Are You Improving?

**Dent** · August 24, 2008

I see alot of people on here posting about recent accomplishments and such. Which is great! But I'd thought I'd make this thread so you can show how much you are improving. It can be story wise, or even statistically. Maybe this can also be the thread where you answer the question for the people almost winding down their season: "Have you met your 2008 Goals yet?"

I'll start.. Quoted from the 2008 goals thread:

hmm my goals.. I'd have to say is to get down to a 6 Handicap and to play over 30 games this year. Getting my handicap down will be hard because I'm not specifically going to play one course anymore. I'll be playing a huge variety so if anything It will probably go up.

I proved myself wrong there. After tomorrows round I may be able to get into the 6's. the year is 3/4 finished and I should have acheived that goal. Playing over 30 games has been surpassed.

I know Improving is not all about the numbers, but I find is the easiest way to display it. Month by Month Handicap March- 8.1 April - 7.8 May - 7.8 June- 7.4 July - 7.5 August- 7.1 This month has been my biggest improvement. I have been playing the same, but this is the month of the "Approach" I've been sticking it a lot closer to the pins resulting in closer GIR Putts. I improve very slowly, as you can see, almost by the decimals. So my answer is yes: I'm Improving. How about you guys?

**tonyy** · August 24, 2008

I've been improving a lot as well. I started to get serious about golf around mid June and up till now, I've broken 90. I've been shooting consistent 85-90's and hope to get better.

My handicap isn't official but I've done the equations and it came to 15. So I'm pretty happy with my progress and plan on improving.

I still got a couple months left in the season and will probably join a league and enter tournaments next spring/summer. Can't wait!

**Soup Fan** · August 24, 2008

Certain areas of my game are improving. Scoring is not necessarily one of them, though. My decision making and course management are improving and my ball striking has improved a lot. When I am having a round where both of those things are on, it is when I score better. If I am having trouble with either, it is when I tend to have problems.

Over all, I think my arrow is pointing in the right direction, but until I can play and practice on a regular basis it is going to be hard for me to take anything bigger than baby steps.

**Dent** · August 24, 2008

Certain areas of my game are improving. Scoring is not necessarily one of them, though. My decision making and course management are improving and my ball striking has improved a lot. When I am having a round where both of those things are on, it is when I score better. If I am having trouble with either, it is when I tend to have problems.

Great to hear.. how about this, I'll trade you my scores for your course management (if it's good that is) any day.

**Soup Fan** · August 24, 2008

Haha. Occasionally I get too big for my britches and pull the driver out on every hole against the better judgment of my brain and my playing partner and my yardage book...but...hey...that's golf.

What I will trade you is the 11 years you have on me.

**Lefty731PM** · August 24, 2008

I see alot of people on here posting about recent accomplishments and such. Which is great! But I'd thought I'd make this thread so you can show how much you are improving. It can be story wise, or even statistically. Maybe this can also be the thread where you answer the question for the people almost winding down their season: "Have you met your 2008 Goals yet?"

I am not sure where I read it - possibly on this site, but the USGA did some research about this and the results were really quite shocking. In short, the findings were that after 3 years, most players simply do NOT improve. The sample was something like 100 players and it was extraordinary - along the lines of zero improvement in handicap for pretty close to 100% of players who had been at it for more than 3 years.

Think about the guys at your club. You'll find that there are a lot of blokes who maybe used to play off single figures who have blown out to 12, 15 whatever, but of experienced players, the majority maintain a handicap close to what they got to after 3 years for the majority of their golfing career until it declines. Scary.

**Jack_2251** · August 24, 2008

I didn't improve for ages and got stuck on 10, 11 and 12, and took about 2 months to get from 10 to 9, but just recently, I came from 8.4 to 7.2 in 3 games!

**michaeljames92** · August 24, 2008

I am not sure where I read it - possibly on this site, but the USGA did some research about this and the results were really quite shocking. In short, the findings were that after 3 years, most players simply do NOT improve. The sample was something like 100 players and it was extraordinary - along the lines of zero improvement in handicap for pretty close to 100% of players who had been at it for more than 3 years.

Probably because they get to a certain stage where they play once a week and do not practice regularly. So by doing the same thing, you are getting the same results

**joshtpa** · August 24, 2008

I didn't improve for ages and got stuck on 10, 11 and 12, and took about 2 months to get from 10 to 9, but just recently, I came from 8.4 to 7.2 in 3 games!

Thats great. Keep in mind that once you hit single digits, it is much harder to get real improvement. Congrats on the improvement and keep it up.

