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Scratch By 50: The Highs And Lows Of Golf

Graham Averill has turned 50 this year and he’s freaking out. Instead of buying a motorcycle or getting a tattoo, he’s decided to try to get really, really good at golf. He started this project as a 13 handicap attempting…

Published: Friday, 2 October 2026 at 11:01 AM
Scratch By 50: The Highs And Lows Of Golf
Key Things to Know
  • Graham Averill details the emotional highs and lows of his project to reach a scratch golf handicap at age 50.
  • Averill lowered his handicap to 7.8 after shooting a four-over-par 76 on his home course.
  • A coaching session helped fix Averill's severe pull off the tee by opening his alignment to induce a fade.
The Story in 60 Seconds

Writer Graham Averill reflects on the emotional swings of his quest to become a scratch golfer within a year after turning 50. After struggling through poor tournament play that drove his handicap up, Averill shot a personal-best 76 on his home course to bring his handicap down to 7.8.

Averill credits the breakthrough to adjustments made with his coach, who corrected a severely closed stance by opening his alignment to promote a controlled fade off the tee. While acknowledging that driver consistency remains an ongoing challenge, Averill views managing both highs and lows as essential to making progress in golf.

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