Confidence level of a high teens handicapper

[Hoovedawg]

I was wondering how confident does the average high teens handicapper feel. I see people on here with a worse handicap than me talking about hitting 85-90% of all fairways, or about how from 180 yards they are money or how they never miss a 5 foot putt. Am I just getting lucky? I only started a few months ago so this may be part of it. I probablly miss half of the fairways. Some times I will bomb one 280 or 290, but for every one of these I have a topped ball, swing and miss or terrible slice. From 180 I'm hardly thinking about puting it on the green. I feel like there are people who score worse than me but are better golfers. When I get ready to swing I'm still thinking just make solid contact, and not worrying a whole lot about where it goes. So I was wondering whats the deal. Are these people not as good as they say, am I lucky or is it something else.

[Shindig]

I was wondering how confident does the average high teens handicapper feel. I see people on here with a worse handicap than me talking about hitting 85-90% of all fairways, or about how from 180 yards they are money or how they never miss a 5 foot putt. Am I just getting lucky? I only started a few months ago so this may be part of it. I probablly miss half of the fairways. Some times I will bomb one 280 or 290, but for every one of these I have a topped ball, swing and miss or terrible slice. From 180 I'm hardly thinking about puting it on the green. I feel like there are people who score worse than me but are better golfers. When I get ready to swing I'm still thinking just make solid contact, and not worrying a whole lot about where it goes. So I was wondering whats the deal. Are these people not as good as they say, am I lucky or is it something else.

Well, I'm a 22, although that's likely to change on the next recalculation.

Fairways hit: I've always been a straight hitter. I don't battle a slice, and I haven't. I had accuracy with my irons before I even got a driver, and I call it the "play club" during a round, focusing on putting the ball in play. I've had rounds where I hit as many as 13 fairways (and the one miss was into a fairway bunker). However, I'm only 200-210 out, so there are par-4 holes you can probably play as Driver 9-Iron that I have to play as Driver 3-Wood or even Driver 7-Iron Pitching Wedge. I've gotten far better in the past month or so at the 3- and 5-foot putts, because I practice those far more than any other distance of putts. I've gotten as many as 20 and 12 in a row, respectively, on the practice putting green. When I have such a putt on the course, I feel very confident on it - if I've made so many just like this in a row, the odds of my missing it must be low, right? And if I do miss, it must be a fluke, so I know I'm going to make the next one. My suggestions, if you want this confidence: * Practice your misses after the round. Did you hit your 6-iron poorly a few times? Make a note, forget about it during the round, and head to the range after the round and hit a few with your 6-iron. * Practice the shots on which you need confidence. Short putts getting you down? Make 10 3-footers and 5 5-footers in a row on the practice green some evening after work. * Establish your pre-shot routine, worrying about where the ball is going to go before you practice swing. And when it comes time to set up over the ball, set up, check, and go - don't stand and freeze over it. Negative thoughts need time to enter if you didn't invite them in: don't give them that time.

[ctmurrray]

I was wondering how confident does the average high teens handicapper feel. I see people on here with a worse handicap than me talking about hitting 85-90% of all fairways, or about how from 180 yards they are money or how they never miss a 5 foot putt. Am I just getting lucky? I only started a few months ago so this may be part of it. I probablly miss half of the fairways. Some times I will bomb one 280 or 290, but for every one of these I have a topped ball, swing and miss or terrible slice. From 180 I'm hardly thinking about puting it on the green. I feel like there are people who score worse than me but are better golfers. When I get ready to swing I'm still thinking just make solid contact, and not worrying a whole lot about where it goes. So I was wondering whats the deal. Are these people not as good as they say, am I lucky or is it something else.

Golfers rarely remember bad shots and lie quite a bit about their game (or don't count the bad shots). I am a 12.1 index which is about 14 on most courses. I have come down from low twenties. My game is what you describe - I hit quite a few fairways in that 80% range (I keep track using Ralph Maltby's club fitting scorecard). But I am short in length (driver only 200 to 210 yds) and thus hit few greens due to length (my 3 wood is 180 so I have some hope from that length). I am okay around the greens and okay putter. But I miss 5 foot putts too regularly. Most players at my handicap do not hit that many fairways, they are long and wilder. Players that are both long and accurate are usually lower handicaps than me. My best ball partner falls into that category and he is a 5 or 6 handicap.

