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What is the most you have improved in one season?

bananas

By bananas,
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bananas Established Member

bananas

Just curious this will be my first real golf season. From spring till the end of fall and just curious to how much I can improve, So I wanted to hear your guys stories on the most you have ever improved in one season.
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nike_golf Dedicated Member

nike_golf

Speaking of HCP I'm assuming? Or parts of our games?

HCP for me was two years ago. 14.5 to 9.2.

Main reasons - short game, confidence, and a new set of fitted irons.

TM R11/Titleist 910F 15*/ Nike SQ2 20* & 23*/ Nike CCi 5-PW/ Nike SV 52* & 56*/ SC Newport 2 Studio Style 32.5"
Nike 20XIx/Pro V1x

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Travtex Dedicated Member

Travtex

First season's probably going to be hard to beat in terms of improvement. I have gone all the way from utterly incompetent to just plain lousy. *hah*

My posted handicap probably is no longer accurate, but I've yet to keep an official one so I'm keeping it where it is until I know better for sure. Current estimate is around 25 or so... I'm not double-bogey every hole, but I haven't gotten enough consistency together to put up a bogey round.

I'm thinking for annual improvement one has to expect diminishing returns. I'm still in my first year and I've gone from lucky to actually make contact with the ball on any given swing to able to reach the green in two on a short par five last week. My current goal is to progress to enough confidence in actually hitting the ball that making solid contact doesn't feel like an accomplishment and hitting the ball in the general direction of my target doesn't feel newsworthy.

For the first part of this season I'm hoping to keep honing the full swing, and put some more focus on the short game. Most of my blow-up holes these days come from skidding the damn ball back and forth across the green chunking and thinning my chip shots. If I could get THAT together, I could easily be bogey or better before the year's out.

Short game short game short game.

Currently in my bag:  Under Revision

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senorchipotle Great Member

senorchipotle

First season's probably going to be hard to beat in terms of improvement. I have gone all the way from utterly incompetent to just plain lousy. *hah*

you should break out your wedge first and foremost. practicing with a 56* or 52*, whichever you keep for your sand wedge, is the best practice for a full iron shot you can get. when you practice pitch shots, it is the 'micro' full swing. get your grip, trajectory, angle of attack, and impact position down with your wedge and you will be ready to take on the full swing.

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senorchipotle Great Member

senorchipotle

Just curious this will be my first real golf season. From spring till the end of fall and just curious to how much I can improve, So I wanted to hear your guys stories on the most you have ever improved in one season.

i'd have to say the summer when i was 16. i started playing 3 years prior. i'd go hit 200 balls a day, or more. i started working at a golf club and asked the asst. pro to give me some pro bono lessons. he obliged. i also have a family member who was on the tour and he helped me a lot. that summer i probably played an avg. 18 holes a day. sometimes we'd play 27 or 36 on days off. i started the summer barely able to hit my driver in any general direction, and had never even given a thought to short game. by the end of the summer, i was shooting low 80's, so ~15 strokes i'd wager. so, i guess depending upon your age and how many other responsibilities you have greatly weighs upon your potential to improve. but if i were you, i'd definitely invest in lessons, OUTSIDE and in the DIRT. not that indoor mat simulator crap. don't get me wrong, it's good for analyzing your swing once your consistent and have a good swing. but to build a swing, you need to be on grass.

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Travtex Dedicated Member

Travtex

you should break out your wedge first and foremost. practicing with a 56* or 52*, whichever you keep for your sand wedge, is the best practice for a full iron shot you can get. when you practice pitch shots, it is the 'micro' full swing. get your grip, trajectory, angle of attack, and impact position down with your wedge and you will be ready to take on the full swing.

I carry a 58* and a 52*. I'm fighting with them a bit presently, but a lot of it has to be mental twitchiness. My PW, 10i, 9i have been relatively golden for a bit, and the wedges are "okay" with full swings. Gives me a sweet spot on approaches from about 120-140 yards out and iffy from 80-110. Focusing on keeping my short iron swing through the longer irons helped out quite a bit, but I still get stupid with them at times.

Pitches? Erratic. Once it stops raining, I'm planning on taking a bucket and just hunkering down and obsessing on about a 50 yard pitch. Either way, mental game needs a major overhaul. I can spend an hour chipping nicely on the practice green, and then go out on the course and; "Dur!" *thwok*

Currently in my bag:  Under Revision

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Zeph Incredible Member

Zeph

1. year: 36 to 26
2. year: 26 to 16
3. year: Hoping on getting below 10

It's easier at higher handicaps. I won't be 6 by the end of 2010.

Ogio Grom | Callaway X Hot Pro | Callaway X-Utility 3i | Mizuno MX-700 23º | Titleist Vokey SM 52.08, 58.12 | Mizuno MX-700 15º | Titleist 910 D2 9,5º | Scotty Cameron Newport 2 | Titleist Pro V1x and Taylormade Penta | Leupold GX-1

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andyh Member

andyh

year 1 : Beginner - 12ish
year 2 : 12 ish - 8
year 3 : 8 - 4 (up to today)

easy to see where the biggest jumps regarding handicap are. gets tough to get lower at low single digits.

PING G10 : 10.5*, TFC129 : Stiff - 44"
PING G10 : 15* and 18* : Grafalloy Blue - Stiff - 42 1/2"
PING G10 : 3 Hybrid : Grafalloy Blue - Stiff
Mizuno : MP Fli Hi 4 Iron - DGS300
Mizuno : MP 60 : 5-PW - DGS300Callaway Tour Wedges : 52*and 58*Wilson PutterGoals : Get to the next level. Stuck on a...

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Gioguy21 Great Member

Gioguy21

year 1 : Beginner - 12ish

are those consecutive years? if so, who's your coach?

In my Titleist 2014 9.5" Staff bag:

Cobra Bio+ 9* Matrix White Tie X  - Taylormade SLDR 15* ATTAS 80X - Titleist 910H 19* ATTAS 100X - Taylormade '13 TP MC 4-PW PX 6.5 - Vokey TVD M 50* DG TI X100 - Vokey SM4 55 / Vokey SM5 60* DG TI S400 - Piretti Potenza II 365g

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andyh Member

andyh

yes 3 consecutive years since Ii started golf. I practice alot and play a few times a week. I was self taught for the first 18 months. After that needed lessons (about 8 in total spread over the last year) to learn how to get better. last year has been slow progress. just hoping for something to click in my long game to make the next improvement.

PING G10 : 10.5*, TFC129 : Stiff - 44"
PING G10 : 15* and 18* : Grafalloy Blue - Stiff - 42 1/2"
PING G10 : 3 Hybrid : Grafalloy Blue - Stiff
Mizuno : MP Fli Hi 4 Iron - DGS300
Mizuno : MP 60 : 5-PW - DGS300Callaway Tour Wedges : 52*and 58*Wilson PutterGoals : Get to the next level. Stuck on a...

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Gioguy21 Great Member

Gioguy21

wont lie that's the fastest improvement i've ever heard of with no lessons

In my Titleist 2014 9.5" Staff bag:

Cobra Bio+ 9* Matrix White Tie X  - Taylormade SLDR 15* ATTAS 80X - Titleist 910H 19* ATTAS 100X - Taylormade '13 TP MC 4-PW PX 6.5 - Vokey TVD M 50* DG TI X100 - Vokey SM4 55 / Vokey SM5 60* DG TI S400 - Piretti Potenza II 365g

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Grahaman Member

Grahaman

2 seasons ago came back to the game seriously playing 3-4 times a week. Spent the whole seasons just working alone, chatting up the golf pro for tips, reading everything I could and lots of range time. Never, ever recoreded a score, it was a season to relax, enjoy the game and outdoors and get more consistent.

Last season I started with a HC of 18.5, which was a carryover from the past. I played in the men's league and every tournament the club offered. Ended the year with a 9.7 HC. I am not sure which way I'll go this year. I really enjoyed the season of no record keeping.

FORE!

Cleveland CG7 3-PW fitted, stiff shafts
Hand me down putter, Jack Nicklaus model
Cleveland Hibore 3 wood 13 deg. stiff shaftCleveland Launcher 9 deg, stiff shaft

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chilly Dedicated Member

chilly

'09 was the first year I played serious golf, started as a 26.5hcp and ended the year as a 17.3hcp. I don't think that's unusual for a semi-serious beginner. I learned that practicing is much more important then playing, as far as lowering scores.

This year I'm shooting for a 12hcp by season end, and will be focusing weekly practice, along with time on the course. I believe some coaching will be necessary as well, some swing faults are beyond my newbie understanding of the golf swing.

Driver: i15 8* UST Axivcore Red 69S
3w: CB1 15* Grafalloy Prolaunch Platinum 75s
5w: G10 18.5* UST V2 HL
3h: HiFli CLK 20* UST V2 Hybrid
4h: 3DX 23* UST V2 Hybrid5i-pw: MX-23 TT Dynalite Gold S300GW/SW: RAC 52*and 56*Putter: SabertoothBag: KingPin

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kpaulhus Great Member

kpaulhus

I picked up the game my senior year in high school in 2006. Never had a handicap until August of 2009. After the first revision in August I was a 19.7. Today I'm a 14.5. Im hoping to be a single digit by the end of this year....(its a new years resolution)

Kyle Paulhus

If you really want to get better, check out Evolvr

:callaway: Rogue ST 10.5* | :callaway: Epic Sub Zero 15* | :tmade: P790 3 Driving Iron |:titleist: 716 AP2 |  :edel: Wedges 50/54/68 | :edel: Deschutes 36"

Career Low Round: 67 (18 holes), 32 (9 holes)

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Leftygolfer Great Member

Leftygolfer

I went from a 16 to an 11 in one year. I played 100 plus rounds. I have found it harder to make the next step. I am usually my best for the first half of the year for some reason. For me the improvement I want isn't to shot lower scores than I have, just do it more often. Last year, I had a number of horrid rounds for me. I'd like to be in the 70s more often than not. I would love to break my low round but I want my average round to be better.

The most improvement I had in my swing was in the past month from a book and a change to S&T.; I can't confirm if I am better yet but contact, direction, and power have all improved virtually overnight. The season is 2 months away here but I would be amazed if I don't improve my index this year at least a couple of points. Can you tell I am excited. I haven't been this into golf in years.

Brian

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kpaulhus Great Member

kpaulhus

Another good tip on improving the handicap is to shoot the same scores from the back tees, if you don't already do so. Im not good enough with my long irons yet that I can move to the back tees at my club. Maybe when it gets warmer and my drives start getting over 260 again, but hitting the driver 215 off the tee in this cold weather sucks.

Kyle Paulhus

If you really want to get better, check out Evolvr

:callaway: Rogue ST 10.5* | :callaway: Epic Sub Zero 15* | :tmade: P790 3 Driving Iron |:titleist: 716 AP2 |  :edel: Wedges 50/54/68 | :edel: Deschutes 36"

Career Low Round: 67 (18 holes), 32 (9 holes)

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James_Black Great Member

James_Black

I went from shooting 100+ most round to high 80's low 90's last year

My Clubs
Driver - LV4 10* R flex
Wood - sam snead persimmon 2 wood (for windy days)
Hybrid burner tour launch 20* stiff flex.
Irons - Tour Mode 3i,4i stiffIrons - FP's 5-PW R-flexWedge - spin milled 54.14Wedge - spin milled 60.07Putter - Victoria Lowest round 2010: 79 (par 70)Latest rounds at...

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