Can a 65-year old get to scratch?

[mocokid]

On 9/4/2024 at 8:58 AM, Obee said:

Gotcha. Yeah, Paul Simson (I mentioned him earlier or in another thread) is that way here in the States. 73 years old and shot the lowest score in the first round of stroke-play qualifying this year and made match play ... again.

He did lose first round this year, but is a 2-time champion (and one-time runner-up) and previously had NEVER LOST in the first round of match play in 14 previous USGA Senior Ams. Just crazy good.

Wow, that Honors course was like 155 slope, 75 rating.  Guy I'm familiar with shot like +23 in the stroke play, and he was a middle of the pack finisher, man what a hard course.

[Obee]

6 hours ago, mocokid said:

Wow, that Honors course was like 155 slope, 75 rating.  Guy I'm familiar with shot like +23 in the stroke play, and he was a middle of the pack finisher, man what a hard course.

The seniors play it up significantly, but I'm sure it is still very very difficult. 

[Obee]

6 hours ago, mocokid said:

Wow, that Honors course was like 155 slope, 75 rating.  Guy I'm familiar with shot like +23 in the stroke play, and he was a middle of the pack finisher, man what a hard course.

Several guys I play with and against regularly were in the senior field.

[mocokid]

13 hours ago, Obee said:

Several guys I play with and against regularly were in the senior field.

6848 yds, per Simsons card, the stroke play average score was 79.58. Wow. 

[Obee]

On 9/13/2024 at 8:14 AM, mocokid said:

6848 yds, per Simsons card, the stroke play average score was 79.58. Wow. 

Yeah, they don't mess around in those things. High scores notwithstanding, the level of play is just phenomenal. Virtually every one of the guys who finish top 20 (and some others) are capable of making the cut at the U.S. Senior Open in any given year.

[JAMH03]

Since shooting your age is a thing. Then 65 year olds can get to scratch.

Call your pro he'd love to hear from you and likely even be willing to discuss your #'s.

#'s look wonderful to me.

I agree if you can improve your putting just a titch you'll likely be happy.  You're possibly doing yourself a disservice by not lifting weights.

How did it go in 24?

[Moonlightgrm]

9 hours ago, JAMH03 said:

Since shooting your age is a thing. Then 65 year olds can get to scratch.

Call your pro he'd love to hear from you and likely even be willing to discuss your #'s.

#'s look wonderful to me.

I agree if you can improve your putting just a titch you'll likely be happy.  You're possibly doing yourself a disservice by not lifting weights.

How did it go in 24?

My handicap index has jumped up to 2.8. My GIR has held steady at 62% but so have my putts per round at 32.1. I switched to a mallet putter and saw short-lived improvement. The big drop has been my driving accuracy, 58.4%. I switched to a Cobra LTDx 9* driver which was fitted to an Aldila NVS Orange R-shaft 65-grams and have gained close to 10-yards in distance off of the tee, but my accuracy has suffered a little bit. I’m thinking the culprit is the 9* of loft. I emailed Cobra and asked if I could swap out the 9* driver for a 10.5* driver but received a firm no. In a 2nd email I asked if I could simply purchase the 10.5* head and was told they don’t sell individual heads. It’s purchase a complete club or nothing due to quality control purposes. I’ve got 139 rounds in the books so my sample size is large enough to claim, “I am what I am”. For the record, I’ve had great fun this season. I have won two club events and cashed, in several others home and away. Isn’t golf great? 

[JAMH03]

"...I’ve got 139 rounds in the books so my sample size is large enough to claim, “I am what I am”. For the record, I’ve had great fun this season. I have won two club events and cashed, in several others home and away. Isn’t golf great?"

You're doing really good and I think you've unlocked and are now sharing very important truths.  
 

• Closed mouth doesn't get fed. 
• Accurate #'s help tell the story. 
• Distance can outweigh accuracy 
• Your good efforts have you winning the tournaments vs others who probs don't work as diligently. 
• Aiming for something and not getting there right away really isn't THAT bad it's in fact good. 
• Beating your friends sometimes is what it's all about. 
  
  
  Well played. 

Edited September 21, 2024 by JAMH03
clarity

[Yuck]

One of the challenges to getting scratch at 65 is the tees your buddies play at.  If you move back until the course rating is around 74, yardage around 7000 and slope 135-140, you can be a 0 index player averaging close to 76 as long as your best 8 rounds of the last 20 are about 74.  If you play up with the old guys at the club, you will need a lot of 65-68 rounds to have a plus index.

