When is enough?!

Here is what I mean.

Obviously goals etc determine where you want to be, but the "average" golfer where should he be, where do you think he should be. Well let me explain my situation and you let me know what you think.

When I started playing when I was 16 I was terrible as most people are. I really didn't improve until I got in my late 20's now I am decent well to my standards. Anyway I went from not being able to get the ball up on any consistent basis to getting it up most of the time. Now I slice and stuff, but should I accept that? Should that ruin the game for me?

Also I was wondering when should you be satisfied with your game? Is shooting a 90 something to be ashamed of or proud of?

I enjoy the game but I was wondering what you all think? I have a swing now that I trust and that I can hit all my clubs with. Is that enough? To be honest I am afraid to change it, because it took me along time to get there. Should I just stay there and be happy with it, since I made a dramatic improvement.

Sorry just was bored and wanted to chat!

Sounds like you are at a crossroads. I believe the answer can best be decided by determining exactly how much time you are willing to devote to the game. If it is gonna be about the same as the past...then stay with what you have and be happy. Bogey golf is a presentable game. I've never been embarrased at any work functions or other type social rounds where bogey golf wasn't acceptable. The only exception to this is when I sometimes play in a foursome with some single digit players. They are very understanding and offer a few tips here and there and allow for my errant shots. I try to ease up the pressure by picking up when I'm out of a hole and maintaining the pace of play. I'd say the secon part of you decision comes down to your raw physical ability. What do you think you are truly capable of? Time & athletic ability are the two factors that only you can gauge. Good luck.

How often do you play?

Obviously it's all about having fun and enjoying yourself on the course without negatively affecting other players or holding up play. If you are at that point and happy, then great. If you want to improve the first key is a lesson (or a few) to find those little swing flaws that are holding you back. The second key is practice and play more. At the level you are at now you are close to 'breaking through' and being able to regularly shoot in 80's or low 90's. One thing that really helped me get over that 'hump' was keeping my stats while playing round. I started tracking 'Fairways in Regulation', 'Greens in Regulation' and 'Putts' (and I still track those stats to this day on my scorecard). I found that had 2 effects on my game. First, it helped me see statistically where I was loosing strokes; and Second, it helped me 'focus' a bit more on doing these things. There are lots of other stats that might be helpful to track as well such as 'Scrambling' (how often you got up and down after missing green), Sandies (up and down from greenside bunker), etc.

Another critical key to improvement is to ensure you have the right equipment for you (clubs and balls). A professional 'dynamic' fitting can be a huge help. It amazes me how many people are playing the wrong stuff for their game and some who even continue buying new clubs expecting huge changes, but do not bother getting fit correctly.

My goal has been to get to a single digit handicap and stay there (at least for a few years - I got there at the end of last year, but it lasted all of 2 rounds). I hit a 'wall' where I was not improving a few years back and was stuck around an 18-21 handicap, then got a single short game lesson and started tracking stats and improvements slowly and steadily started to happen.

What ever your doing it is not enough if you play regularly and are serious about playing a "decent" game which 24 is on the higher side of decent among regulars. First, where do you lose the strokes. Probably within 50 yards of the green. Play off the right tees, here most probably the white or even the reds until your under 90. Play the course as a par 90, aim to get on in reg plus one and TWO putt each green. Find a club you can hit whether its a 24 hybrid, 7 wood or 9 wood, practice it regularly and use it to advance the ball towards the greens. Even a long par four with trouble everywhere is just three 7 or 8 irons from the tee. Practice your short game. Do line drills on the green, chip and one putt holes, hit wedges 30 feet, 50 feet, 50 yards, swing wedges with your feet together, swing down with them as hared as you can when turned back and see how and where the ball flies. Chip, chip and chip into a bucket in the yard or on the carpet at hole. Putt into a glass on the rug. Grip the club while watching TV.

Hogan said any person could play at 80 with just a little effort. But add a little common sense and acceptance of our skill level and playing to that level to our advantage and in no time we can break 90. I doubt I will ever drive the ball 300 yards so I my time working on my wedges and putting and I score better than alot of guys who are always 20 or more yards further than me off the tee.

Only you can answer this question. For me, I like practicing and improving, tinkering with my swing. I have come to realize that when I make a change I may get worse before I get better, but I love the feeling when it "clicks" and I do get better for my efforts. I love the equipment, gear and course management. I however, can also see the other side. I regularly play with a guy who uses 20 year old irons, makes no effort to change his swing, etc. and is a bogey golfer. Despite the fact that he has never improved in the 6 years we have played together he stills loves to get out and play golf. For him getting better does not matter, simply "getting out" is what matters to him.

Bottom line; if you're happy with golf as it is for you...enjoy!

Good post!

I've been playing to par +1 (bogey golf) all summer and it has improved my outlook toward the game and helped me to slowly improve, but I have plateaued, so I've been wondering what I need to be doing to start progressing again. Your post outlines one method. Did Hogan write anything regarding a method for an average golfer to progress? Is that in his "Five Lessons"?

Enough is when you are satisfied and able to play and have fun at that level. It's different for everyone. The fact that you ask the question would seem to indicate to me that you aren't yet satisfied with your game.

Personally, I'm happy where I am. I'm past 60, and I can still score at the level I did almost 20 years ago, when I played my most consistent golf. I've had 7 rounds below 80 this year, in spite of problems with my knees and my back, so I'm where I want to be for me. I've had a low this year of 76, and a high of 93. I was thrilled with the 76, and quite unhappy with the 93. Fortunately the higher scores were uncommon... most of my play was at 85 and better, as my handicap index would indicate.

i currently shoot mid-80s on average, and two years ago, i would have been super-duper happy about that because my goal then was to just shoot under 90 consistently. as soon as i started shooting under 90 consistently, the goal immediately transformed into shooting under 85 consistently (still working on that... it's kinda half and half). deep down, though, i know the ultimate goal for me is to be a scratch golfer.

basically, i'm not going to be happy until i think i could get through q-school. but i have fun along the way.

I think you an only enjoy golf if you have a sense of control over your swing and ball striking. If you hit all over the place and top the ball, miss the ball, stuff like that it is no fun to play. I have shot an 80 and felt great about it. And I have shot 80 a week later on the same course and felt nothing but frustration. The difference is that the first 80 was the result of hitting more fairways and greens with lots of two putt pars. The second was constantly scrambling to get up and down, and having a couple of lucky chip-ins or long putts fall. The key to enjoying myself is not the score, but is feeling some control and having the potential to do even better.

I think the "having fun point" is getting to the level where a good round of golf is "bogey golf" (averaging +1 on each hole). That means you can shoot a 90 now and then, and maybe a little better or worse. You will make some pars, maybe an occasional birdie, along with assorted dbl or tripple bogeys.

Shooting a 90 is not so hard when you think about it... you only need to make a 5 on every hole to do it.

SubPar

well like the others i think it matters what you want to be able to do i know for me i am 13 and an 8.4 index it was my first real year of golf and i am a sigle digit golfer i know i have natural skills and i have since given up AAA baseball toplay golf and my personal goal is to get a tour card by the time i am 27 realsticly i would like to be at the lest at a +2 i want to be and under par golfer but a 90 is something to be proud of if 90 is good for but if your not proud of 90 maybe you should take your game to the next level and go for 85 85 is very respectable in a normal golfing inviroment i have never found anyone to shoot and 85 at my home course and be not proud of his game if you can shoot 85 your better then the magority