Stories of Improvement....

[golfdude]

....and current handicap

To give me an idea whether I am a complete waste of space on a golf-course, or if there could be some potntial I would like to hear from you guys how your game has developed....
I took up golf some 4 years ago.

First year I only played weekends for about 7 months. Could not brake 100. Never used a driver and ended up with blisters on my fingers every time.
Second year I managed to play more frequently. All year round with averagely 6 rounds a month. Playing mostly in the nineties but also had disasters rounds of abot 110.
Third year and currently I am fortunate enough to be able to play around 3 times a week on a continius basis. Have broken 80 once and are mostly palying in the mid eighties. Still I can experience rounds around 100 though!!!!
My putting is probebly averaging between 32-36 per round. Birdies are hard to find but pars and Bogeys are frequent. Current handicap is 11.2.

Once in my life I had pro-lessons. 10 sessions shared with my wife.

Please give some indications on your own developement.
What would be the best way to become a single-digit handicaper?

Thanks for input

[Sean2]

Sounds like you've made excellent progress. Certainly better than average. IMHO to be a single digit handicapper you have to have an excellent short game. I have a very good short game, but my long game is what's holding me back, but it's beginning to improve after some lessons.

 

But to reiterate: short game, short game, short game. :-)

[bazzardl]

Very similar experience: took up golf 2.5 years ago (aged 39 then) - lots of lessons for the first year, lots of book reading in the second year and just begun to understand the game in the third year (course management, 80% of the game is played between the ears etc). handicap started at 28 and dropped to 24 by end of year 1, dropped to 18 during year 2 and just dropped to 17 last month, will drop further as I now regularly shoot mid to low eighties (just not often enough in qualifying competitions). My expectations are (based on current form) to regularly play to around 14 and have a handicap that reflects this by end of this year (so 28 - 14 in three years).

 

I play 6 times a month and spend 5 minutes a day on swing fundamentals in the garden and 5 minutes a day putting.

 

I deally would like to drop this to 10 in year 4, just not sure if I can put the time in (job, 4 kids etc).

[leekgolf]

To give me an idea whether I am a complete waste of space on a golf-course, or if there could be some potntial I would like to hear from you guys how your game has developed....

I took up golf some 4 years ago.

 

First year I only played weekends for about 7 months. Could not brake 100. Never used a driver and ended up with blisters on my fingers every time.

Second year I managed to play more frequently. All year round with averagely 6 rounds a month. Playing mostly in the nineties but also had disasters rounds of abot 110.

Third year and currently I am fortunate enough to be able to play around 3 times a week on a continius basis. Have broken 80 once and are mostly palying in the mid eighties. Still I can experience rounds around 100 though!!!!

My putting is probebly averaging between 32-36 per round. Birdies are hard to find but pars and Bogeys are frequent. Current handicap is 11.2.

 

Once in my life I had pro-lessons. 10 sessions shared with my wife.

 

Please give some indications on your own developement.

What would be the best way to become a single-digit handicaper?

 

Thanks for input

 

 

You are doing very, very well. If I could suggest anything, it would be to chart your rounds. How many fairways did you hit in that round,

How many Greens in Regulation?

What was your miss pattern that day?

How many chips, and how many of those resulted in 1 putt?

How many sand shots and how many got on the green, how many resulted in 1 putt?

How many putts in the round total?

If you had any three putts, was it bad putting, or was it because you "hit" the green, but lack of shot control gave you no chance. (Example, on a fast green, hitting the green well above the pin often means birdie or more likely bogie).

 

If you track this stuff, you will know what to work on.

[golfdude]

Leekgolf

Thanks for excellent advices!

I do record my greens in reg and putts. I will surely start implementing the other "features" you are mentioning.

