[thefork]

How much would you pay to be scratch? Assuming you aren't scratch already. How much would it be worth to you....One time payment....

10K???? 50K???

[TracyS]

$0. It won't mean anything unless you earn it.

[Nwright4]

Agreed, Greatest satisfaction in acheiving a goal is knowing what it took to achieve that goal.

[Charlie_Foxtrot]

Nothing. Although last Friday I would have paid something just to not suck so much.

[Merlin_T]

tracys, on Sep 16 2007, 11:48 PM, said:

$0. It won't mean anything unless you earn it.

[dethman]

the challenge, and pursuit...are integral parts of this game. frustration, followed by joy, followed by frustration. i could never pay a dime.

[FreakinA]

I wouldn't pay anyone because if I was scratch, I would probably lose interest in golf. I play it because its the one thing I haven't mastered.

[hosslefade]

Believe me Champ playing off scratch is a long long long way off having golf mastered!!

[Milo]

Nothing. What it takes to get there, for a serious golfer, is the whole point.

However, I'd probably chip in to a fund that provided extraordinary rendition for the ignorant s*&ts who contaminate the golf courses over here.

[shorterknocker]

May want to hold a bit back as well, cuz once you're there, it tends to get rather expensive as your playing partners tend to take advantage of your lack of shots!

[golfebj]

I'd much rather take the ride to scratch than to be dropped off at the door.

Reasoning...if you been there before then you know how to get back if you have to. Besides, the lessons that you learn to get to scratch will help you get to the next level.

[csiachos]

FreakinA, on Sep 17 2007, 01:59 AM, said:

I wouldn't pay anyone because if I was scratch, I would probably lose interest in golf. I play it because its the one thing I haven't mastered.

You're exactly right. I was scratch at one point in my life, and now can get no lower than a 3-4 hdcp due to other priorities in life-wife, child, job, etc... Now when I play like crap, I know I can do much better and it ticks me off. I had a much better time playing when I sucked really badly and would play well on occasion.

[akanacl]

You'd have to pay me to be scratch. I would need the money to pay off the bets I would lose every week to the "12" handicappers at my club, that somehow manage a career round 76 every time serious cash is on the line..

[mjc694]

being a good golfer is a journey not a destination. Think about it this way...if every shot you hit was perfect would that be good or bad? I personally think the bad shots make the good ones feel much better.

I started 15 years ago, adn couldnt hit the ball by accident, and have worked myself to a respectable 5 handicap. I am not done, and keep working on making my game better. lessons, practice, and new equipment as often as I can afford it, and that is my payment to get better.

Sure, Id like to play like tigger, but only if I was able to earn it. for now i will settle for competing in my own little world, and enjoying the pursuit.

[Monty23]

Since when has a scratch golfer mastered the game?

A scratch golfer could not get into any of the pro tours, and would be not as good of a golfer than thousands of Americans. Just because you get to scratch doesn't mean you don't have anywhere to go but down.

Tiger is a +13.5 and still busts his but every day.

[nyhacker]

Why pay when I can just get a few scorecards and write down scores around par and submit them? Instant scratch.

[raidernut1234]

akanacl, on Sep 17 2007, 07:39 AM, said:

You'd have to pay me to be scratch. I would need the money to pay off the bets I would lose every week to the "12" handicappers at my club, that somehow manage a career round 76 every time serious cash is on the line..

Ain't that the truth!! I used to make $ 40 a week when i was an 8. now in our scratch game all we do is trade money every week depending on who sucks that day LOL. BUTT, I can sleep at night (of course those sandbaggers probably sleep better at nite than i do!!!)

[Philfest]

You guys are all too perfect. How much do you want? Drop me right off at the door. I don't care what anyone says. It's cost me thousands just to get to where I am. If I could have paid before hand, I damn sure would have.

[shanx]

I'd rather shoot even par for 18 than get to scratch. Getting to scratch, for me at least, would mean hours of practice, basically time I don't want to spend away from my family. I'm a around a 7 now, and got there by least amount of effort spent.

[mat562]

mjc694, on Sep 17 2007, 10:02 AM, said:

being a good golfer is a journey not a destination.

Monty23, on Sep 17 2007, 01:30 PM, said:

Since when has a scratch golfer mastered the game?

I agree with both the above comments.

I played scratch or low handicap (<2) golf from the age of 16 to 30, and played competitive amateur golf for a long time (throughout my 20s)

The most fun I remember was playing and practicing as a kid and trying to get better. The hours of practice to try to get to that level were fantastic fun.

I enjoyed my time as a 'decent' amateur but the enjoyment for me was the competition, not necessarily the score I shot.

