How to go from a 100-shooter to scratch
Who has the best job in the world? Submitted for your approval are three nominees: beer taste-tester for Guinness, Bar Refaeli's personal sand-brusher-off-er, and the head golf pro at Pebble Beach.
Chuck Dunbar, Pebble's head pro, has a great shanks-to-riches story, in case you missed it in the November issue of Golf Magazine. His tale ties to a stat from our 2009 Survey of the American Golfer. Nearly 20 percent of you told us that with enough time and practice, you feel you could become scratch. Dunbar is living proof. Once upon a time, he was just another hack trying to break 100. Four years later, his handicap was zero, and America's most famous course was his office. Here's how he shaved 25 strokes:
"TOUCH THE CLUBS EVERY DAY" That was my motto. I practiced almost every day for one hour minimum. Frequency helps develop touch and feel.
OBEY THE 50/50 RULE I divided my practice time like this: 50 percent on short game (with half of that on putting) and 50 percent on full swing. On the range, always hit to a specific target—a tree, a bush, a flag. Don't just beat balls. And mix it up—hit 7-iron, driver, lob wedge, always taking dead aim.
GO PLAY! Practice is pivotal, but you have to balance it with playing. I've seen players who practice a lot but don't know how to get the ball in the hole because they don't hit the course enough. Find the right balance.
IGNORE YOUR SCORE I failed my first six Playing Ability Tests—that's the 36-hole exam you must pass to become a PGA pro. My swing was fine, but I was score-obsessed. That led to tension, which is a swing-killer. I finally realized that I should just play golf, and then add it up. On my seventh try, I didn't even know my score until my playing partner said, "Nice 71." I passed with 10 strokes to spare.
PICK UP THE PACE I went from being deliberate to playing "ready golf." Slow play leads to over-thinking. Play faster and you'll play better.
BANISH CARD-WRECKERS We all have bad holes, but to be scratch you must turn 9s into bogeys or doubles. How? Identify the cause of your big numbers—slicing it O.B.? chunking chips? poor putting?—and attack that problem.