 

GD

[bazzardl]

One of the tips I was given and have used with increasing success is to measure my performance not by the quality of shot, or score related to par but to measure it based on whether I stuck to my preshot routine and specifically whether I was able to give each shot 110% focus. Also I have started to make a real effort to switch off between each shot (my key is to take my glove off), and then only switch on when I get to the ball and put my glove on. Since starting this (12 games ago) I have increased the number of shots that went pretty close to how I visualised them and dramatically improved my decision making (avoiding big numbers). Visualising has also helped my confidence with my putting and helps me get the ball much closer to the hole when I chip.

 

However the last three games I have played to 14 or 15 and taken a 7 on a par 3 each time (3 different courses) - golf is a funny game.

 

I try and spend more of my time visualising (and practicing this) than anything else at the moment.

 

I also stopped using the driver for the last 6 months as I realised I was much more consistent and longer with the 3 wood. I used my new (higher lofted driver) for the first time this weekend and shot 4 under. However I was more impressed with the fact that I stuck to my game plan and only used it 5 times (on holes where an errant shot wouldn’t be penalised heavily), my recent experienced has given me the confidence and self-discipline to play to my strengths with the 3 wood (even though the driver worked well I will now only use it when its gives me an advantage on a long par 4 and when there is little downside).

[webmstrk9]

As a couple of folks mentioned, charting your round and working on your short game will help keep your scores lower. You mentioned you still have rounds in the 100's, what is usually the cause of that? Taking unnecessary risks, putting, duffs, chunks, etc. ?

 

This year, I have played more than I have since I've started a few years back. I am in the low 80's, and what usually brings my scores up are putting and proximity to the hole from my approach shot. If you're getting 2 putts or less on average(no gimmes) then there is a problem from tee to green.

 

Determine your weaknesses and focus on those on the range. If it's course management, what are the percentages of you saving par or bogey if you take the riskier approach vs one that is higher. I notice my friends who still shoot in the 90's and 100's, they're course management is on the risky side. Now, if youre having issues with ball striking(eliminating the duffs, chunks, etc) spend time on the range or time with an instructor. My game improved exponentially when my ball striking became more consistent. When you strike the ball more consistently, you can usually take a more aggressive line from the rough, controlling the flight of the ball is key for me.

 

Always take the good with the bad, dont dwell on the bad, understand it, but always enjoy the good.

[Navigator17]

As well as tracking shots, I found my bigest improvement came when I started to really think my way around courses, not that all my shots went where I wanted them to, but I started to leave myself in better positions to lower my score, and had far fewer "throw-away" shots.

[golfdude]

As a couple of folks mentioned, charting your round and working on your short game will help keep your scores lower. You mentioned you still have rounds in the 100's, what is usually the cause of that? Taking unnecessary risks, putting, duffs, chunks, etc. ?

 

This year, I have played more than I have since I've started a few years back. I am in the low 80's, and what usually brings my scores up are putting and proximity to the hole from my approach shot. If you're getting 2 putts or less on average(no gimmes) then there is a problem from tee to green.

 

Determine your weaknesses and focus on those on the range. If it's course management, what are the percentages of you saving par or bogey if you take the riskier approach vs one that is higher. I notice my friends who still shoot in the 90's and 100's, they're course management is on the risky side. Now, if youre having issues with ball striking(eliminating the duffs, chunks, etc) spend time on the range or time with an instructor. My game improved exponentially when my ball striking became more consistent. When you strike the ball more consistently, you can usually take a more aggressive line from the rough, controlling the flight of the ball is key for me.

 

Always take the good with the bad, dont dwell on the bad, understand it, but always enjoy the good.

 

Hi

LACK OF CONSISTANCY - Probably my biggest issue.

I know my putting is weak with at least 1 three put per round. Luckily rounds in the 100 are becomming more rare. But when i do mess up I think the mental side is a big factor. Having one or maybe two tripple bogeys in a few holes sort of ruin it all. So i feel i have to work on that.

These tripple bogeys can be caused by everything from ob drives, fat iron shots, bad bunker shots even 4 putts etc.

 

But course management and risk-evaluation as mentioned as well as mental issues are things I will work on.

 

Cheers