[iacas]

When I get ready to swing I'm still thinking just make solid contact, and not worrying a whole lot about where it goes.

Not to divert the topic, but golf's a target sport. I think Bob Rotella would tell you to stop thinking about solid contact and start thinking about the target. Heck, think ONLY about the target, he'd tell you.

He'd also tell you to choose conservative shots and play them aggressively. To translate this back onto topic, if you "stay within yourself" you can be very confident. If you have a 240-yard carry over water and you can do that 20% of the time or you can lay up to the right, with 180 of carry, and you can do that 95% of the time, choose option b and you'll inherently have more "confidence" in the shot. Heck, most golfers would improve (and by most I mean most, of any handicap level) if they chose the shot they were most confident in every time. Instead, golfers are easily baited into trying shots that they shouldn't. That's why The Masters used to be so fun to watch, and why Pete Dye golf courses are fun to play - lots of temptation.

[ctmurrray]

Not to divert the topic, but golf's a target sport. I think Bob Rotella would tell you to stop thinking about solid contact and start thinking about the target. Heck, think ONLY about the target, he'd tell you.

I agree completely. This is how I have maximized my game. Of course if the other golfers I play against did use their brains more I would not win as often.

[Undr Par]

I was wondering how confident does the average high teens handicapper feel. I see people on here with a worse handicap than me talking about hitting 85-90% of all fairways, or about how from 180 yards they are money or how they never miss a 5 foot putt. Am I just getting lucky? I only started a few months ago so this may be part of it. I probablly miss half of the fairways. Some times I will bomb one 280 or 290, but for every one of these I have a topped ball, swing and miss or terrible slice. From 180 I'm hardly thinking about puting it on the green. I feel like there are people who score worse than me but are better golfers. When I get ready to swing I'm still thinking just make solid contact, and not worrying a whole lot about where it goes. So I was wondering whats the deal. Are these people not as good as they say, am I lucky or is it something else.

great post...and if your a Country Music buff as Brad Pasley's song says "I can be anything on the internet"....simply stated most people lie about their golf game, shots...driving distance...putts...even their cap....only a very few tell the truth imho......heck I can't keep count with co-workers who before I ever played with them said they shoot in the high 80's to low 90's but when I go out with them they shoot a 105 and simply say "it wasn't my day" ...hmmm

[SlammerSam]

the more that you practice the more confident you will become, see your target, see your target line, hit the ball. Arnold Palmer said that he learned by hitting the ball hard going after it and hitting it hard again. Practice on a pratice tee is very important for swing and shot development, this will improve your confidence. Make at least one hour (one large bucket) a priority for yourself weekly.

Good luck, hit'em straight!

[DJYoshi]

I started about this time last year... i had no confidence in anything...driver to putting... but the more i got out..not just as the range..but got out to real courses..the more comfortable i got.
From 175 and in, i'm thinking of how close I can get to the flag.
From 175 - 250, I'm thinking: just get it on the green or to a spot where I can have an easy up and down.

Golf's a muscle memory sport...but it's more of a confidence in the memories you have.... just keep the good things with you...like when you hit a solid drive 290, remember how you did it..what you did..i try to remember things as far down as my pre-shot routine...so i can have a consistent swing that stems from the pre-shot routine.

i also believe the frequency in which you practice perfectly sets up your confidence... have you tried doing the %? like for 10 yards, you can have up to 10% difference..right or left.
200 = 20 yard difference..... that tends to give you a confidence booster in the distance and type of shot you're gonna play..
like this year I'm really learning the flop and the proper mechanics of the pitch... as much as I'd rather bump and run b/c that's just safe....you've gotten learn the flop and pitch shots to navigate some courses....i have NO confidence with those shots.....but hey...perfect practice makes perfect!

[iWALK18]

Golfers and fishermen have some real similarities, lets just put it that way.