throwing a bunch of practice drives all over the place and long. I stepped to the tee for my first real shot and put a beaten-up flippy Roc in the middle of the fairway on a hole that's over 500' and open at first before it tapers into a wooded tunnel hole, really tough to get a 3 on. I can still see him looking at me with a puzzled look as I placed the mid 250' out there.

Then he went long and O.B. with his drive and had all sorts of trouble getting to the green from where he was. I took a 4 and I think he took a 6 or 7. Same deal on the next hole, also a tough 3. After that point, I think he got it and respected what I was doing.

I ended up at an even 54 and had the last score good enough for a little merch. Not bad for an old guy!

Side note: I was five minutes from getting to play with Reid Frescura. He promised he'd play along if nobody else showed up in the next few minutes because I was the only one waiting to play. That would've been super cool! Real nice guy too.

 

[hoppedup]

5.5 years in and I still suck. I don't keep score and I don't do field work. I walk around and throw plastic in the woods with my dad. I doubt I've ever had a round less than par and I don't care. YMMV.

 

[Keller]

I don't think it's a matter of "how long" did it take, but, how open was I to stop doing stupid sh!t.

I didn't get better until I stopped trying to throw far. And you know, getting out of the buy every new high-speed driver that claims to get noodle arms distance mentality.

I started over 4-5 years ago following the "how to build a bag thread" and also playing lots of putter only rounds.

I throw putters now on holes that I used to throw drivers on. I'm not great, but I'm pretty good and on woods courses, I have beaten some of the local stars here and there.

 

[Jolt]

At 47y the struggle is to try to stay ok. . i know i can never get "good" i just trying to not get worse

 

[smarkquart]

As already mentioned, good is a relative term. Against my normal group of friends and or those who taught me the sport as a fun diversion to do after work? Maybe a year. (2006)

Just winning a tournament? That was four years in, and that was in Intermediate. (2009)

Throwing competitive distance? Again, four years where one day it magically clicked with a Star Wraith where I instantly went from 300 to 375 - side note: whatever I did where it suddenly clicked, it occurred between rounds and completely threw off how I would play that course.

Being competitive as a top amateur? 10 years. I still have long and painful stretches where nothing is working correctly, but I know that on an average day I can hang in my division. On a good to great day, I should hang around near the top. I had a really good 2018 winning two big tournaments.

All that being said, there is a plateau that was reached, and I cannot ascend from good to great. It was nearly 10 years ago that I jumped from 300 to 375. I am 43 now versus 33 then, but through technique I have been able to maintain an average max of 400 - ranging from 380 to 430. Nothing I have done can get me over that hump for more distance. As for putting, nothing has ever worked and has always been the Achilles Heel of my game. Practice at home has never translated to the course. So, I am good, but I do not think I will ever cross over to great and be able to hang in the Open Division, age-protected or not.

 

[wirerat123]

Still trying! I'm good some days, some days actually quite impressively good, then I magically suck again. Once I start sucking again it generally takes weeks to get back to good. I always dread those days I play amazing. It means the next day I'm probably playing like a newbie again.

 

[4ormal]

I got "better" when a lower back injury forced me to only throw Backhand for a year. Until that point I had no backhand game and relied on "chucking" everything forehand.... smh. I took a lot of time to do field work starting with putters and mids and worked my way up. I wouldn't say I'm good now, but at least I feel confident on the majority of all shot types. Always gonna be those good days and those bad days. I'm just happy to be healthy and in a position to actively play

 

[bertha]

2-3 years for me

 

[Plastic Thunder]

The question should be more like, "How long did it take you to stay good?". Been good several times, just could never stay good.

 

[wolfhaley]

The question should be more like, "How long did it take you to stay good?". Been good several times, just could never stay good.

Again it's all relative. I've stayed good for 3 sometimes 4 holes. In. A. Row. But it averages itself back out. I can find very creative ways to be not good at all. This is probably my best skill and not to brag or anything, but I don't even practice this. I'm kind of a natural I guess.

 

[R-Ogre]

This thread has been going for almost a month. I'm just here to report that after 17ish years of playing another month passed and I didn't get any better.

 

[Suspect]

hopefully next year

 

[Plastic Thunder]

Try buying more discs, that always lifts my spirits..................

No better way to wash away disappointment than with the smell of new plastic and the belief that new discs will change my fortunes.

Now that I think about it, I think I am going to order some now...........

This thread has been going for almost a month. I'm just here to report that after 17ish years of playing another month passed and I didn't get any better.

 

[R-Ogre]

Try buying more discs, that always lifts my spirits..................

No better way to wash away disappointment than with the smell of new plastic and the belief that new discs will change my fortunes.

Now that I think about it, I think I am going to order some now...........

Brilliant!