Question for the High Handicaps

[Eore]

i need to play some more, and with HS golf starting up, that will be 36 holes a week!! i only had 20 rounds last year. my problem last year was slicing off the tee and making consistent contact. i'm much better at that now, i expect the old handicap to be below a 20 by years end. and of course, short game. i chip really well (had 8 chip ins last year) but my sand play is not very good. and, too many 3 putts

[gbk56]

I play about once or twice a month and try to practice once a week.

My driver and irons are relatively straight, but my 3 wood and 5 wood are very inconsistant (i used to hit the 5 wood great).

My game is very weak within 100yards. I take more than half of my strokes within 100 yards or probably more like within 50 yards. No short game, no putting.

I cannot tell much of a difference between balls except between a good ball and a very cheap ball, like a range ball.

I can feel the difference between hitting a forged iron and a cast iron iron. Whether, that difference helps my game or not I am not sure, but I can feel the difference.

I do not think there is much of a difference between putters. Just need to pick one the you feel good hitting. Usually the more expensive putters feel better weighted, giving the feeling of a smoother stroke.

All that said, I have good equipment so that I am reassured that my bad shots could only be the result of my poor play and not an equipment issue. I used to play with a set of Spaldings and can't tell much of a difference between the clubs except with the irons and I actaully hit my Spalding 5 Wood better than my fancy Adams 5 Wood. I think I hit my Spalding driver the same as my TaylorMade, but I switched my clubs because people I played with were convinced my high handicap was caused by inadequate equipment.

My handicap in coming down, but I think that is just because I play more. As I get more confidence in my short game, my scores are coming down.

[tm22721]

I play every day but my game is erratic I can score 82 one day and 100 the next. Been playing 3.5 years.

I need to focus on all aspects of the game. I enjoy learning the complex mechanics but those must be translated into feel. Swing thoughts are evil.

[madforpancakes]

I just started last season, so I still suck. However, I went down from 135 to about 110, 115 by the end of last season. I got a membership to the municipal courses here in Rochester which all kinda suck, but at least it was cheap and I can go play a couple times a week to work on my game. That $450 will help my game waaaaaaaay more than any new equipment could.

[Klean]

Just started playing about 2 1/2 months ago, so I have a lot of things to work on. Luckily I learn fast and have done well from inside 100yds. Getting to that 100yds is a different story though lol

[rubior]

I have a very high handicap. A lot of it is due to mental game. I will mentally blow a couple of holes and post big numbers.

As far as game improvement. This has worked for me. I got a lesson first. Your instructor will tell you what to work on. Then, go to the range, twice a week. One day work on what your instructor's lessons. The second day, pitch and putt. You can spend 30 minutes to an hour at the range each day. Play golf as often as you can, but maintain a good practice schedule. Once you have reached a level of contentment regarding your first lesson. Go back and get another one. It could be 1 month or 3 months later, whatever is comfortable, but keep your schedule. This consistent work will really improve your game. I have been keeping this schedule since February and my ball striking has really improved. My course management not so much, but the swing and feel are getting better. Hope this helps.

[lamebums]

I own a $1200 AUS set of irons, and still hit shanks, thins, fats, toes, heels, duck hooks and wild cuts and any thing else possible.

You're bringing up a good point - in the words of a good friend of mine, "with better clubs I'll still hack. I'll just hit it further into the woods." There's a point where you can buy a better game (if you're still playing 1960's antique blades, for instance) but generally the money is better spent on a lesson. I bet Tiger could go out there with my old Acushnet Bullseye and putt all of our lights out, even when we're armed with $300 Scotty Cameron's.

[larlev]

You're bringing up a good point - in the words of a good friend of mine, "with better clubs I'll still hack. I'll just hit it further into the woods." There's a point where you can buy a better game (if you're still playing 1960's antique blades, for instance) but generally the money is better spent on a lesson. I bet Tiger could go out there with my old Acushnet Bullseye and putt all of our lights out, even when we're armed with $300 Scotty Cameron's.

100% agree....

