You know your game is improving when . . .

[inthehole]

A few more ...

... when you make more pars than doubles/triples

... it takes less than 10 seconds a side to total your score card; as opposed to laboring over it & practically needing a calculator.

... when you don't automatically pull the driver on a sketchy par 5.

... when you're often the first of your group to mark your ball & grab the flag

[Valleygolfer]

Less anxiety on the first tee in front of everyone.

You don't duff a drive when playing through.

You relish playing with better golfers.

You are playing for par.

You pay out less.

You make the pressure putts.

[Lihu]

A few more ...

... when you make more pars than doubles/triples

... it takes less than 10 seconds a side to total your score card; as opposed to laboring over it & practically needing a calculator.

... when you don't automatically pull the driver on a sketchy par 5.

... when you're often the first of your group to mark your ball & grab the flag

Good one, adding it to "What not to say. . ."

[dfreuter415]

You know your game is improving when ...

- your score on almost every hole is only one word, but not snowman

- your ball retriever didn't get wet during the round

- the ball you hit off of the tee doesn't always have a cart path scuff or tree burn

- you get through a round without yelling, "Fore!"

- you don't have to shake the sand out of your shoes after every round

[9wood]

You know your game is improving when ...

You have to think really hard about when the last time was that you failed to hit a green from 100 yards in

[Golf Girl]

When roofing companies stop calling to ask what course I am playing that weekend so they can distribute flyers ...

:-D

[jgreen85]

when you're annoyed the course doesn't have yardage books

[Moppy]

You start to see the par 5s as potential birdie holes instead of death marches.

[Dave2512]

No more first tee jitters. That was it for me. When I was no longer self conscious about someone seeing me hit some crap shot. I will probably still hit some degree of poor shot but at least it will be heading in the right direction.

I

[Hatchman]

Your invited to play with others...

[trackster]

A course marshal doesn't scold you for playing the tips and actually remarks "I see why you play back there."

[Golf Girl]

When you see pars and bogeys instead of double bogeys and "is there a name for that score?" numbers on the scorecard.

[MrDC]

When you start to realize when you've hit the wrong club.

[SoundandFury]

You start to see the par 5s as potential birdie holes instead of death marches.

I like this one.  I wish I could remember when this first happened, but I definitely know that I used to look at par 5's as "now what the f*ck am I supposed to do?" as opposed to now, when after a bogey I immediately look for the next par 5 to see when I can "get one back".  Doesn't always happen obviously, but that's the thought process.

[Dave2512]

It's funny because most amateurs dread par 5's because of the length. I think awesome I have three shots to GIR easy peasy. It's the damn par 3's I dread. Which not ironically are typically the holes most amateurs see as a scoring opportunity because they are short. If there is a triple on my card it happened on a par 3.

[Moppy]

When you start to realize when you've hit the wrong club.

Yeah, this is my third year playing, and the first year that I get consistent performance from each club.

[SoundandFury]

It's funny because most amateurs dread par 5's because of the length. I think awesome I have three shots to GIR easy peasy. It's the damn par 3's I dread. Which not ironically are typically the holes most amateurs see as a scoring opportunity because they are short. If there is a triple on my card it happened on a par 3.

Dude, I wonder if that's part of the progression of getting better.  I HATE par threes.  A par three means I have to hit a B+ or better (or get lucky) iron shot to have a chance to two putt for par.  Par 5's, especially the baby ones under 500 means two decent shots and I can be two putting for birdie.

[Dave2512]

Dude, I wonder if that's part of the progression of getting better.  I HATE par threes.  A par three means I have to hit a B+ or better (or get lucky) iron shot to have a chance to two putt for par.  Par 5's, especially the baby ones under 500 means two decent shots and I can be two putting for birdie.

It is and I'm sure at some point people probably start paying attention to scoring average and things like that. I've been playing the par 3's well this year my par 3 and par 4 average is the same ATM (.68). Last year I was as high as a stroke over.

We have one that just kills me. No kidding I lay up and pitch on and hope I get it close enough to give myself a chance. It's long enough (220ish) that there is a little closely mown mini fairway in front of the green. Sand everywhere that is a score killer because the bunkers are 20-40 yards long in the line of play on the left. Our sand ranges from concrete hard to hitting from pebbles. I hit a 7 iron to the mown area and pitch it up. I am okay making bogey on this hole just because I've made so many 5's and 6's going for the green. Last night I had a rare GIR going for it because it was an exceptional ball striking day. I 3 putted it.