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Golfers Who Got It Done

By Scott Smith
Illustration By Ryan Heshka May 2008

"People ask, 'How'd he get so good? Make me as good as he is,' " says Donn Perno, teaching professional at Capital City Club in Atlanta, about his student Walter Strickland, a 39-year-old sales executive for an Internet services provider who last year dropped his Handicap Index from 28.5 to 13.0 to make our list of America's Most Improved Golfers.

At Money Hill Golf and Country Club in Abita Springs, La., teaching pro Richard Patterson helped Dr. Catherine Murray knock 12 shots off her handicap: "I wish I knew how she's done it, because if I could bottle it ..." Murray is among the 200 players nationwide we honor for the biggest handicap drops from Jan. 1 to Dec. 1, 2007 (View our list of America's Most-Improved Golfers). Our exclusive list includes four golfers from each state: a low-handicap man, a middle-handicap man, a woman and a junior.

To put their improvement in perspective, we asked the question: How hard is it to lower your handicap? "Seventy-two percent of all golfers end the year within a stroke of where they began it," says Dean Knuth, who developed the Course Rating and Slope Rating System adopted by the U.S. Golf Association in 1982. Consider that the average American handicap has barely changed in 25 years, says Knuth, or that Father Time on average takes about a half-stroke from us every year after middle age. "It's quite an accomplishment for those who actually do it," Knuth says.

When we talked to some of our 200 Most Improved Golfers, several common denominators emerged. For those relatively new to the game, it helps to have played another sport at a high level -- a tennis background seems to serve nicely in that regard. New equipment can also spark sudden -- and sustained -- improvement. And it never hurts to be young, with plenty of spare time (and no kids) on your hands.

But above all, what separates our successful strivers from the status quo is commitment -- often to the short game. That became clear as we cross-checked data from golf associations and handicapping services by calling golfers' home clubs -- sometimes even the golfers themselves. Before we get to the list of America's Most Improved Golfers for 2007, we profile six of them, each with a special story to tell.

In our search for the country's Most Improved golfers, we no doubt missed a few good candidates. If you know someone who belongs on our honor roll or have a success story of your own, tell us about it.

JAMES GRANT: Photo By Brian Smith; Age: 32
Occupation: Engineer for a health-care company
Home Course: Brier Creek Country Club, Raleigh, N.C.
Handicap Improvement: 32.9 to 16.8
Years Playing: 2; Find out how he did it >>

BRAD WERNET: Photo By Rich Frishman; Age: 15
Occupation: Student
Home Course: Birmingham (Mich.) Country Club
Handicap Improvement: 20.4 To 4.0
Years Playing: 2; Find out how he did it >>

WILLIAM MILLS: Photo By Rich Frishman; Age: 24
Occupation: Student
Home Course: Riverdale Golf, Brighton, Colo.
Handicap Improvement: 11.7 to 1.3
Years Playing: 11; Find out how he did it >>

CATHY MASTERS: Photo By Brian Smith; Age: 51
Occupation: Physical Education/Health Teacher
Home Course: Juday Creek Golf Course, Granger, Ind.
Handicap Improvement: 30.7 to 12.0
Years Playing: 3; Find out how she did it >>

MICHAEL MCKINZIE: Photo By Rich Frishman; Age: 45
Occupation: Marketing Executive For Gold's Gym
Home Course: Alpine Country Club, Highland, Utah
Handicap Improvement: 11.9 to 0.9
Years Playing: 12; Find out how he did it >>

ALLEN JONES: Photo By Brian Smith; Age: 89
Occupation: Retired
Home Course: Cypress Cove Country Club, Franklin, Va.
Handicap Improvement: 32.1 to 22.1
Years Playing: 50; Find out how he did it >>