Jump to content
IGNORED

Lowering Handicap


Everardo
Note: This thread is 4785 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Recommended Posts

For my first year of competitive golf I started 2005 at just over a 20 handicap and just ended my season at a 14.5. For my 2006 goals I want to get my handicap below 12. Am I being realistic or too easy on myself with that goal?

I've heard that getting below a 20 is fairly easy provided you spend quality time practicing but that getting into single digits is where the real work and challenge lies.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

  • Administrator
For my first year of competitive golf I started 2005 at just over a 20 handicap and just ended my season at a 14.5. For my 2006 goals I want to get my handicap below 12. Am I being realistic or too easy on myself with that goal?

I think you have a realistic chance. A 2.5 drop when you're a 14.5 is only 17%. Anything over 20% when you get into the low teens or single digits is tough unless you have some massive issue like the yips or something that cost you a few strokes per round by themselves.

If I were you, heck, I'd set my goal at getting inside of 10.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Heck yeah. I don't know your game at all Everardo, but I think that you could easily drop 2.5 shots. If I had any advice, it would be to spend 1 hour, 3 times a week working on nothing but putting. I've done this over the past 2 years and it has paid off big time.

I'm probably preaching to the choir though...

Fairways and Greens.

Dave
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

I think it's very fessible goal Everardo, Just like Ncgolfer said, work on yur putting, i would even expand that to short game, as long as you keep the ball in play, the easiest way to reduce your handicap is short game. I work at a lil nine hole muni and before shotgun tourneys(or mens and ladies nites) i usually take 20 balls and drive out and just chip, pitch and putt on the first green. Make sure yur chipping and pitching and putting with yur own balls. You want to develop feel with your short shots, so don't use the range balls when practicing your short game, use your own balls, that way when you get out on the course, you know how your balls react. I also recommend a consteint pre-shot routine if you don't have one.

Keep it short the grass,
Adam

What's in the bag

Driver:Callaway Big Bertha Fusion Ft-3 Tour-Aldila Nvs
3-wood:Callway Big Bertha-Aldila nv shaft
Hybrid:Callway Heavenwood 2h and 3hIrons:Titleist 735 cm 4-pwWedges:Cleveland Cg10 54 and 60Putter:Scotty Cameron Pro Platinum Newport 2Ball:Callaway Hx tour 56Bag:Ping J bag..Red...

Link to comment
Share on other sites


If I had any advice, it would be to spend 1 hour, 3 times a week working on nothing but putting. I've done this over the past 2 years and it has paid off big time.

Good advice there. I'd throw in the short game in general. You're bound to save strokes knowing that you have (and are comfortable using) a wide variety of up-and-down shots.

Callaway RazrFit Extreme 9.5 w/Project X 6.5
Callaway XHot Pro 15* 3Wood w/Project X 6.5
Callaway XTour 18* 2h w/S300
Callaway XHot Pro 4/5 irons w/S300
Callaway XForged III 5-PW irons w/S300
Callaway Forged 52*/58* Wedges
Odyssey 7 Versa 90
Callaway Hex Black Tour

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Well I've made improving my short game my first priority for 2006. Of all stats and shots within 125 yards my worst stat is my up and down percentage, hovering right now around 26%. I've committed myself to spend more time at the chipping and putting greens than on the range also. While i still plan to use the range more I'm starting to think I'll get better results by just playing the course more.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

I've committed to just a few clubs in practice this year: 48°, 54°, 58° Vokey wedges and the putter. I want to improve GIR's this year and develop some much needed feel in the scoring zone. I hope to spend some quality time with those sticks on the range.

I think upgraded woods shafts will improve my driving and approach shots. Plus, I think my full swing is improving the last few months.

Jeff

10.5° Callaway FT-iZ Tour

18°, 20°, 23° Adams Idea Pro Prototype Hybrid

4-9 Titleist 690.CB
48° Titleist Vokey Tour Nickel
54°, 58° Titleist Vokey Tour Oil Can

Scotty Cameron NP2, 33"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

  • 5 years later...

