Lessons with a golf pro on the driving range and putting green, a membership at a course with a variety of landscape, and if you have $$$, go to Bogart Golf for swing analysis and training.

Realistic Goal…. Half your handicap every year…. Your playing off 26 at the moment, which is only one (01) shot from the maximum handicap for males. 26 markers can shoot anything from 85 to 130 for 18 holes. 9 handicaper Could shoot anything from par round to 90. Your going too need a shtload of practise to drop 40shots per round (average), Im not saying its impossible, but halving your handicap every year is still a bloody good effort.

You’ll go a lot quicker from a 26 to a 9 than you will from a 9 to a 4. 26 to 9 will be mostly course management. 9 to 4 will be improved golfing skills, most likely better chipping and putting.

Instead of setting yourself the goal of a handicap of 9 (Very difficult in one year) Why not just vow to improve your handicap each and every month?

You’ll improve your game and feel like your getting somewhere without feeling like you have let yourself down, let me tell you something, if you get from a 26 down to around 14/16 in one year, that is AMAZING.

I have gone from 28 to 13 in 3 years playing twice a week.

Good Luck

single digits would be tons of work from a 26. i dropped from an 18 to a 9 in a year because of work on all parts of my game but specifically in course management, the short game, and the mental game. On the course try to play simple golf and not do more than you need to. Don’t watch the pros play it doesn’t help an amateur’s game.

I went from about a 20 to an 8 in one year without a single actual lesson. I watched Golf Channel Academy every day, and did what they said. I swung the club in my living room 7 days a week, spent 2-3 days a week at the range, and played one round a week at a short hole course my friend’s uncle owned.

Anyway, you could get that good that quickly, but it doesn’t mean you will. It just depends on your dedication and physical abilities to improve. My biggest suggestion would be to make sure you have a properly fit set of clubs. If you’re playing with hand me downs or off the rack clubs, chances are it will slow down the learning process.

How hard do you want to work and how much time do you want to devote?

I went form an 18 to 12 to a 6 in three years. I didn’t/ don’t play more that twice a week. I think swings “develop”, and for some it’s just going to take time.
I know people who could play everyday and never break 90.
My dad hadn’t played in 16 years and shoots 79, (he was a great golfer prior to the layoff).
It really depends on your physical skill, abilities and any training you will have.
Realistically, if you practice you short game tons, putting chipping…and are a good driver of the ball, I don’t see why you couldn’t drop to a single digit in one year.

Good Luck!

In the beginning I think going to the range is more important than playing 4 times a week. Play 1-2 times a week and go to the range 3 times. Allot of golf is mental take a day off once in awhile to think about what your learning. Try to learn at the range and not on the course.

Have fun and good luck any amount of shot drop is possible.