I'm still a reasonable player, but I only play socially and the odd competition now - ill health and other demands on my time meant that I had a long enforced lay-off from the game and simply didn't get back to a reasonable level again where I can play competitively. I hold down a reasonable handicap (1.4) but a handicap only tells part of the story, since I'm not a patch on the player I was at 20 - with a balata ball and a 150cc driver. I know 4 handicappers who are better ballstrikers than me, and my friend off 10 putts the lights out.

Being scratch certainly doesn't qualify you as a 'finished article'; There's whole other level above scratch (which I never reached) that givesyou a shot as a pro on a mini-tour. The major pro tours are a level above that.

Then there's 'good' players on the main tours.

Don't take this as a 'rant' as it's not meant to be. If your objective is to get to scratch (original poster) then good luck! I just think the fun is in trying to get as good as you can.

On the subject of pay-for-talent/opportunity, I'd sell my soul to the devil for a works drive with a WRC team....

[8thehardway]

I'd pay $66, 000
Thats about how much it cost me in lessons, clubs, green fees and cart girl tips over 20 years to get down to an 8. Come to think of it, I'm not sure I have another 20 years of golf left. Better make it $100,000. I'm sure I'd win it back in a year. After all, how many 80 year old scratch golfers could there be?

[rosskoss]

Like everyone else - absolutely nothing.

The whole pleasure of the game is in the challenge.

[cdesana]

I have found the lower the handicap the harder to win money, so you may want to re-think that price a little. I have found being a low handicapper that can actually play to the number has helped in business, that would be the only thing worth paying for IMO.

[stryper]

Milo, on Sep 17 2007, 01:39 AM, said:

Nothing. What it takes to get there, for a serious golfer, is the whole point.

I agree with the sentiment, but I'll answer the question differently: I'll pay whatever it takes to eventually get me there.

Seriously, scratch golf is on my list of long term goals, and I fully intend to get there...money issues notwithstanding.

[Placebo]

To the OP. Why do you want to know?

I agree with the majority here, if I could just, "buy it" it wouldn't be worth nearly as much to me.

[Swingtheclub]

You know I agree with most of the posters as well.

I played to around scratch for 30 years . Never came close to not having something to work on.

Now that I am older and have lost a lot of my health. I am a four but hey for a while there I was a six.

I have never for a moment been satisfied with my game.

This year I have low rounds of 69 and a 68, Now if you asked me what I would pay to shoot 61 again or another 63 I might get out my wallet. Then again I never got enough of playing well either.

Scratch is just a number its all in the quest.

[AndrewMe]

hosslefade, on Sep 17 2007, 02:24 AM, said:

Believe me Champ playing off scratch is a long long long way off having golf mastered!!

As several others have said...

It seems the better you play, the more you realize how much better you could be.

And scratch... is barely scratching the surface.

[sync71]

Like everyone else, I wouldn't want to pay for it. I love seeing my handicap drop and knowing that it was because I put a lot of hard work into it. And I intend to be there in a few years if not better.

[victor2000]

kenk7us2002, on Sep 19 2007, 05:28 PM, said:

You know I agree with most of the posters as well.

I played to around scratch for 30 years . Never came close to not having something to work on.

Now that I am older and have lost a lot of my health. I am a four but hey for a while there I was a six.

I have never for a moment been satisfied with my game.

This year I have low rounds of 69 and a 68, Now if you asked me what I would pay to shoot 61 again or another 63 I might get out my wallet. Then again I never got enough of playing well either.

Scratch is just a number its all in the quest.

61 and 63? That would make you waaaaayyyyyy better than scratch. The 68 and the 69 have to contribute to getting you close to scratch. Doesn't it?

[Swingtheclub]

Lol I am 58 years old one day I shoot 72 the next day I shoot 80, Right now I am swinging well for me but I fight stamina and concentration issues.

I quit smoking five months ago and gained 20 lbs. Now I already had sleep apnea but it got way worse. I was tested last night and I quit breathing in my sleep 82 times in two hours does not get you much rest.

There is a treatment for it but they tried that last night as well and I did not do well with it.

My two low eighteen rounds were both 63's when I was in Texas around 1970 In 1980 in Iowa I did a golfathon I forget now but I played over 200 holes in a day . Members pledged so much per hole for my junior program. I shot eighty the last eighteen holes I played and was ten under par for the day.

It was a nine hole track one series of nines was 30 32 31 30 aka 61 but I am not sure it was the exact eighteen the cards were mixed up. I know I shot those nines consecutively though.

So basically when I shoot 69 its a pretty nice day. To shoot 69 and 68 within about a month of each other was pretty good for my tired old behind.

The point though was not what I could shoot 30 years ago or 20 or even now. It was that you never quit trying to play better.

I play twice a week and do not get time to practice . Just the same I am always working on something in my mind or when I do play.

If never ends that is why it is fun.