Im in the same boat. I want to go from shooting bogey golf to shooting around +9 on my rounds. What im working on mostly right now is my driving and irons. My putting and pitching are decent enough for now. But i havent been able to get it to, or close to, the green in reg and its been killing my scores. So for right now im putting the short game to the side until i have a reliable long game. Guess you have to realize where your falling short and concentrate on that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


brought a 6 yeard old thread from the dead?

:cobra: Speed ld-f 10.5 Stiff
:snake_eyes: 3 & 5 Woods
:adams:A4 3 hybrid
:bridgestone: J33 Forged Irons 4-pw
:ping: 50th Aniv. Karsten Ansr Putter56*, 60* wedges

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Quote:
Originally Posted by Ben View Post
None

Good advice there. I'd throw in the short game in general. You're bound to save strokes knowing that you have (and are comfortable using) a wide variety of up-and-down shots.

I made my biggest handicap jump when I started working on my short game and now I actually think it is the strongest part of my game.

Driver: i15, 3 wood: G10, Hybrid: Nickent 4dx, Irons: Ping s57, Wedges: Mizuno MPT 52, 56, 60, Putter: XG #9 
Link to comment
Share on other sites


You should be able to do it, alot of it is game management at that point.

Matt Dougherty, P.E.
 fasdfa dfdsaf 

What's in My Bag
Driver; :pxg: 0311 Gen 5,  3-Wood: 
:titleist: 917h3 ,  Hybrid:  :titleist: 915 2-Hybrid,  Irons: Sub 70 TAIII Fordged
Wedges: :edel: (52, 56, 60),  Putter: :edel:,  Ball: :snell: MTB,  Shoe: :true_linkswear:,  Rangfinder: :leupold:
Bag: :ping:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Interesting ...... till I saw 2005 ....... I didn't even play golf then ........ I restarted last year and went from no handicap to 5.8 in one season ...... my target for 2011 is scratch or plus something ....... I know I can do it, but will I ?????

Today my longest drive went just over 300 yds (I don't mind if you believe it or not, my witnesses were very impressed), played 6 pars, 1 birdie and 2 boogies for a 37 (+1) - 9 holes (but I missed 3 birdie chances) .......

It is humid now and distances are relativelly "short" ...... so I don't complain !

Cal Razr Hawk 10.5 | TM Superfast 3W | Adams Idea Pro Black 20 | MP-68 3-PW | TW9 50/06 + 58/12 | Ram Zebra Putter

Link to comment
Share on other sites



Originally Posted by Gerald

Interesting ...... till I saw 2005 ....... I didn't even play golf then ........ I restarted last year and went from no handicap to 5.8 in one season ...... my target for 2011 is scratch or plus something ....... I know I can do it, but will I ?????

Today my longest drive went just over 300 yds (I don't mind if you believe it or not, my witnesses were very impressed), played 6 pars, 1 birdie and 2 boogies for a 37 (+1) - 9 holes (but I missed 3 birdie chances) .......

It is humid now and distances are relativelly "short" ...... so I don't complain !

lol

Driver: adams.gif Speedline 9032LS RIP Shaft (Stiff)

3 Wood: adams.gif Oviation 3Wood

Hybrids: taylormade.gif Rescue 18* 3H - 22* 4H

Irons: callaway.gif X-24 Hot Irons 5-PW

Wedges: cleveland.gif CG15 52, 56

 

Putter: odyssey.gif PT 82

Ball:  e6

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Glad to see someone using the search feature! I don't know how the OP did, but it is entirely possible for someone of athletic ability and coordination to get to get close to single digit as he described. I wonder how he did.

Cobra LTDx 10.5* | Big Tour 15.5*| Rad Tour 18.5*  | Titleist U500 4-23* | T100 5-P | Vokey SM7 50/8* F, 54/10* S, SM8 58/10* S | Scotty Cameron Squareback No. 1 | Vice Pro Plus  

Link to comment
Share on other sites


hmmm, I would say that anyone (without physical problems) being able to hit about 200 yds. can reach single digit if they really want to....... at most courses one will get 1 or 2 strokes, based on sss, just play 7 or 8 pars, the rest in bogey and you play a single digit hc.