Fon Duc Tow · August 24, 2008

I am not sure where I read it - possibly on this site, but the USGA did some research about this and the results were really quite shocking. In short, the findings were that after 3 years, most players simply do NOT improve. The sample was something like 100 players and it was extraordinary - along the lines of zero improvement in handicap for pretty close to 100% of players who had been at it for more than 3 years.

Because they don't put the effort into it. Not because they "can't." The group I was with a few days ago were all talking to this guy. Fawning over him might be a bit more accurate. They told me afterward that he was a pro. And not the pro-shop employee kind of pro. The 5 percentile pro that makes his living on tournaments. Seemed like a nice guy. Late 30's early 40's maybe. Slender, but with a big ole beer gut. Bet he gets his practice reps in, though. Play every day, all day and tell me you don't see improvement.

**Eore** · August 24, 2008

i got my index down from a 28.5 to an 18.7. my trend is now an 18.1 and two rounds in the 80's that haven't been put in. just playing more has drastically brought this down. i think i've played 30 or so times this year and will be able to play for a few more months

**bogeyhitter25** · August 24, 2008

I'd say that I'm improving. At the beginning of the summer I played one of the courses that I'd be playing at tryouts. I shot a 104. At tryouts I shot a 97.

Also I played from the tips for the first time at the course I used to always play (I used to always play middles). I shot a 42 which was my best score ever at that course.

So yes I've improved.

**Smallville** · August 24, 2008

Because they don't put the effort into it. Not because they "can't."

Ummmm, sometimes people have these this they call "families" and "jobs" that take priority over a game. Some people might be able to do what you say (i.e., people in school who have the whole summer off - - -try to do that when you get a real job, maybe the owner of a company, or maybe being independently wealthy so you don't have to work). But the majority of people have other things going on besides golf. I've played once, sometimes twice a week this summer and I have improved from breaking 100 sometimes (maybe 1 out of 4 or 5 rounds) to shooting in the mid to upper 80s most of the time. I took lessons and took what I learned to the course. No way could I play every day. Maybe in 20 years or so, but not right now.

**Dent** · August 24, 2008

Great to hear you're all improving, and get ready for single digits! It's hard!

**Ben** · August 24, 2008

Since returning from my injury, I've seen some pretty dramatic improvement. I started keeping my stats, and was at around 30.xx putts per round. I grabbed ahold of that Bob Rotella Putting Out of Your Mind and have knocked my average down 1 stroke to 29.xx. My handicap when I got back to playing was at a +.9, I'm trending to a +2.8 for next month. And I've made money in two of my last three mini-tour events, where I was only two for seven before the injury. Things are looking up!

**Franco!** · August 24, 2008

Since returning from my injury, I've seen some pretty dramatic improvement. I started keeping my stats, and was at around 30.xx putts per round. I grabbed ahold of that Bob Rotella

Moral of the story...hurt yourself.

I am. I just need a few rounds where I put all of my improvement together again.

**FortAsel** · August 24, 2008

Depends on the category of the game...

On the short game, I'd say I'm 100% better comparing to the same period in the last year. I don't miss easy chip shots, from 100 yds in I'd say I miss about 1 shot each 50 (thats the shot which I miss the green). My average putting per round is about 27/28, wich is less 1 stroke less than last year.

On the long game is where I've been strugling quite a bit. 2 months ago I had to change my posture because I was playing golf completely standing up, so I'm gonna have to change my swing a bit, but it wont be a problem.

Handicap-wise: (s: start, e: end)
Jan- s=10.0; e=10.1
Feb- s=10.1; e=10.3
Mar- s=10.3; e=9.8
Apr- s=9.8; e=9.6
May- s=9.6; e=9.8
Jun- s=9.8; e=8.4 (^^)
Jul- s=8.4; e=7.7
Aug- s=7.7; e=8.0 (god damnit)

So, over 8 months, my handicap has dropped 2 strokes... I hate myself... I should be playing for at least a 6 for now... My swing is f.... me up really bad... That plus my course management isn't the greatest...

Final say: even though my handicap has gotten better, I don't feel like I'm a better player. Sure, I've played 5 times in the 70's this year, but I've also played 10 times in the 90's (thank god I haven't played in the three digit country). My average score to par is 13.16 over. Comparing to other years, I'ts been the best year of my career, but I'm not happy.

4 months to go: I want to be at least a 5 handicapper by the end of December, so that I can represent my country next February in an u18 match against Wales. The picks are made by the national coach, and only the best go. I'd say he has chosen 80% of the team, so I've got to kinda sprint to make the team. I think I'm under pressure, and thats good, I'm good under pressure.

**alf174** · August 24, 2008

My scores, putts, and GIRs have all improved this year but my %fairways_hit are down .

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