[BigDave]

I think the main difference (and the infuriating thing) is consistency. What I mean is I can hit all of the shot I need...sometimes. I hit a 300 yd drive down the middle. On the next hole I drive it into the woods.

Amazingly I think I feel a real difference between high priced balls and the rocks they sell as low priced balls.

Last year I spent $500 on a new FT-i driver with no improvement. This year I'm investing the money in lessons.

[azflying]

Driving is my biggest problem. It's hard to score well when you put yourself in a difficult situation every hole. I've found if I have a good (not necessarily great) tee shot, it sets up for at least a bogey. If I hit it into the desert (I live in AZ) or OB, I'm not going to save par.

Second is short game. I found a trick that seems to be working. Buy more range balls than you want to hit. You will go through your normal practice time and have a bunch of balls left over. I pull out my wedges and hit partial swing shots to different spots on the range, some 50 yards, some 20 feet, just wasting balls. In the past I thought every ball I paid for needed to be hit full swing, normal routine. This has helped my short game a lot.

Putting is feel and reading greens. I have not learned to read greens, I guess that takes experience. I use a long putting and 3-foot putts are almost automatic, just aim and swing. I don't know why people can't get over using a long putter and then bitch about their putting stroke. Golf is hard enough without fighting your equipment.

Equipment? Looking through the signatures on this thread, people seem to have the Super Game Improvement clubs, which is good. I believe you can buy a better game today, go out and get the easiest to use clubs you can find. Read the Golf Digest Hot List issue (or online) and set yourself up with some shovel irons and straight-as-an-arrow high MOI driver. (if you slice, I recommend the Cleveland Hibore XLS DRAW driver, it's almost impossible to slice, I have one).

[thedub]

i agree, consistency...yesterday when i played, i was VERY consistent and could have(had it not been for 3 triple bogeys.) shot anywhere from 79-81...

i try to play at least 36 holes a week and go to the driving range twice on top of making 50 putts a night at my house...i believe practice is critical.

[penguin]

I won't regurgitate what has already been said. I play once a month and hit the range a few times a week. The biggest thing to do with my play are the fundementals. I have those fancy clubs and buy decent balls to play with - but I need more work on the fundementals.

[Raidermatt]

Currently a 29.0, which is the first month I've ever been below 30. Down from 34.8 that I was at most of last year, and 36.4 that I've been at pretty much since I started playing about 8 years ago.

So I'm definitely still a high-handicapper, but I am FINALLY making progress

What aspect of your game needs the most work.

I'd say woods and chipping/pitching. At 29.0 I obviously need work in all areas, but I'd say those are the weakest.

Are you a weekend player, new player, or just plain stink?

Been playing about 8-9 years, so I'm not a new player, but I also didn't play at all when I was a kid.

I'm trying to get in a round or two every month now.

Do you have a practice schedule?

I practiced pretty regularly for the first year or so after I started playing, and made some progress. I went from shooting 130's to 110-125. But then the progress stopped and so, of course, I stopped practicing for the most part.

But last year I finally started to understand what it meant to swing without tension and that helped quite a bit even without the practice. This year I've been practicing when I can, mainly just a small bucket or short game on my lunch.

Can you really tell the difference between a higher priced ball vs. a cheap one?

Honestly not sure. I've been using the HX Hot, which is a mid-priced ball, because of the low driver spin ratings I've seen it get. But since my swing has been changing lately, it's tough to really tell if the ball helps.

I am just curious because I feel sometimes us higher HC players get so much conflicting advice...and this or that piece of equipment will solve our problems.

I've taken the approach that if I'm getting better, then I can consider some new equipment. Partly as a reward to myself, and partly because I know that the equipment alone isn't going to help THAT much.

So that's why I hadn't really got anything new for the last 7 years or so, but this year I did get some new clubs.

example I own a $230 putter...yet I miss 2 footers just like I did with my $20 used Ray Cook....go figure

Very true. People ask if I like this or that club that I have, and I usually say "Yeah, but if I make a bad swing/stroke it still doesn't help".