Getting below 5 is something different.......

Cal Razr Hawk 10.5 | TM Superfast 3W | Adams Idea Pro Black 20 | MP-68 3-PW | TW9 50/06 + 58/12 | Ram Zebra Putter

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Glad to see someone using the search feature! I don't know how the OP did, but it is entirely possible for someone of athletic ability and coordination to get to get close to single digit as he described. I wonder how he did.

The OP could have given up the game 4 years ago for all we know.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Note: This thread is 4785 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Want to join this community?

    We'd love to have you!

    Sign Up
  • TST Partners

    TourStriker PlaneMate
    Golfer's Journal
    ShotScope
    The Stack System
    FlightScope Mevo
    Direct: Mevo, Mevo+, and Pro Package.

    Coupon Codes (save 10-15%): "IACAS" for Mevo/Stack, "IACASPLUS" for Mevo+/Pro Package, and "THESANDTRAP" for ShotScope.
  • Popular Now

  • Posts

    • It seems like too much work for me. I'm actually surprised at myself for spending as much time on this as I already have. Shot Scope tells me my shots to finish with a 7i is 0.1 better than with my 50 or 55 so I'm just going to go with it. Actually, I tend to be the complete opposite. I've never faced a shot I'm convinced I can't hit. It leads to great heroics and complete flops. Conservative for me might just be someone else's normal.
    • Tell me you've not seen Bill play without telling me you've not seen Bill play? 😄 Just teasing @billchao. 😄 
    • And like Matt said, and I have hinted at… it's ONE ROUND. Because you have to get hot. Better players than him failed to get through. And… Peaked too soon, perhaps. He could also get injured, get surpassed, lose interest or lose his game… Again, if I trusted y'all to uphold the bet, and if the bet wasn't basically a 15-year proposition… I'd bet y'all. The odds are against him, and heavily so. So… he didn't qualify, and he's playing on a sponsor's exemption. Jordan Spieth was 16 years old when he tied for 16th in a PGA Tour event… and I realize that mentioning Jordan Spieth (who has obviously had a lot of success) seems to argue against my point, but Spieth is the exception and he did better at only a year older than this fella. The odds are strongly against him.
    • He shot -5 with a bogey on the last hole. Those Monday Q events are seriously tough to get through. Lots of very very good players play in those, including normally a fair few tour players who've lost their cards, including past winners. It is a small sample size, but he also just broke one of Tiger's records (youngest ever to be ranked one in AJGA if memory serves). He's the best 15 year old in the world at the moment. He's also pretty small and skinny - if he grows and fills out a bit and gets stronger, he could be a serious force to be reckoned with. He may of course also go off the boil and struggle or his swing may not last his growth or something, so it's not like he's odds on to make it or anything like that. I think it will be interesting to see how he progresses and if (big if granted) he progresses well, then he will be quite the prospect.
    • At a basic level, you can take those strokes gained numbers and if you know what the baseline strokes to hole out is from each distance, you can figure out how many strokes on average you will take to hole out from any given spot on the golf course. Then you can take that shot zone thing from shotscope and put it down there and see what the average is for each club and each target you choose. That's not exactly trivial to do though even with a computer, so the strategy guides (like LSW) use rules of thumb to make those decisions easier for you to make on the fly. Most of the time you'll come up with the optimal strategy and on the odd occasion when you don't, the strategy you come up with will be pretty darn close to optimal. If you're anything like me, then you'll probably wind up being a little too conservative with both club choice and target. Fear of penalty strokes can make you play suboptimally. Basically it's a bad idea to base your strategy on a shot that might pop up less than 1 in 20 times. If you happen to hit that shot, then today just isn't your day, but the 19 times you don't, you'll be in that much better of a spot.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Welcome to TST! Signing up is free, and you'll see fewer ads and can talk with fellow golf enthusiasts! By using TST, you agree to our Terms of Use, our Privacy Policy, and our Guidelines.

The popup will be closed in 10 seconds...