 

I have run into 65 year olds who people say are scratch, but they are confused.  They are playing the Sr tees, well under 6000 yards and a course rating around 66.  So they have a course handicap of 0 or +, but the actual index is more like a 5.  Move them back to 7000 plus yards and they are not breaking 80.  Some people think a 0 course index means scratch.

 

Finally, I am in Florida, and there are several mid 60’s player who do have a plus index.  They stay sharp by playing State & USGA comps, including Mid- AMs.

[Moonlightgrm]

On 9/19/2024 at 4:32 AM, JAMH03 said:

Since shooting your age is a thing. Then 65 year olds can get to scratch.

Call your pro he'd love to hear from you and likely even be willing to discuss your #'s.

#'s look wonderful to me.

I agree if you can improve your putting just a titch you'll likely be happy.  You're possibly doing yourself a disservice by not lifting weights.

How did it go in 24?

Huge change over my last eleven rounds! I ditched the Cobra driver and put my old Taylor M5 into my bag. I am giving up a couple of yards but my accuracy has improved considerably. 118 fairways in 154 attempts with the M5 (76.6%). My GIR over these 11 rounds is 136/198 = 68.7%. My index has dropped to 2.1. 
The Cobra driver is swingweighted at D1 and is 45.75” in length. The M5 driver is swingweighted at D3, is counterbalanced, and is 44.5” in length. Equipment certainly matters! 
Our final club event is October 13th. I’m feeling good!

Edited October 5, 2024 by Moonlightgrm
Typo

[Obee]

On 9/21/2024 at 3:24 PM, Yuck said:

One of the challenges to getting scratch at 65 is the tees your buddies play at.  If you move back until the course rating is around 74, yardage around 7000 and slope 135-140, you can be a 0 index player averaging close to 76 as long as your best 8 rounds of the last 20 are about 74.  If you play up with the old guys at the club, you will need a lot of 65-68 rounds to have a plus index.

 

I have run into 65 year olds who people say are scratch, but they are confused.  They are playing the Sr tees, well under 6000 yards and a course rating around 66.  So they have a course handicap of 0 or +, but the actual index is more like a 5.  Move them back to 7000 plus yards and they are not breaking 80.  Some people think a 0 course index means scratch.

 

Finally, I am in Florida, and there are several mid 60’s player who do have a plus index.  They stay sharp by playing State & USGA comps, including Mid- AMs.

Yes, you need a scratch/plus INDEX, not a "0 course handicap." The course handicap numbers are meaningless, except to determine strokes amongst 2 or more players.

[Shilgy]

On 9/19/2024 at 11:03 AM, Moonlightgrm said:

My handicap index has jumped up to 2.8. My GIR has held steady at 62% but so have my putts per round at 32.1. I switched to a mallet putter and saw short-lived improvement. The big drop has been my driving accuracy, 58.4%. I switched to a Cobra LTDx 9* driver which was fitted to an Aldila NVS Orange R-shaft 65-grams and have gained close to 10-yards in distance off of the tee, but my accuracy has suffered a little bit. I’m thinking the culprit is the 9* of loft. I emailed Cobra and asked if I could swap out the 9* driver for a 10.5* driver but received a firm no. In a 2nd email I asked if I could simply purchase the 10.5* head and was told they don’t sell individual heads. It’s purchase a complete club or nothing due to quality control purposes. I’ve got 139 rounds in the books so my sample size is large enough to claim, “I am what I am”. For the record, I’ve had great fun this season. I have won two club events and cashed, in several others home and away. Isn’t golf great? 

https://www.proclubs.com/drivers/#/filter:brand:Cobra
 

Then trade in the 9° head with water shaft attached…..you’d be all in for less than $100.

[nsxguy]

On 9/21/2024 at 6:24 PM, Yuck said:

I have run into 65 year olds who people say are scratch, but they are confused.  They are playing the Sr tees, well under 6000 yards and a course rating around 66.  So they have a course handicap of 0 or +, but the actual index is more like a 5.  Move them back to 7000 plus yards and they are not breaking 80.  Some people think a 0 course index means scratch.

 

I'm not surprised they are confused.

 

Scratch is related to index, not normal/usual SCORES. So these people are likely confused simply because they don't understand how handicaps even work.

 

And having a course handicap of 0 would then be just as confusing to them.

[vegasandre]

Well to all the people moaning about their age...
"I can't do this or that" anymore...
there is this...





 

The man is 73 years old. Seventy-three. He just beat his age by SEVEN strokes and leads the Champions Monday Qualifier. It would be his second Monday Q of the season.

 

Edited October 8, 2024 by vegasandre

[Yuck]

DIck Mast was a Mini tour legend back when I could still play this game.