Handicap for beginner

Hello all,

I just picked up the sport at the tail end of 2014, and i've gotten a solid 3 seasons in. Took a few lessons here and there, and i'm starting to get under 80. My question is, what aided everyone is really honing in their golf game, and what was everyone's handicap 4 years into the sport? just wanted to get a baseline, and see where i should be investing my time for the biggest improvements in my game.

to clarify a little, my putting is pretty good, probably one 3-putt per round, and pretty good within 10-15 feet. where i need help is on the tee box and with the long irons.

You should try a stiff shaft.

My frame of reference for you isn't any good. I was 13 when I was 4 years into the game, playing with persimmon clubs and Tourney MT irons from the 50s. I'm guessing I was shooting in the 50s for 9 back then.

I will have been playing for a year next month. Im working on breaking 90 now.

I don't think where you should be investing time is any different from a beginner or someone that has played for 30 years. you need to evaluate your game and see where you are losing strokes. (I think that's how they say it) For me I need to eliminate the fats/thins that dribble 30 yards and also work on having consistent distances with my irons. I find I shoot my highest scores when Im chunking everywhere. Putting will likely be my next target. I was playing a great round and was looking to break 90 (73 after 15 with two par 4s and a par 3 left) but I had to leave due to time constraints. Looking back on the round I missed some shots left and right but I didn't have any shots that came up much shorter than expected and didn't hit the fat shots.

So for me I am going to continue to work on ball striking

I started playing just before joining this site In 2014. Been as low as 0.2. Currently 1.9. High of 5.

Honest opinion. Short game short game short game. Putter. And Driver.

Shortgame comes natural to me. And I love to practice so I get plenty of wedge reps.

I too struggled with Driver . But a winters worth of work and figuring out to aim the face at the target same as other clubs has me squaring it up and rarely missing high right. Look at something easy in the long iron end. Make sure you hit the 2-4 iron spot ( be it hybrids or whatever ) with proper gaps. A 3 iron that flies same as 4 and both 5 yards longer than a 5 iron isn’t worth carrying.

3.5yrs. Didn't start playing til late 30s. Passionate to play, but no time to workout. Rather play than range.

Cap got under 20 in year 2. Hovered mid teens until about 2 months ago, when I started lessons.

I haven't tracked it in over a year, so this is speculative, but I suspect I'm now bt 10-15. Mostly corrected mishits and now employ a reliable short game method thanks to my teacher.

Someone once told me golf is more fun w lessons, and I believe it now. Just gotta be the right person, ie not a fake.

The scoring progression for me was 100+ the first 6 months, broke 100 at 6 mos, took another 6 mos to break 90,and then at the 2yr mark I mostly eliminated anything over 100, and was consistently in the high 80s low 90s.

I picked up on lessons bc I wasn't getting better on my own. I was stuck on 85 at my best, and the holes in my game were obvious, and needed a fresh look.

I'm now shooting more 80s, less 90s, and have a real expectation (not the false expectation of inevitability as before) that I will be in the 70s before long, hopefully before I make 4yrs.

Hope springs eternal, but I feel like once I figure out just a few more things that I can get to scratch.

 

I don't think where you should be investing time is any different from a beginner or someone that has played for 30 years. you need to evaluate your game and see where you are losing strokes. (I think that's how they say it)

This is very good advice. :good:

You should try a stiff shaft.

This is not. :rolleyes: