Scores Not Showing Improvement

[Killa]

So I have been working on my game for the past 3 years pretty often. I’m practicing much more often than playing as I don’t have the time to go out as much and it’s much easier to hit the practice area for 45 minutes than 18 holes for 5 hours. 
 

I have dedicated a lot of time to my full swing while neglecting my short game and putting and I added about 15 yards to my irons from last year (same clubs so not because of a change in loft). 
 

This winter I worked on my putting and it shows on course. I miss little short putts, make more mid range putts (I almost never made a 10’ putt before) and my lag putting has been much improved. I also worked on my chipping and it’s a guarantee that if I’m chipping inside 20 yards I will be in a position where 1 putt is an option while a 3 putt is pretty much off the table. 

Admittedly I have slacked in my irons, and especially my long irons are pretty inconsistent off the rough/fairway. I’m pretty confident hitting up to 6 iron from play but 4 and 5 are a lottery. I can hit them off the tee though. 
 

My driver is currently the club I’m most confident with, but my 3 wood doesn’t instill even a slight shred of confidence.

 

And with all of those improvements my scores still hover in the 95 range. I might play 15-20 rounds per year, but we do play longer courses, in the 6600 range. 
 

For example yesterday I played the first 18 in a month and a half. I did practice 3 times this week before the round. 
 

I started off pretty good (except a 3 putt on the first hole - completely my fault in lack of concentration) and I started double, par, par, bogey.  Then I topped my driver on the 5th and needed 2 more shots to get near the green and failed to get up and down for a bogey so another double. And from that point on I was constantly scrambling and couldn’t get my game together. 
 

Even though I added distance to my irons (or especially because of that) and didn’t improve my accuracy in relation to that my misses get really bad. I also don’t have a shape to my ball flights. The only thing I don’t hit at the moment is a severe slice. But my misses are left and right... so I usually hit a slight fade with my short irons (6-9) and a draw with my 4,5 and my 3 wood. The driver is a fade as well. 
 

 

Tl;dr - even though I know I’m a better golfer than last year it doesn’t show in my scores...

[iacas]

Where are you actually losing strokes? Have you done any strikes gained type analysis?

[GolfLug]

1 hour ago, Killa said:

 even though I know I’m a better golfer than last year it doesn’t show in my scores...

In my experience you have to hit critical mass of improvement to see a shift in a scores. 

Consider this...you can hit a shitty topped dribble 9 iron from 140 out or a much improved pull hook only 10 yards left of the green - chances are score will be the same. 

To state the obvious, you gotta hit more greens. 

Edited July 25, 2020 by GolfLug

[Killa]

38 minutes ago, iacas said:

Where are you actually losing strokes? Have you done any strikes gained type analysis?

I have done it last year using game golf. And I lost most (relatively) on short and putting. That’s why I really focused on improving my putting and chipping over the winter. Now an up and down is a real possibility and 3 putting is going down (except from distances over 30’) and I also hole more mid distance putts. 
 

I typed a long post about the last round but deleted it - I lost most off the tee or then on the approach. So full swings. I didn’t loose a ball and I had no penalty strokes, but I was blocked out quite often and even if I wasn’t completely blocked out I still couldn’t play for the green. 

3 minutes ago, GolfLug said:

In my experience you have to hit critical mass of improvement to see a shift in a scores. 

Consider this...you can hit a shitty topped dribble 9 iron from 140 out or a much improved pull hook only 10 yards left of the green - chances are score will be the same. 

To state the obvious, you gotta hit more greens. 

What frustrates me that I was really bad at putting last couple of years and I am much better. The guy I play most of my rounds with told me I’m at least 50% better. 
 

And with the driving range next to my house closed for maintenance for almost all of 2020 until now I’ve lost on the full swings what I gained on putting. Even though I’m finding the center of the club more often and hit the clubs longer, the added length with no improvement in accuracy actually made my shots miss more rather than less.

[Vinsk]

I kinda place scoring analysis without actual data in the same realm of ‘ feel ain’t real.’ Many people still do this, analyze their game based on what they think they’re seeing or doing. Usually the types who still feel the short game is the most important part of golf in general.

I think you should get back to using a stat program. You could be like me where one round your approaches are killing you and the next it’s awful short game/putting. It may be that course management is a significant factor in your play. 

[CarlSpackler]

It’s a stupid game invented by drunk people with too much time on their hands

[Killa]

18 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

I kinda place scoring analysis without actual data in the same realm of ‘ feel ain’t real.’ Many people still do this, analyze their game based on what they think they’re seeing or doing. Usually the types who still feel the short game is the most important part of golf in general.

I think you should get back to using a stat program. You could be like me where one round your approaches are killing you and the next it’s awful short game/putting. It may be that course management is a significant factor in your play. 

I would but gamegolf is down again...

I feel that I’m not able to play golf and put a lot of data in my telephone at the same time. I still want to enjoy the round and talk to my mates...

[knott]

3 minutes ago, Killa said:

I would but gamegolf is down again...

I feel that I’m not able to play golf and put a lot of data in my telephone at the same time. I still want to enjoy the round and talk to my mates...

Something like Shot Scope would be convenient then perhaps. But tbh I have trouble to see how statistics would help me score better. Theory is quite simple afterall. Everybody knows that GIR is a good thing...  it´s execution that is hard and always get it right on first try 🙂

[Double Mocha Man]

19 minutes ago, CarlSpackler said:

It’s a stupid game invented by drunk people with too much time on their hands

I understand Mary Queen of Scots always carried a flask...

[Vinsk]

1 hour ago, Killa said:

I would but gamegolf is down again...

I feel that I’m not able to play golf and put a lot of data in my telephone at the same time. I still want to enjoy the round and talk to my mates...

Yeah that’s a pain. I use V1 Game and can enter my shots after the round. I do get annoyed when I’m using it ‘live’ and an error occurs. I just want to play and not fiddle with software. V1 boasts about just starting your round and leave your phone in your pocket and it will track your round automatically. Haven’t tried that but I can only imagine the errors it will make..

[Killa]

8 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

Yeah that’s a pain. I use V1 Game and can enter my shots after the round. I do get annoyed when I’m using it ‘live’ and an error occurs. I just want to play and not fiddle with software. V1 boasts about just starting your round and leave your phone in your pocket and it will track your round automatically. Haven’t tried that but I can only imagine the errors it will make..

I’m looking at Arccos but the 2nd generation (free lifetime subscription) now but I don’t know if it’s worth it. 
 

I just reset my appstore region to USA to download the TaylorMade Myroundpro app, and maybe if I get a mount for my phone I might actually use it to track my shots. 

[iacas]

So you were using the free phone app?

[Killa]

10 minutes ago, iacas said:

So you were using the free phone app?

no I was using game golf live version last season. I currently can’t log in to take a screenshot of the strokes gained stats

 

edit: managed to do it now: here are last 5 rounds one of them might be from this season

 

 

Edited July 25, 2020 by Killa

[iacas]

30 minutes ago, Killa said:

no I was using game golf live version last season. I currently can’t log in to take a screenshot of the strokes gained stats

Oh then why the comment about putting data in during the round?

[Grizvok]

2 hours ago, knott said:

Something like Shot Scope would be convenient then perhaps. But tbh I have trouble to see how statistics would help me score better. Theory is quite simple afterall. Everybody knows that GIR is a good thing...  it´s execution that is hard and always get it right on first try 🙂

How do you have trouble seeing how statistics can make you a better player? They are invaluable towards finding what needs the most work in your golf game. They allow you to tailor your practice ratios toward what YOU need.

[Mr22putt]

5 hours ago, Killa said:

 

Tl;dr - even though I know I’m a better golfer than last year it doesn’t show in my scores...

Maybe time to take up bowling.😝

40 minutes ago, Grizvok said:

How do you have trouble seeing how statistics can make you a better player? They are invaluable towards finding what needs the most work in your golf game. They allow you to tailor your practice ratios toward what YOU need.

No need to question Knott....now that he has the basics of the golf swing down pat....he'll be able to figure out anything on his own...just sayin.😁

[Killa]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

Oh then why the comment about putting data in during the round?

From now on... I’ve had several problems with gamegolf so that the last 4 or 5 rounds I didn’t even bother charging it...

[knott]

1 hour ago, Grizvok said:

How do you have trouble seeing how statistics can make you a better player? They are invaluable towards finding what needs the most work in your golf game. They allow you to tailor your practice ratios toward what YOU need.

I think its obvious when I am playing if I do bad shots or bad decisions