Handicap 8 in one year...what's next?

[ezra76]

I can't remember the dude's name, someone help me out... he was a black guy, very skinny. He didn't start playing till like 20yrs. old I believe. If I remember the story correctly he'd only been playing like 4yrs. when he turned pro.

You have made amazing progress to get to an 8. I really can't fathom someone's short game getting that good, that fast. I'm going into my 5th yr. playing and have only broken 80 a handful of times.

 

[wirehair]

Here's a Harvey Penick story:

A fellow drove into the parking lot of our Pete Dye course beside the river. He parked his Mercedes-Benz with California plates in the shade of our live oak trees and walked into the golf shop and asked to see my son Tinsley, the head pro.
This visitor was a good-looking man with an athletic build. His clothes were top quality. His shoes were shined. His face glowed with health. Tinsley invited him into the grill room so they could have a glass of iced tea at a comfortable table while he waited to hear what the man wanted.
"When I was a kid, I was a terrific player," began his story. "Junior championships, state high school champ, played for a university team that did well in the nationals. Got married my senior year. I wanted to try the pro tour, but instead I started in sales for my father-in-law's company and made more money playing golf with clients my first year than any rookie on the pro tour made grinding his heart out.
"I've kept my game in good shape. My handicap is a traveling 4. In the last year, I've had a 68 at the Old Course, a 70 at Pebble Beach, a 70 at Pine Valley, for example, and there was one great day when I shot a 67 at Riviera. For a CEO who has made more money than he knows what to do with, and also has a handsome wife and family, I can really play golf."
Tinsley congratulated him on his success.
"But I'm not satisfied," the fellow said.
"Why not?" Tinsley asked.
"I still want to play on the pro tour."
Tinsley drank his tea and waited.
"This is no pipedream," the fellow said. "I'm talking about the Senior Tour. I'm forty-three years old. I have sold my company for a very large sum. I'm free now to do whatever I want. My plan is to move my family here and buy a house beside your golf course.
"Every morning for the next seven years I will show up on your doorstep, rain or shine. I want daily lessons from you, and I'd like your father to check me every week or so. I'll hit five hundred practice balls a day. I'll play golf every day from the tips on this very tough course. Soon as I reach the age of fifty, I'll turn pro and join the Senior Tour. I'll pay you and your father whatever you ask, if you'll agree to get me ready. What do you say?"
Tinsley didn't need long to think it over.
"Let me tell you about one of our club members," Tinsley said. "Like you, he's forty-three years old, and he's made all the money he'll ever need. He has a handsome wife and family. He practices golf every day, and he plays golf nearly every day. He's getting ready for the Senior Tour in seven more years. At this tough golf course, his handicap is a plus-4. He is your competition. He is the player you are going to have to learn to beat if you are going to go on the Senior Tour. I really don't want to spend seven years of my life trying to help you to do that. Not for any price.
"There's the man I'm talking about - he's sitting over by the window, eating a club sandwich."
[SIZE=+2] Tinsley gestured toward Tom Kite. [/SIZE]
​

 

[Irish]

Here's a Harvey Penick story:

A fellow drove into the parking lot of our Pete Dye course beside the river. He parked his Mercedes-Benz with California plates in the shade of our live oak trees and walked into the golf shop and asked to see my son Tinsley, the head pro.
This visitor was a good-looking man with an athletic build. His clothes were top quality. His shoes were shined. His face glowed with health. Tinsley invited him into the grill room so they could have a glass of iced tea at a comfortable table while he waited to hear what the man wanted.
"When I was a kid, I was a terrific player," began his story. "Junior championships, state high school champ, played for a university team that did well in the nationals. Got married my senior year. I wanted to try the pro tour, but instead I started in sales for my father-in-law's company and made more money playing golf with clients my first year than any rookie on the pro tour made grinding his heart out.
"I've kept my game in good shape. My handicap is a traveling 4. In the last year, I've had a 68 at the Old Course, a 70 at Pebble Beach, a 70 at Pine Valley, for example, and there was one great day when I shot a 67 at Riviera. For a CEO who has made more money than he knows what to do with, and also has a handsome wife and family, I can really play golf."
Tinsley congratulated him on his success.
"But I'm not satisfied," the fellow said.
"Why not?" Tinsley asked.
"I still want to play on the pro tour."
Tinsley drank his tea and waited.
"This is no pipedream," the fellow said. "I'm talking about the Senior Tour. I'm forty-three years old. I have sold my company for a very large sum. I'm free now to do whatever I want. My plan is to move my family here and buy a house beside your golf course.
"Every morning for the next seven years I will show up on your doorstep, rain or shine. I want daily lessons from you, and I'd like your father to check me every week or so. I'll hit five hundred practice balls a day. I'll play golf every day from the tips on this very tough course. Soon as I reach the age of fifty, I'll turn pro and join the Senior Tour. I'll pay you and your father whatever you ask, if you'll agree to get me ready. What do you say?"
Tinsley didn't need long to think it over.
"Let me tell you about one of our club members," Tinsley said. "Like you, he's forty-three years old, and he's made all the money he'll ever need. He has a handsome wife and family. He practices golf every day, and he plays golf nearly every day. He's getting ready for the Senior Tour in seven more years. At this tough golf course, his handicap is a plus-4. He is your competition. He is the player you are going to have to learn to beat if you are going to go on the Senior Tour. I really don't want to spend seven years of my life trying to help you to do that. Not for any price.
"There's the man I'm talking about - he's sitting over by the window, eating a club sandwich."
[SIZE=+2]Tinsley gestured toward Tom Kite. [/SIZE]
​

nice story wirehair...funny enough it contrdicts dr. rotella's philosophy of attaining your dreams through hard work..believe it or not his first example of this philosophy is the same Tom Kite who wasn't an all star junior but had dreams to win majors etc and worked hard enough to get there

 

[IrishGolfer]

I can't remember the dude's name, someone help me out... he was a black guy, very skinny. He didn't start playing till like 20yrs. old I believe. If I remember the story correctly he'd only been playing like 4yrs. when he turned pro.

Calvin Peete baby!!

 

[Sandpiper3]

Practise harder than you ever have, like up that to 6-8 days a week, do that for the next... three years while playing very competitive tournaments.

Get to the point where you can go out on ANY course and shoot a 67-69 at a whim, THEN you might have a chance at turning pro. Its possible, tons of journeymen pros didnt start until they were 25-30. Your going to have to play your balls off though.

Next step is scratch. That'll take you another year at least from an 8. Keep it up! It took me just over a year to get from a 4 to scratch.

 

[Go Hawks]

My goal has been to win the lottery and spend 10 years training for the Champion's tour. As of last month I missed my deadline for the lottery. What to do now? Oh, yeah - enjoy the game.

You'll know if the day ever comes when you can think about going pro. I've golfed with a lot of scratch golfers and played a few holes with a pro. The difference between the two is astonishing...

 

[atom]

i am turning pro tomorrow

 

[Burg]

Is this the guy from the new Ping commercials?

 

[pulsar23]

can anyone advice me book talking about training golf.
not about technique, but how to plan trainings...

 

[Sandpiper3]

i am turning pro tomorrow

I could turn pro anytime Id like, there are pro tourneys on the Vancouver Golf Tour, I just go home, check off "pro" on my application and go ahead out there, no big hoopla, no signing bonus, just check the box beside "pro" instead of beside "amateur".

 

[5iron]

Well i have to say that getting to an 8 handicap in one year is amazing man, ive been playing for almost a year and im probably a 45 or something gross. I hope you improve and hopefully you can become a pro !

 

[mont86]

35 is pretty late to start. Try your luck on the mini tours and see what happens.

 

[robereno]

Greg Norman was 17 0r 19 when he started and Tom Lehman took a long time as well.